Posts about Quito
How Ecuador Can Take Your Breath Away
From the Atlanta Journal Constitution
Quito, Ecuador — High above the city, 72 feet to be exact, I’m inching around the 2-foot-wide ledge of the 17th-century bell tower of the Iglesia de la Compañia, trying without much success to tamp down vertigo. Oddly, I feel both terrified and exhilarated.
The tower, when restoration is completed in February, will be more than twice as tall, and the perfect vantage point to view the city’s crazy quilt of centuries-old buildings and modern construction. Right now, it’s closed to tourists, but invited guests reach the tower by an ancient circular, rickety stairway, in places missing its railings. Better not get dizzy.
Ecuador is noted for its outdoor travel opportunities, especially for seeing exotic animals and swimming with sea lions and giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands. In this small country of 13 million people, you can also trek in the Amazon jungle or get close to whales cavorting off the coast. Who knew there would be nearly as many thrills in its capital city of 1.4 million people and the volcanic region around it?
A visit to Quito, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, blends history and adventure in unexpected ways.
Icaro Airlines Flights from Quito around Ecuador
Icaro Airline offers flights from Quito around Ecuador.
Icaro is a tiny four-plane airline based in Quito, the capital.
Icaro Airlines has flights around Ecuador as well as between Quito and Guayaquil.
Their website is unreliable, but you can occasionally find their schedule on it.
If you can’t, you can call the airline or call a travel agent specializing in Ecuador for the updated itinerary.
Where to Stay in Quito
Where to stay in Quito is a question many people visiting Ecuador ask themselves.
Quito is a fairly large city and has quite a selection of top quality hotels.
You’ll find most of the major US and international hotel chains in Quito.
These include Hilton and Marriott hotels in Quito.
One of the best hotels in Quito is the Hotel Dann Carlton.
The Hotel Dann Carlton is in a nice central location downtown and walkable to the waterfront.
I was last upgraded to a fantastic suite there for a rate of around just US$85 a night.
More posts about Quito:
Getting to the Galapagos Islands from Ecuador