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Quito

Ecuador travel guide

What to see in Quito

The Andean capital, with one of the best-preserved colonial centres in the Americas and volcanoes all around.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

Photo: Chiqap82 · CC0

Quito highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Historic centre

    A World Heritage Site.

  2. Church of La Compañía

    Baroque covered in gold.

  3. Basilica of the National Vow

    Gothic, with towers you can climb.

  4. TelefériQo

    Up to almost 4,000 metres.

  5. Mitad del Mundo

    The equator monument.

Day trips from Quito

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Quito

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Quito are from May to January.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr with warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • from February to April

    Rain in the highlands

    From February to April it rains more in the Andes, with stormy afternoons.

    What to do: June to September is the driest time in the highlands; the Galápagos can be visited all year round.

Typical food of Quito

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Quito from your kitchen).

Empanadas de viento
Photo: BryanGuev13 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Empanadas de viento

Large, thin empanadas that puff up as they fry, filled with cheese and onion and dusted with sugar. In Quito they’re eaten with a glass of morocho or a coffee.

  • Serves 8
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 100 g butter
  • 1 egg
  • 200 ml cold sparkling water
  • Salt
  • 250 g crumbled fresh cheese
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • Oil for frying, and sugar

How to make it at home

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, add the butter, egg and water and knead. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Mix the cheese with the onion.
  3. Roll the dough out thinly, cut 15 cm circles, add the filling and seal with a twisted edge.
  4. Fry in very hot oil, spooning oil over the top so they puff up.
  5. Drain and dust with sugar.

The trick: Very hot oil is what makes them balloon up.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a picantería or the market. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Ecuador guide.

Frequently asked questions about Quito

What to see in Quito?

Historic centre, Church of La Compañía, Basilica of the National Vow, TelefériQo and Mitad del Mundo.

What to see in Quito in one day?

Don’t miss Historic centre, Church of La Compañía, Basilica of the National Vow, TelefériQo and Mitad del Mundo. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Quito?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Quito are from May to January.

What day trips can you take from Quito?

Mitad del Mundo and Cotopaxi from Quito.

What is the typical food of Quito?

Empanadas de viento. Large, thin empanadas that puff up as they fry, filled with cheese and onion and dusted with sugar. In Quito they’re eaten with a glass of morocho or a coffee.

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More in Ecuador

Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.