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Advantages: Beautiful setting, churches and Spanish colonial architecture Disadvantages: Traffic noise and fumes, some street crime
We happened upon the Plaza de la Fundación rather by accident, because it does not feature prominently in the guide books. Fortunately, my wife and I had only just started out on our walk around the old town of Quito, and it helped us orient ourselves, both historically and geographically.
As its name implies, the Plaza de la Fundación was where the original Spanish colony was founded. An Inca city had stood on the site, but was hastily demolished by its inhabitants, a tribe who called themselves the Quitu, to prevent it falling intact into the hands of the conquerors. Not long before, the last Inca emperor Atahualpa had been perfidiously executed, despite a vast ransom having been paid for his release, thus starting an ignoble tradition that some Latin American kidnappers persist in upholding to this day. The Quitu must have ...
torr 06.07.2008 (12.07.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Quito
Advantages: Colourful, full of souvenir shops, touristy Disadvantages: Part worth seeing is v. small. Tourist trap
BACKGROUND:LaBoca means 'the mouth' and that refers to the mouth of the Riachuelo River. This was BsAs first natural port. The dock facilities of Darsena Sur lie nearby. In the latter part of the 19th century, immigrants settled the area, especially Italians, giving it a peculiar appearance and nature. The tourist heart is located next to the small plaza by the Vuelta de Roca - the site where Almirante Brown, whose bust sits in the plaza - established the Argentina navy's fleet shipyards.
GETTING THERE: I took the 86 bus from Plaza Mayor towards LaBoca. Make sure you get the right one as there are more than one 86s. Other buses also go there including the 23 and the 64. Please check with the bus guide.
The 86 does not take you all the way to Caminito so I had to walk about 8 blocks to reach it (remember a map is ALWAYS handy ...
Advantages: pleasant climate, lots to see, bustling with local activity Disadvantages: usual big city issues - traffic, smog, beggars, street vendors
excellent and include the surrounding volcanoes as well as the city itself.
The old city is a place of churches and traditional markets. The central square is the Plaza de la Independencia at the heart of colonial Quito. The square is surrounded by the Cathedral, Presidential Palace and the Archbishop's Palace as well as the much more modern City Hall. There are a number of spectacular churches in this area although many are in need of significant repair. The second major square in the old city is the nearby Plaza de San Francisco. This open cobblestone square is dominated by the Monastery of San Francisco and its associated buildings.
Although much of the new city is modern office blocks, it also offers an extensive range of shops and various significant museums. The Casa de Cultura Equitoriana lies just to the side of the Parque El ...
stuartmelvin 21.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Quito
