Zumbahua (zoom-bah-wah) has a wonderfully authentic Saturday market at which indigenous vendors from the mountains sell their wares. Check out the men on the south side of the market, who use old Singer sewing machines to tailor clothes, and the cuddly cuy (guinea pig) trade, which is fun to watch.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
6.57 MILES
About 14km north of Zumbahua, the famous volcanic-crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa is a gasp-inducing sight. A lookout on the precipitous crater rim offers…
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26.43 MILES
Several famous ambateños (people from Ambato) had quintas that survived the earthquake. They were once considered countryside homes, but today they are…
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Museo Provincial Casa del Portal
26.84 MILES
This majestic home was built in 1900 and now houses Ambato's best museum. There are tons of interesting historic photos on the 1st floor. Head up to the…
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26.77 MILES
On the northwest side of Parque Juan Montalvo is this museum in Montalvo’s pied-à-terre; the grand mausoleum in which the writer is interred is on the…
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18.23 MILES
The Thursday morning market in Saquisilí is one of the best in the central highlands. It’s a mostly authentic and fascinating place to observe the array…
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26.43 MILES
This 200-year-old house was the countryside retreat of writer Juan Montalvo, the ‘Cervantes of America.’ There’s a tiny but well-put-together museum…
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29.9 MILES
They say there’s lost Inca treasure buried somewhere in the remote and inaccessible wilderness of the 2197-sq-km Parque Nacional Llanganates. The park…
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19.77 MILES
Most action tends to center on this main plaza. At the southeast corner stands the republican-era town hall, topped by a pair of stone condors. On the…
Nearby The Quilotoa Loop attractions
2.42 MILES
The outstanding Galería Arte de Tigua and three other art galleries sell paintings and wooden masks at lower prices than those in Quito. If the gallery is…
6.57 MILES
About 14km north of Zumbahua, the famous volcanic-crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa is a gasp-inducing sight. A lookout on the precipitous crater rim offers…
18.23 MILES
The Thursday morning market in Saquisilí is one of the best in the central highlands. It’s a mostly authentic and fascinating place to observe the array…
19.47 MILES
Latacunga’s large markets are quite utilitarian, but that’s what makes them interesting. The food stalls on the second floor of the Mercado Cerrado …
19.51 MILES
This cultural center is built on the site of a former Jesuit watermill known as Molinos de Monserrat and houses a small ethnography and art museum. The…
19.77 MILES
Most action tends to center on this main plaza. At the southeast corner stands the republican-era town hall, topped by a pair of stone condors. On the…
19.78 MILES
On the south side of Parque Vicente León stands the colonial-style cathedral.
8. Casa de los Marqueses de Miraflores
19.78 MILES
Take a break in this archaeological and religious museum housed in a colonial-era mansion. It has good background on the Mama Negra festivals. The museum…