Quito is the capital of Ecuador. It was founded in 1534 on the ruins of an ancient Inca city. Today, two million people live in Quito.
One of Quito's main particularities is that the city lies between two mountain ranges and its altitude is 2,800 metres or about 10,000 feet, which is why you might need to get accustomed to the altitude.
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Quito is roughly divided into three parts: the Old City at the centre, with southern and northern districts to either side.
Quito's international airport is said to be a typical south-american airport (in the middle of the city surrounded by mountains) which makes landing there quite an experience. However a new airport is in construction further away from the city, and will begin operations in 2009.
The northern part of Quito is the site of the main business district as well as upper-middle-class neighborhoods and a substantial number of buildings. It is also where the international airport (UIO) and major recreational areas are located.
The Museo del Banco Central [1] is a showcase of Ecuadorian art, history and culture.
Northern Quito also harbors a number of parks, including Parque Metropolitano[2], La Carolina[3], El Ejido[4], and La Alameda[5].
This park is situated between the old part of the city and the modern section, and is known for handicrafts available for sale every Saturday and Sunday, with all pricing subject to negotiation
With its 1,376 acres (5.57 km²) it is the largest urban park in South America. (As reference, New York's huge Central Park is 843 acres (3.4 km²).) The park is located in the north of Quito, on the hillside, behind the Atahualpa Olympic (Soccer) Stadium. The park is suited for mountain biking, walking, or running. Most of it is eucalyptus forest with trails, but there also are numerous sculptures on display.
La Carolina is a 165.5 acre (670,000 m²) park in the Benalcázar parish in the middle of Quito's business and shopping district, bordered by three major streets: Avenida Amazonas, Avenida Shyris, and Avenida Naciones Unidas. Quiteños gather at La Carolina mostly on weekends to play fútbol (soccer), básket (basketball), ecua-volley. Other activities include aerobics, kite flying, running, snacking, and people watching. The southern part of the park has a small pond where paddle boats can be rented, and a skatepark for bicyclists and skateboarders.
La Alameda park has the oldest astronomical observatory in South America as well as a monument of Simón Bolívar and a small lake where boats can be rented.
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Quito is located about 15 miles (25 km) south of the equator. A monument and museum marking the general location of the equator is known locally as la mitad del mundo (the middle of the world) [1].
It is located approx. 200 miles from the coast, but the journey takes half a day.
The "centro histórico", historical center, as it is called, was appointed, along with the historic center of Kraków (Cracovia?), Poland, as the first UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site in 1978. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America.
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