This lively plaza is Cuenca’s most important square, flanked by the Old and New Cathedral on opposite sides, and the Palace of Justice and the Azuay Province Governor’s Office along its edges. Our guide will connect the architecture and history of each building to the broader story of the city, as well as introduce you to several colorful restaurants and stores dotted along the streets of the area.
The Old Cathedral of Cuenca was built in 1557 and is known for its colonial style. Its intricate interior holds religious paintings, wooden sculptures, and baroque altarpieces.
This quaint pedestrian street has outdoor cafes and restaurants. It was closed to the public for 53 years before finally reopening in 2017. It leads directly to San Luis Seminar, one of the best panoramic vantage points for views of the New Cathedral’s iconic domes.
This kaleidoscopic plaza was included in National Geographic’s Top 10 Outdoor Flower Markets of the World. It features a vast array of flowers from Ecuador’s fertile Andes and a small hole-in-the-wall store selling the traditional “pitimas” herbal drink.
Part of Cuenca’s charm is that it’s a city of rivers, four no less. Tomebamba, the largest one, flows right through the middle of the city. It makes for stunning and calming walks along its tree-lined banks, with a number of bars and cafes around it that offer the perfect nook for appreciating its beauty.
Just around the corner from the Turi lookout, the colorful Vega family workshop and gallery will mesmerize you. Eduardo Vega is regarded as one of Ecuador’s finest ceramists and muralists, whose colorful pieces reflect a distinct artistic sensibility rooted in Andean traditions and Cuenca’s lifestyle. You’ll likely want to bring some of his stunning ceramic pieces back home with you!
One of Ecuador’s oldest hat companies, producing and exporting the toquilla straw hats that the world knows as Panama Hats (despite their origins lying entirely in Ecuador). Metropolitan Touring’s guide will help set the record straight here and reveal the art of the craft, from raw material to finished product.
Seamless exploration
Metropolitan Touring’s own bilingual guide and transportation services throughout the experience
Curated experiences
Visits and activities described in the itinerary
Curated gastronomy
Lunch at one of Cuenca’s premier restaurants
A fully-hosted full-day tour through Cuenca’s UNESCO colonial city, covering Parque Calderon and its cathedrals, the Plaza de las Flores flower market, the Barranco riverfront walk, Turi viewpoint, Vega ceramics workshop, and the Homero Ortega Panama Hat factory — with our bilingual guide and lunch included.
Starting at USD 269 per person.
Included: Bilingual guide, transportation, Parque Calderon plaza walk, Old and New Cathedral visits, Plaza de las Flores, Barranco riverfront walk, Turi scenic lookout, Vega ceramics workshop, Homero Ortega Panama Hat factory, and lunch at a premier Cuenca restaurant.
With more than 70 years of experience showcasing Ecuador, Metropolitan Touring connects you with the people, traditions, and places that make each destination distinctive.
This particular fully hosted Cuenca city tour includes exclusive access to the Vega ceramics workshop, a behind-the-scenes visit to a Panama hat factory, and lunch at one of Cuenca’s premier restaurants, all accompanied by an expert bilingual guide.
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