Northeast of La Alameda, the pleasant, tree-filled Parque El Ejido is a popular spot for impromptu games of soccer and volleyball. The park teems with activity on weekends, when open-air art shows are held along Avenida Patria. Just inside the north end of the park, artisans and crafts vendors set up stalls and turn the sidewalks into a handicrafts market.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
1.35 MILES
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town. Free guided…
1.67 MILES
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2…
2.36 MILES
In the former home of the legendary painter Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–99), this wonderful museum houses the most complete collection of the artist's work…
2.34 MILES
One of the most important works of art in South America, Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín’s Capilla del Hombre stands next to the Casa Museo…
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1.25 MILES
The low white building on the northwestern side of Plaza Grande is the seat of the Ecuadorian presidency. Visitors can enter by joining a free guided tour…
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Museos Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana
0.19 MILES
Newly reopened following a full-scale makeover, Museos Casa de la Cultura encompasses three museums in a single bright, modern space. The expansive Museo…
29.93 MILES
The centerpiece of Ecuador's most popular national park is the snowcapped and downright picture-perfect Volcán Cotopaxi. At 5897m, it's Ecuador's second…
14.51 MILES
At the center of the Mitad del Mundo stands the centerpiece of the park: a 30m-high, stone trapezoidal monument topped by a brass globe containing a…
Nearby Quito attractions
0.19 MILES
Located in the circular, glass-plated, landmark building of the Casa de la Cultura is one of the country’s largest collections of Ecuadorian art, with…
2. Museos Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana
0.19 MILES
Newly reopened following a full-scale makeover, Museos Casa de la Cultura encompasses three museums in a single bright, modern space. The expansive Museo…
0.29 MILES
Between Parque Alameda and Parque El Ejido stands the National Assembly building, the equivalent of the Houses of Parliament or the Capitol Building. A…
0.47 MILES
Breaking up the New Town's sea of concrete and glass is this welcome splash of greenery, containing the Quito Observatory and a small boating lake. A few…
0.51 MILES
Opened by President García Moreno in 1864, this four-sided observatory is the oldest on the continent. It houses a museum of 19th-century pendulums,…
6. Centro de Arte Contemporáneo
0.65 MILES
Inside a beautifully restored former military hospital, this excellent museum showcases cutting-edge multimedia exhibits as well as top modern-art shows…
0.76 MILES
On a hill in the northeastern part of the Old Town looms this massive Gothic church, Quito's largest, built over several decades beginning in 1892. Rather…
0.86 MILES
Sitting high on a hill above the Old Town, this grassy park boasts magnificent views of the city, running and cycle tracks and a children's playground. It…