Quito's colonial and old town

Visit colonial temples and monasteries of this urban jewel, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most iconic buildings are St. Augustine Convent, the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, La Compania de Jesus, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building, the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Church of San Francisco.

At the south west corner of Plaza San Francisco is Casa Gangotena, one of the most exclusive hotels in Ecuador. Its history stretches back to the time of the Incas. According to the early Spanish chroniclers, in the 15th century the square featured several Inca temples, one of them situated at the site of the present house. In 1534, once the Spaniards arrived into Quito, their religious orders soon set out to convert the hearts and minds of the local population. Unfortunately, in 1914 a calamitous fire destroyed much of the house. The historic mansion was completely rebuilt in 1924 by its owners, the Gangotena family, which was later on bought to convert it into a world-class boutique hotel. In 1978 Quito was declared the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site city and considered the largest and best preserved Historic Center in the Americas. A few years later, Casa Gangotena was included in the city's cultural heritage inventory and is among the Top 25 Hotels in the World. If you can spare half day, we recommend you visit La Mitad del Mundo (“the Middle of the World'”).