Ecuador Things To Do

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Things To Do

Ecuador’s wide variety of terrain – everything from cities to rainforests to mountainous peaks – translates to an equally wide variety of activities. Visitors come to scale volcanoes, spot wildlife in the rainforest, peruse the wares of brightly dressed Quichua women, and to receive … more a spiritual cleansing from a traditional shaman. History buffs are just as satisfied as outdoor enthusiasts thanks to Quito’s 25 glorious churches and convents as well as more than 40 museums.

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Check out a tortoise breeding ground, conduct research, and learn about the islands’ history before seeing Lonesome George, a rare Giant Tortoise thought to be the last of his kind.

Santa Cruz; Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands; 011-593-5-2526-146; www.darwinfoundation.org

Dolphins, sea lions, and marine iguanas seemingly surf beside you on San Cristóbal’s gnarly 75-degree waves on southwest and northwest beaches like Lobería and Punta Carola; best attempted December through May.

Asociación de Surf de San Cristóbal; CristóbalGalapagos Islands; 011-593-5-2521-345

Dine on some of the best steaks and seafood in Puerto Ayora at La Garrapata Restaurante, an ocean side hotspot for meeting travel buddies and one of the only places to hear live music in the Galapagos.

Santa Cruz; Av. Charles Darwin; Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands; 011-593-5-2526-264

If you expected a boat to take you everywhere guess again – there are miles of well-marked hiking trails on many of the islands, most notably Prince Philip’s Steps on Genovesa. A favorite for birdwatchers, this trek begins at an 82-foot-long set of rocky stairs surrounded by masked- and red-booby nests.

GenovesaGalapagos Islands

Schools of whale sharks and barracudas bursting through geothermic bubbles are why the Wolf and Darwin Islands, more than 100 miles from the main group, are considered some of the best dive sites on the globe.

Agressor; Wolf and Darwin IslandsGalapagos Islands; 800-348-2628; www.aggressor.com

British whalers began the tradition of leaving post cards in this box for sailors returning home to deliver to loved ones. Tourists keep the tradition alive by personally delivering – and depositing – the mail in the wooden barrel used as the mailbox.

Post Office Bay; FloreanaGalapagos Islands

Don’t leave Quito without dedicating an afternoon to the Plaza de la Independencia (also known as Plaza Grande) at center of Old Town. Here, you’ll find many important buildings like the Palacio del Gobierno, the Catedral, and the former home of Juan Díaz de Hidalgo (one of the Spanish conquerors who founded Quito).

Quito; Quito

This over-the-top baroque masterpiece of a church took more than 160 years to complete and supposedly used seven tons of gold leaf on the interior. Visitors will notice the widespread use of the sun, an important Inca symbol, in the intricate exterior design. Concerts are occasionally held in the church.

On Garcia Moreno near Sucre; Quito; Quito; 011-593-2-258-1895; www.ficj.org.ec (Spanish only)

Dating to 1535, this church is the oldest building in Quito. Visit the museum inside to see masterworks from the Quiteña school, a religious, home-grown theory of sculpture that arose in the 18th century and focused on the anatomical intricacy of the human body. The highlight of the collection is a series of macabre paintings depicting the seven deadly sins.

On the corner of Cuenca 477 and Sucre; Quito; Quito; 011-593-2-228-1124

Fashioned after European opera houses, the 18th-century colonial theater’s once-crumbling Corinthian columns and bas-reliefs have been returned to their former glory as part of an ongoing process of restoration that began in the ‘50s. The glorious, refurbished building stands as a testament to the city’s restoration efforts.

Manabi St. (between Guayaquil and Flores Sts.); Quito; Quito; 011-593-2-228-2136; www.teatrosucre.com (Spanish Only)

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