Attractions in Quito & Northern Highlands
A capital in the clouds and the middle of the world ☁️🌎
Showing 50 attractions · Sorted by importance
Basilica del Voto Nacional
📍 Quito
🏛 LandmarkThe largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas, famous for its gargoyles depicting Ecuadorian animals and climbable clock towers.
Carondelet Palace
📍 Quito
🏰 CastleThe official seat of the President of Ecuador, offering guided tours of grand ceremonial halls and presidential gifts.
Church of the Society of Jesus
📍 Quito
🏰 CastleA magnificent Baroque church famous for its interior entirely covered in gold leaf and intricate wood carvings.
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo
📍 San Antonio de Pichincha
🏰 CastleA cultural park and historic monument marking the location where the French Geodesic Mission determined the equator.
Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve
📍 Cotacachi
🌲 NatureHome to the stunning Cuicocha crater lake, this reserve offers boat rides and a scenic perimeter trail with views of high-altitude volcanic peaks.
El Panecillo
📍 Quito
🏛 LandmarkAn iconic hill topped with a giant aluminum statue of the Virgin of Quito, offering 360-degree views of the city.
Jardín Botánico de Quito
📍 Quito
🌿 GardenLocated inside La Carolina Park, this urban oasis features impressive orchid greenhouses and diverse themed displays of native Andean flora.
La Capilla del Hombre
📍 Quito
🖼 Art GalleryA stunning museum dedicated to the masterpiece works of Oswaldo Guayasamín, focusing on the history and suffering of Latin American people through powerful, large-scale art.
Laguna de Cuicocha
📍 Cotacachi
🏔 Scenic ViewA stunning high-altitude crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano, known for its two forested islands and boat tours.
Mindo Cloud Forest
📍 Mindo
🏔 Scenic ViewA world-renowned biodiversity hotspot featuring lush vegetation, mist-covered mountains, and a network of scenic waterfall trails.
Museo Nacional del Ecuador (MUNA)
📍 Quito
🖼 Art GalleryEcuador's premier national museum, offering families an interactive journey through the country's diverse history via an extensive collection of pre-Columbian and colonial art.
Museo Solar Intiñan
📍 San Antonio de Pichincha
🔬 ScienceA hands-on outdoor museum showcasing scientific experiments related to the equator line, such as the Coriolis effect and magnetic forces.
Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande)
📍 Quito
🏛 LandmarkThe historic heart of Quito's Old Town, surrounded by the Presidential Palace, Cathedral, and beautiful colonial architecture.
Telefériqo Quito
📍 Quito
🧗 AdventureA high-altitude gondola lift ascending the Pichincha Volcano, offering panoramic city views and access to mountain hiking trails and high-altitude swings.
Avenue of the Volcanoes (Northern Segment)
📍 Quito
🚗 Road TripApproximately 150km segment of the Pan-American Highway (E35), 3-4 hours, fully paved. This world-famous route offers views of up to eight snow-capped peaks including Cotopaxi, Illinizas, and Pasochoa, crossing through high-altitude paramo and fertile valleys.
Cuicocha Lake Loop
📍 Cotacachi
🥾 Hiking & Cycling14km moderate-to-challenging loop around a volcanic crater lake. Typical duration is 4-5 hours with 600m elevation gain. Notable for its two central islands and high-altitude flora. Tours available from Otavalo or Cotacachi.
Museo Interactivo de Ciencia
📍 Quito
🔬 ScienceAn engaging interactive science center located in a historic textile mill that explores physics, biology, and technology through hands-on exhibits.
Plaza de Ponchos (Otavalo Market)
📍 Otavalo
🏘 Town / VillageOne of the most famous indigenous markets in South America, offering a vibrant cultural experience with traditional textiles and handicrafts.
Rucu Pichincha Hike
📍 Quito
🥾 Hiking & Cycling10km challenging day hike from the Teleferiqo station to the summit of Rucu Pichincha. Takes approximately 4-6 hours with 700m elevation gain, reaching 4,696m altitude. Hiking gear rental: Ecuador Eco Adventure (ecuadorecoadventure.com).
San Francisco Church and Convent
📍 Quito
🏰 CastleOne of the largest historic religious complexes in the Americas, featuring a museum of colonial art and catacombs.
Santagua Termas de Chachimbiro
📍 Ircuquí
♨ Hot Spring55°C geothermal source, high concentrations of iodine, iron, magnesium, and copper. Features medicinal pools, thermal tunnels, and recreational areas. Considered the most mineral-rich waters in the northern region.
Zoo de Quito
📍 Guayllabamba
🐄 FarmThe capital's primary zoological park features native Andean wildlife and a popular farm area where children can interact with domestic animals.
Antisana Ecological Reserve
📍 Pintag
🌲 NatureA pristine Andean wilderness surrounding a massive snow-capped volcano, providing one of the best locations for families to spot the rare Andean condor.
Cayambe Coca National Park
📍 Cayambe
🌲 NatureA massive park featuring the snow-capped Cayambe volcano and high-altitude wetlands, famous for its biodiversity and natural thermal springs in Papallacta.
Cochasquí Archaeological Park
📍 Tabacundo
🏰 CastleA large pre-Incan site containing 15 flat-topped pyramids and burial mounds belonging to the Quitu-Cara culture.
Cotacachi Leather Town
📍 Cotacachi
🏘 Town / VillageA peaceful town world-renowned for its high-quality leather goods and artisan workshops lining its scenic main streets.
Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun)
📍 Otavalo
🎭 EventLate June (centered on June 21/22), 10-day indigenous solstice celebration, tens of thousands of participants, includes ritual spiritual cleansings at Peguche Waterfall and traditional dancing in town plazas, educational for families interested in Andean music, textiles, and ancient sun-worship traditions.
Museo de Historia Natural Gustavo Orcés V.
📍 Quito
🔬 ScienceEcuador's premier natural history museum featuring extensive collections of paleontology, including rare mastodon fossils and geological specimens.
Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve
📍 San Antonio de Pichincha
🏔 Scenic ViewOne of the few inhabited volcanic craters in the world, this reserve features a unique microclimate and lush green landscapes.
Vulqano Park
📍 Quito
🎢 Theme ParkA traditional amusement park located at the base of the TeleferiQo cable car, featuring family rides, roller coasters, and arcade games with scenic mountain views.
Armonia Orchid Garden
📍 Mindo
🌿 GardenA specialized garden showcasing hundreds of native orchid species alongside active hummingbird feeders for close-up wildlife observation.
Cascada de Peguche
📍 Otavalo
🏔 Scenic ViewA beautiful 18-meter waterfall located in a protected indigenous forest, serving as a sacred site and popular family destination.
Centro de Arte Contemporáneo (CAC)
📍 Quito
🖼 Art GalleryHoused in a magnificently restored former military hospital, this center features rotating exhibitions of modern art and community-focused creative workshops.
El Chaquiñán Cycling Route
📍 Cumbayá
🥾 Hiking & Cycling20km easy-to-moderate multi-use rail trail following a former railway line. Primarily flat with gentle slopes. Typical duration is 2-3 hours by bike. Includes tunnels and bridges over the Chiche river. Bike rental: Recorridos El Chaquiñán (available at the Cumbayá portal).
Holy Week in Quito (Semana Santa)
📍 Quito
🎭 EventMarch or April (lunar calendar), 7-day religious observance, over 250,000 participants for the Good Friday 'Jesús del Gran Poder' procession, features iconic purple-clad penitents and sacred music concerts in colonial churches, family-friendly atmosphere with traditional fanesca soup tasting.
Mariposas de Mindo
📍 Mindo
🐄 FarmAn immersive butterfly farm and garden where visitors can feed butterflies by hand and witness the entire life cycle in a cloud forest setting.
Mindo Canopy Adventure
📍 Mindo
🧗 AdventureA premier zip-lining center in the cloud forest offering multiple cables and platforms with breathtaking views of the lush tropical canopy.
Mindo Cloud Forest Road (E28)
📍 Quito
🚗 Road Trip100km scenic drive, 2 hours, paved. Descending from the high Andes at 2,800m to the cloud forest at 1,200m, this route passes the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve and offers dramatic transitions in flora and fauna as it enters the humid Chocó-Andean corridor.
Museo del Carmen Alto
📍 Quito
🖼 Art GallerySet in a historic former convent, this museum houses an exceptional collection of colonial religious art and offers a quiet, educational atmosphere for families.
Nambilla Cascadas
📍 Mindo
🥾 Hiking & Cycling6km moderate network of trails through primary cloud forest leading to 7 named waterfalls (Nambillo, Reina, Ondinas, Guarumos, Colibríes, Madre, and Maderos). Accessed via the Mindo Tarabita (cable car). Duration is 3-4 hours. Terrain can be slippery and humid. Rubber boots often provided by local lodges.
Nayón Xtreme Valley
📍 Quito
🧗 AdventureAn adventure sports complex featuring zip lines, extreme swings, paintball, and suspension bridges overlooking a scenic Andean canyon near the city.
Ruta de los Lagos (Imbabura Lake Route)
📍 Otavalo
🚗 Road TripA 60km scenic loop, 2-3 hours, fully paved and well-maintained. This route circles the Imbabura Volcano, connecting the artisanal town of Otavalo with the deep blue waters of Lake San Pablo, the crater lake of Cuicocha, and the colonial city of Ibarra.
Termas de El Tingo
📍 Alangasí
♨ Hot Spring37°C volcanic mineral pools at the foot of Ilaló Volcano. Known for medicinal properties treating rheumatism and respiratory issues. Includes large public pools and specialized individual therapeutic tubs.
Termas de Nangulví
📍 Cotacachi
♨ Hot Spring40°C volcanic springs located in the Intag Valley. Features multiple outdoor pools with transparent thermal water rich in minerals, situated directly alongside the Intag River with dramatic mountain views.
The Condor Trek
📍 El Peñón del Cóndor (Antisana)
🥾 Hiking & Cycling50-60km expert-level multi-day trek usually completed in 4-5 days. Elevation gain varies significantly across the high-altitude paramo. Connects the Antisana Ecological Reserve to Cotopaxi National Park. Requires experienced guides and equipment: Andean Summit Adventure (andeansummitadventure.com).
Yaku Parque Museo del Agua
📍 Quito
🔬 ScienceA discovery center built on a hillside that uses interactive exhibits to teach families about the science and importance of water resources.
Museo Camilo Egas
📍 Quito
🖼 Art GalleryA refined museum celebrating the work of modernist painter Camilo Egas, showcasing early 20th-century Ecuadorian social realism and indigenous themes.