La Ronda is a colorful cobblestone street featuring colonial houses mostly given over to souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, and carefully restored for the purposes of tourism. The architecture is mostly 17th century, and signs on the walls describe aspects of the street's history.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
0.22 MILES
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town. Free guided…
2.16 MILES
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2…
3.86 MILES
In the former home of the legendary painter Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–99), this wonderful museum houses the most complete collection of the artist's work…
3.84 MILES
One of the most important works of art in South America, Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín’s Capilla del Hombre stands next to the Casa Museo…
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0.31 MILES
The low white building on the northwestern side of Plaza Grande is the seat of the Ecuadorian presidency. Visitors can enter by joining a free guided tour…
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Museos Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana
1.62 MILES
Newly reopened following a full-scale makeover, Museos Casa de la Cultura encompasses three museums in a single bright, modern space. The expansive Museo…
28.89 MILES
The centerpiece of Ecuador's most popular national park is the snowcapped and downright picture-perfect Volcán Cotopaxi. At 5897m, it's Ecuador's second…
15.78 MILES
At the center of the Mitad del Mundo stands the centerpiece of the park: a 30m-high, stone trapezoidal monument topped by a brass globe containing a…
Nearby Quito attractions
0.09 MILES
Plaza Santo Domingo, near the southwest end of Calle Guayaquil, is a regular haunt for street performers. The plaza is beautiful in the evening, when the…
0.1 MILES
A fabulous neo-Gothic altar dominates the inside of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Construction of the church began in 1581 and continued until 1650.
0.1 MILES
The museum at the Convento Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Plaza Santo Domingo has a pretty garden cloister and a fine assortment of colonial religious art.
0.11 MILES
This first-rate museum depicts daily life in Quito through the centuries, with displays including dioramas, model indigenous homes and colonial kitchens…
0.12 MILES
This massive arch, built in the 18th century to give shelter to churchgoers, spans García Moreno.
6. Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto
0.13 MILES
The Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto, built in 1653 and still home to an order of 20 Carmelite nuns, now houses an interesting museum. Exhibits explore…
0.16 MILES
The beautifully restored former home of Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre, the hero of Ecuadorian independence, is now a small museum full of early-19th…
8. Casa Museo María Augusta Urrutía
0.17 MILES
Of Quito’s house museums, this is the one not to miss: it’s a splendidly preserved, 19th-century home that was once the abode of the city’s best-loved…