Capital of Ecuador

One of the two highest official capital cities in the world, (the other being La Paz, Bolivia) Quito is visually stunning, situated not beneath but among the white-hatted Andean peaks, including the famous Cotopaxi volcano.

The city’s showpiece neighborhood is the Old Town, which was the first metropolitan area in the world to attain UNESCO recognition when it was declared a heritage site in 1978. This part of the town is stuffed to the brim with handsome colonial architecture, canvas-filled churches and scenic plazas where locals still convene.

Among the top historic attractions in Quito are the Iglesia de la Compañia de Jesús, a church whose façade is resplendent with ornate Baroque detailing, and La Capilla del Hombre museum, which displays the works of Guayasamine, Ecuador’s greatest modern artist. One of the best ways to appreciate the beauty of this lofty city is to see it from on high during a sky ride aboard the Teleférico gondola, whose cable cars ascend over the built-up slopes.

You’ll see all of these and plenty more amazing attractions during your private tour of Quito, the so-called “Light of the Americas.”