Map / Guide-book
by travelife
At the airport tourist office. I bought a map at a price of ca. 1 USD. But I found the maps inside the free guidebook is more handy and convenient than the large city map. However if your intentions is wander around large part of Quito, then perhaps, you need that big map.
Tourist Information Centre
by b1bob
If you find yourself in the historical centre of Quito, there is a tourist centre called Centro de Información Turística y la Tienda de la Ciudad, "El Quinde" right in the city hall building. Here, you can find all sorts of information on the city and buy a whole bunch of things that are handmade locally. They also have a small café where you can take coffee or fresh juices from a wide range of local fruits. They will help you plan your own trip, and the police even give guided tours in English and Spanish. The police who run this place are a helpful lot. They gave me enough literature on the city to choke a mule which I needed to become familiar with this part of town. I want to single out my tour guide, Fernanda Vargas. She helped me understand the historical centre of Quito well enough for me to give the next tour.
Local Art
by mikey_e
Ecuadorians are an expressive people, and their love of plastic arts is a tribute to this welcoming attribute. On weekends, artists from around the capital will come to El Ejido to display their works, some of which are copies of more famous paintings, while others are original designs. Quito’s artistic scene was heavily dependent on Spanish and Flemish masters until the late 18th century, when a local school began to develop, with heavy emphasis on bloody and gory religious depictions designed to reinforce conversion among the native population. As the country distanced itself from Spain, American and French influences grew, and in the 20th century the country was not immune to the various trends sweeping Latin America, including cubism and abstract art. Today, a large part of the naïve art on display is influenced by indigenous scenes and patterns, often targeting tourists and visitors wishing to take back a typical piece of the country by which to remember their stay.
Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa
by b1bob
Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa is a multi-use stadium in Quito, Ecuador built in 1951. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It is also used, from time to time, as a field for track events and a venue for musical performances. If Quito gets the Olympics one day, you might see the opening and closing ceremonies (as well as most track events) here. The stadium has a capacity of 40000. The home team, Club Deportivo El Nacional, and Universidad Catolica use the facility for their home games. Right here, Ecuador has won many key victories sometimes against the odds, securing their positions in JWorld Cup competition in 2002 and 2006. During the qualifying for Germany 2006, the home team successfully qualified and remained undefeated here.
Views of the city
by mikey_e
Obviously, anyone who wants to get great views of Quito and the valley will have to go to the TeleferiQo and get shots from Pichincha. One other way to see a bit of undiscovered Quito and get closer shots of the metropolis is to walk up to TeleferiQo along La Gasca. I started at El Ejido, walked up to América, then north to La Gasca and west along La Gasca until there were signs pointing to the TeleferiQo. In all, it takes about 80 or 90 minutes, and it is not a light walk around the park. In particular, the hike (it is quite strenuous) is very much at a sharp incline as you get to the end of La Gasca, and there are some tricky turns along the way. Still, you get great views of parts of the city that have developed over the last century, and a quieter, more tranquil peak into the everyday lives of Quiteños.