Quito Old Town can be walked in one day: the historic center joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978, among the first sites in the world to do so, and it is still one of the largest and best preserved colonial centers in the Americas. It is also small enough to cross on foot in a morning.
One day is enough if you spend it in the right order. Here is where to start, the route that works, how 2,850 m changes your pace, and what to do with the rest of the day.
Start at the Basilica, and start early
Begin at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, for two reasons. The building: a neo-Gothic church whose gargoyles are Ecuadorian animals rather than European monsters, iguanas, tortoises, condors and monkeys, with towers that give you the widest view of the Old Town. And geography: it sits at the upper edge of the historic center, so everything after it is downhill or flat.
Start early. In the Andes the clear sky belongs to the morning and cloud arrives after lunch, so the plazas, the tower climb and the photographs are better before noon. Our Half Day Walking Tour Quito leaves the Basilica at 10:00 a.m. every day of the week, with a second departure at 2:00 p.m.
The colonial core, in walking order
From the Basilica the route runs south, one long descent through four centuries:
- Plaza Grande. The main square, framed by the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the city hall.
- Calle Garcia Moreno. The street of the seven crosses, which strings the great churches together and is the spine of the walk.
- La Compania de Jesus. The baroque church whose interior is covered in gold leaf. From the street you only get the carved stone facade, so it is worth going in.
- Plaza and church of San Francisco. The oldest and largest colonial religious complex in the city, with a sloping cobbled square in front of it.
- La Ronda. The narrow restored lane of balconies and workshops. Better in the late afternoon, when it wakes up.
- El Panecillo. The hill that closes the south end, with the winged Virgin of Quito on top and the best panorama of the center below. Go by taxi, both ways.
With stops, that is a full morning.
What the guided walk covers, and what it does not
The point of a guide is not the walking, it is the explanation: why a church has that facade, which legend belongs to which corner. Our version is three hours, easy level, $13 per person, leaving from the Basilica.
- Included: a bilingual English-Spanish guide for the full three hours.
- The route: the facades of the main colonial churches, the squares and buildings where the city’s history actually happened, and the legends locals still tell about them.
- Two tastings: traditional sweets made in the historic center, and Ecuadorian chocolate at Yumbos Coffee Shop at the end of the walk.
- Not included: entrance fees to churches and museums, food and drink beyond the tastings, and tips.
The walk covers the facades and the streets, so going inside La Compania or a museum is your own decision, paid at the door. Carry small bills.
How the altitude changes your day
Quito sits at 2,850 m (9,350 ft) and the Old Town is built on a slope, so a day that looks flat on a map is not. Nothing here is a hike, but travelers who landed the night before feel the staircases between plazas. Walk slower than you would at home, drink more water than you think you need, and treat a long lunch as part of the plan.
What to put in your bag
- Layers. Quito goes from sun to cold wind in the time it takes to cross a square.
- Sunscreen and a hat. You are on the equator at almost 3,000 m; the sun bites even when the air is cool.
- A rain jacket. Afternoon showers are normal and usually short.
- Shoes with grip. Colonial cobbles are polished and steep in places.
- Cash in small bills. For church and museum entrances, the taxi to El Panecillo and anything you eat.
What to do with the other half of the day
Take the 10:00 a.m. walk and your afternoon is free for the inside of the buildings you saw from outside, for La Ronda as it opens, or for El Panecillo in the last light. If you want a view over the valley instead, the cable car on the western edge of the city climbs to 3,945 m in a few minutes. It is the same cable car our Rucu Pichincha Acclimatization Hike rides to reach the start of its trail.
What one day in the Old Town cannot absorb is a day trip. Cotopaxi Hike and Bike and Quilotoa Culture and Hike both leave Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. and run 10 and 12 hours. Give the historic center its own day, ideally your first or second in the country, and use it to settle into the altitude. We compared the options in our guide to the best day tours from Quito.
Ready to walk Quito Old Town in one day?
We are based in the historic center ourselves and our office is right by the Basilica, which is why the walk starts there. Local guide, legends, sweets and chocolate: three hours, $13 per person, every day at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Check the details on the Half Day Walking Tour Quito page, browse the rest of our tours from Quito, or send us a WhatsApp at +593 98 094 2338 and we will help you fit the Old Town into the days you actually have.
