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7 Things you need to know about Quito

There are a few things you need to know about Quito when planning a trip to the Ecuadorian capital. Because Quito is full of surprises.

Quito Altstadt - Things you need to know about Quito

7 Things you need to know about Quito

  • Quito is the highest situated capital in the world. The city lies in die Ecuadorian Andes Mountains at 2850 meters above sea level.
  • Because of its elevation it can happen that you get altitude sickness in Quito. It’s not really common but you should be prepared to maybe get a bit of a headache or run out of air faster when taking stairs or climbing things.
Quito
  • Quito lies in a valley and at its broadest side it’s 4 kilometers wide, but it stretches in length more and more and enfolds around 50 kilometers now. Which means that it’ll take you more than an hour to get from one end of the town to the other (traffic not included).
  • Quito was the first city which was declared as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978
  • Besides the famous old town and the popular party neighborhood La Mariscal there are many other cool neighborhoods you should check out when you’re in Quito. La Floresta is famous for its street food market, hip restaurants and galleries, Guapulo is similar to La Floresta but more chic AND in Guapulo you can find the famous witch of Guapulo, I definitely want to meet next time I’m in Quito.
  • Ecuador can be overwhelming if you have not traveled to South America so take time to learn a bit of Spanish and read some Practical Tips for Travelers in Ecuador.
Quito Street Food
  • As Quito is pretty close to the equator the climate in the city is a constant spring throughout the year, there are just some months with less and some months with more rain. And it can happen that sun is shining at one end of the city while it’s raining and storming at the other end.
  • The people in Quito are really friendly, but also a bit reserved. But if you’re friendly and open-minded they warm up pretty easily.

Now you know some important things you need to know about Quito, in my next post I’ll tell you the best things to do in Quito and whom you should meet. And also where you can see an active volcano close up.

Disclosure: This post is part of a cooperation with Quito Tourism.

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