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Puente Roto
Most of this bridge, above a pretty stretch of Paseo 3 de Noviembre, was washed away during a flood, but its stone arches make a nice venue for an open-air art fair and cultural events every Saturday.
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Museo del Quito en Miniatura
At La Mitad del Mundo is an impressive 1:200 scale model of colonial Quito, housed in the Museo del Quito en Miniatura . A light show takes you from dawn in the miniature city to late at night.
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Pozo Salinas
Around the corner from the main square, this small lagoon has a boardwalk around the edge, which makes a fine viewing spot for taking in the pink flamingos and stilts that sometimes feed here.
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Centro de Arte Contemporáneo
Inside a beautifully restored former military hospital, this excellent museum showcases cutting-edge multimedia exhibits as well as top modern-art shows that travel to the city. There’s a cafe on site.
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Church of Santo Domingo
This church two blocks northwest of Parque Calderón sports some fine carved wooden doors and colonial paintings inside. Although it looks older, the church was built in the early 20th century.
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Laguna de las Ninfas
This peaceful lagoon has a short boardwalk path, where you can stop to take in the mangroves while looking for sting rays, baby sharks, sea turtles and other creatures sometimes spotted here.
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Church of El Carmen de la Asunción
The stark, white church just around the corner from Plaza de San Francisco was founded in 1682 and contrasts beautifully with the colorful flower market held on the small Plazoleta del Carmen out front.
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Plaza de la Independencia
The Plaza of Independence is hemmed in by the Church of San Sebastián and colonial-era buildings with pillared overhangs and shuttered wooden balconies. A brightly tiled fountain depicts Ecuadorian wildlife.
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Iglesia de la Merced
Features a gold leaf–covered altar for the Virgen de la Merced, patron saint of the armed forces. The church holds a special mass in remembrance of the victims and survivors of the devastating 1868 earthquake.
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Iglesia de Santo Domingo
At the north end of Bolívar you’ll find the quaint Parque Santo Domingo . The Dominican church behind this small park houses La Virgen del Rosarío , a painting by famous artist Diego de Robles, on its altar.
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Centro Interamericano de Artes Populares
Just down the stairs on the riverbank, the Inter-American Traditional Art Center exhibits indigenous costumes, handicrafts and artwork from around Latin America and has a classy, well-priced crafts store.
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Parque La Libertad
A few blocks southeast of Parque Maldonado (Primera Constituyente at Espejo), Parque La Libertad is anchored by its neoclassical basilica (Veloz near Alvarado), famous for being the only round church in Ecuador.
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Inca Ruins
A patch of Inca ruins lie near the river, between the east end of Larga and Av Todos los Santos. Most of the stonework was destroyed to build colonial buildings, but there are some fine niches and walls.
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Museo Bahía de Caráquez
You’ll find a good introduction to the area’s indigenous history at this well-curated modern museum. The collection includes hundreds of pieces of pre-Columbian pottery, as well as local crafts for sale.
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Legislative Palace
Between Parque Alameda and Parque El Ejido stands the Palacio Legislativo, the equivalent of the houses of parliament or congress. A huge frieze depicting the history of Ecuador spans the north side of the building.
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Church of San Francisco
Resplendently colonial, yet curiously ramshackle, plaza San Franciscos set-piece is the 19th-century Church of San Francisco, which features an important gold-leaf altar from the colonial period.
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Museo Alberto Mena Caamaño
Get a glimpse of Quito’s early colonial history through wax figures, especially regarding the events of August 1810, when independence-minded quiteños were executed. Theres also some colonial-era and contemporary art.
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Palacio Municipal
Across the street from the malecón is the ornate, gray building of the Palacio Municipal, separated from the simple and solid Palacio de Gobierno by a small but pleasant pedestrian mall. Both buildings date from the 1920s.
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Galapaguera
Galapaguera is part of the national park on the southeastern part of San Cristóbal, where giant tortoises live in semi-natural conditions. A taxi can take you there and back from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno for around $35.
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Refugio Ecológico Tzanka
A block southwest of the main plaza up a steep hill, this wildlife rescue center has colorful parrots, coatis (big, acrobatic rodents), monkeys, sloths and a boa constrictor. It has short-term volunteer opportunities.
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