where to stay in Quito?
Quito's outstanding neighborhoods
Where to stay in Quito?Talking about Quito undoubtedly also means musing on experiences full of wonder and pleasure. Thinking about the surprises that lurked in the streets, in the squares, around the parks and in the various shops and buildings. Therefore, we can say that Quito’s true history and sense of touch are best experienced in its most traditional neighbourhoods.
If you are planning to visit Quito, you are probably wondering which are the best neighbourhoods to visit and where-to-stay-in-quito.
Nevertheless, the actual meaning of such a great concept embraces even more than the obvious; it involves realizing the true meaning of details that may seem scattered, at first sight, it involves opening minds in order to appreciate the traditions and cultural inheritance that has been forming in those places. Every single moment, even those of mere family reunions has made part of identity construction for each one of those neighborhoods.
We have shed light on what being a traditional neighborhood really means, yet it is accurate to mention that history needs to be mandatorily involved in order to turn a neighborhood into a landmark of the city.
Getting to witness the growth of generations, as the atmosphere changes and buildings are upgraded, should be what enables and states a sense of belonging, a sense that blossoms in people when they feel grateful to a space that made lives meaningful and was helpful for an individual and community development for those who live there.
You already know what makes of a neighborhood a traditional one, but now we are going to tell you about five of the most important in this category, as well as about their main characteristics.
La Mariscal is a contemporary-style neighborhood in the city of Quito, outstanding for being one of the most commercial spots around the capital city, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, it used to be one of the most attended places for fun-seekers; it didn’t matter if they were local or foreign, everyone looking for spending a nice time along with their friends or relatives is welcome.
In fact, there was a high demand for bars, discos, and pubs, which are still the most chosen places among customers, waiting from the early night until they would finally open their doors to the public, so they could come inside and have a great time.
However, another remarkable characteristic of this neighborhood is its building style, enormously based on a European classic era, which is easily distinguishable throughout the streets, so alike to Spanish and Italian earlier styles, where the streets were nicely decorated with trees, made of walking around this neighborhood a whole experience that’d transport everyone to a different atmosphere even having the Old Town next door.
Quitumbe Neighborhood / Quito neighborhoods
Quitumbe is another signature neighborhood, located in the south part of the capitol city of Quito, which was founded with the single purpose of connecting roads towards other cities because streets there converge and make easy for drivers to move from the south, through the center, and to the north sides of the city and this country, needless to say this neighborhood is housing the main bus terminal in the south part of the city, making possible for visitors and local people to move between cities.
Besides, this is considered a very important place in history since it was founded by ancient national heroes, who led many of the strongest social revolutions of Quito’s history.
Among them, Simon Bolivar, a former military leader who freed many towns and nations from oppression, whose home was settled in the Chillogallo neighborhood, and nowadays it is open to the general public as a museum, having many more details and secrets of such a magnificent man on display.
“La libertad es el único objetivo digno del sacrificio de la vida de los hombres”
Simón Bolívar
This signature neighborhood of this town was founded in the Colonial Quito era, and it is introduced as a traditional one until these days. In the beginning, it was thought to work as a neighborhood for cultural depictions, where people could perform and show every kind of artistic form, such as painting, street performances, traditional dance shows, and couplet recitals.
Nowadays, it is still an artistic neighborhood destined for performances, but it currently added modern art expressions and also Quito’s gastronomy tasting places, well-known for blown empanadas; an icon of the city. Moreover, there is live music in many restaurants, and this lively atmosphere is what turns this place into a must for tourists, especially when Quito celebrates its foundation anniversary in December.
La Floresta Neighborhood / Quito neighborhoods
Being 103 years since its foundation, this neighborhood is considered one of the biggest representatives of modern art expressions in Quito, in fact, this one is seen as one of the most iconic places for art depiction because of the wall-painting areas surrounding it. Needless to say that many parks are settled in the zone, where there are also many other kinds of art depictions, such as music, graffiti painting, sculpture modeling, and tattooing, conceptual art expressions outdoors, anyways.
Another curious fact about this neighborhood is that passersby will be able to find street meals at every corner, and these are considered delicacies, especially by foreign tourists, who find it unusual to try roasted cow’s guts, spiced and charcoaled, but this turns out to be a traditional Quito’s meal.
San Blas is an emblematic neighborhood in Quito since it is responsible for the foundation of any other neighborhoods in the vicinity of “God’s Face” because it is said this was the first neighborhood to be founded and dwelled in Quito.
Its origins of it are dated to 1400, and it is also said that indigenous people were the ones who founded it, but the most curious fact about itwould is that this neighborhood houses the first Catholic church in the whole city, where a half-breed priest brought from Spain would be the one in charge of the Mass, spreading this religious belief all over Quito and turning it into a Catholic town.
Another key fact about this neighborhood is the existence of the biggest farmer’s market in there around the whole city, where people from all places would come exclusively to supply themselves with groceries, farm animals, medical supplies, and many other things.
And as if it wasn’t enough, in this neighborhood lays one of the most important hotels around, named “Old Town Quito Suites”, which had been refurbished, so it could work until nowadays, and even being acknowledged by many tourism organisms as one of the most important hotels in this town, with a colonial architecture that properly blends vintage and contemporary styles.
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