Quito &The Middle of the World tour 4½ hours, daily morning only

Information

Quito & the Middle of the World (4½ hours, daily, morning only)

Middle of the world monument in Ecuador.

A visit to downtown Quito to relsh in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
NOTE: tour visits to churches on sundays are not allowed.

Day by day

Tour Details

A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.
Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.
Entrance fees are included.

Travel Facts

Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat). Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny. Rain protection advised in the afternoon. This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs. Sun protection (SPF 40). Good walking shoes.