Flight Destinations
Flights to Quito
Places in Ecuador
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Flights to South America
The capital of Ecuador, in South America, is Quito, situated in the north western part of the country at an altitude of about 2,800 metres (10,000 feet). This beautiful city has an excellent Old Town with plenty of architecture, plus a newer town with culture, entertainment and more, making this a popular destination.
Being the capital city Quito is home to Ecuador’s main international airport, Mariscal Sucre International Airport (airport code: UIO), situated just a short distance from the city centre and accessible by taxi or public bus. Flights to Quito are available with a number of different airlines from the UK, all with either one or two stops en-route. One stop flights to Quito from the UK are offered by the likes of Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Iberia, Continental Airlines and LAN Airlines, flying a variety of routes. LAN Airlines and Iberia for example fly via Spain, or American Airlines offers flights to Quito via New York.
Quito has plenty to see, though for many tourists the Old Town is the highlight of a visit. This was the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and UNESCO themselves have stated that this is the largest, best preserved, and untouched colonial city with Latin America. Although already in good shape, the Old Town has been benefiting from a multi million dollar program of restoration in recent years, so the place should be even more impressive than when it was first inscribed in 1978.
The Old Town is great for walking around and admiring the different architecture, quaint cobbled streets with colourful buildings lining them, and a great many churches. The Cathedral of Quito stands at one end of the Plaza Grande (also called the Plaza de la Independencia). This cathedral is the main one for the city and was completed in 1567 and is considered to be one of the oldest cathedrals in South America.
Much newer is the Basilica del Voto Nacional (Basilica of the National Vow). Construction started in 1892 and it was finally consecrated in 1988, however it remains unfinished. The main features of this basilica are the gothic type architecture, and for a small fee visitors can climb to the top of the spires for great views.
Also in the Old Town is a church said to be the most beautiful in the Americas, Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus.
El Panecillo
From most points of the city you can see the statue of the Virgin Mary which sits atop a city hill, called El Panecillo. This large winged monument is a popular attraction and gives visitors views over parts of the city.
TeleferiQo
The best views of Quito can undoubtedly be seen from the cable car, called TeleferiQo. This is the second highest cable car in the world and climbs to air thinning 4,000 metres (12,000 feet), so shouldn’t be attempted if you’re new to the city and unaccustomed to the high altitude. The cable car travels up the side of Pichincha Volcano and gives views over the whole of Quito plus far reaching views to several other volcanoes on a clear day.
Being the capital city Quito is home to Ecuador’s main international airport, Mariscal Sucre International Airport (airport code: UIO), situated just a short distance from the city centre and accessible by taxi or public bus. Flights to Quito are available with a number of different airlines from the UK, all with either one or two stops en-route. One stop flights to Quito from the UK are offered by the likes of Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Iberia, Continental Airlines and LAN Airlines, flying a variety of routes. LAN Airlines and Iberia for example fly via Spain, or American Airlines offers flights to Quito via New York.
Quito Tourist Attractions
Quito Old TownQuito has plenty to see, though for many tourists the Old Town is the highlight of a visit. This was the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and UNESCO themselves have stated that this is the largest, best preserved, and untouched colonial city with Latin America. Although already in good shape, the Old Town has been benefiting from a multi million dollar program of restoration in recent years, so the place should be even more impressive than when it was first inscribed in 1978.
The Old Town is great for walking around and admiring the different architecture, quaint cobbled streets with colourful buildings lining them, and a great many churches. The Cathedral of Quito stands at one end of the Plaza Grande (also called the Plaza de la Independencia). This cathedral is the main one for the city and was completed in 1567 and is considered to be one of the oldest cathedrals in South America.
Much newer is the Basilica del Voto Nacional (Basilica of the National Vow). Construction started in 1892 and it was finally consecrated in 1988, however it remains unfinished. The main features of this basilica are the gothic type architecture, and for a small fee visitors can climb to the top of the spires for great views.
Also in the Old Town is a church said to be the most beautiful in the Americas, Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus.
El Panecillo
From most points of the city you can see the statue of the Virgin Mary which sits atop a city hill, called El Panecillo. This large winged monument is a popular attraction and gives visitors views over parts of the city.
TeleferiQo
The best views of Quito can undoubtedly be seen from the cable car, called TeleferiQo. This is the second highest cable car in the world and climbs to air thinning 4,000 metres (12,000 feet), so shouldn’t be attempted if you’re new to the city and unaccustomed to the high altitude. The cable car travels up the side of Pichincha Volcano and gives views over the whole of Quito plus far reaching views to several other volcanoes on a clear day.