Quito's Makeover

Quito's Makeover

Quito's Makeover

Once viewed as a dangerous district, Quito's old town is quickly becoming a trendy place to live and visit. The city has always been fascinating, but now it is much safer and prettier than it used to be. Five years ago, it was thought unsafe to stay in the old town, but today, it would be silly not to. The nightlife used to consist of pickpockets, but now the cobbled streets of barrio (neighborhood) la Ronda are a happening place to hang out.

People watch from the new upstairs restaurant, Los Geranios, while enjoying yaguarlocro, a black pudding soup. You may hear the pasillo belted out in one of la Ronda's bars. During the day, la Ronda's main street is bustling with workshops, galleries, and craft shops. An orphan mission run by Italian nuns has opened a caf in the courtyard of Misioneras de la Niez where you can enjoy freshly-baked pastries and delicious Ecuadorian hot chocolate. Two years ago it was hard to find a bar of Ecuadorian chocolate because it was all exported; now there is plenty for all the chocoholics.

Shopping is also thriving in Quito's old town. Pick up some souvenirs like a Panama hat from the country's oldest hat maker, Homero Ortega, in the new shop opened on Plaza San Francisco. Also in the plaza is a gallery-shop called Sinchisancha, where you can find excellent crafts from the Ecuadorian Amazon. Head over to Plaza Grande to purchase some Ecuadorian cigars and coffee from Corporacion Metropolitana.

To make the positive change sustainable, Quito is passing on its talents to a new generation of artists at schools like Escuela Taller de Quito I. This artisanal school for underprivileged teens is creating tomorrow's carpenters, stone carvers, and restorers who will continue to practice traditional craftsmanship and embellish the city. You can visit the charming school located in a restored colonial maternity hospital, between 8 am and 4 pm.

One of the highlights of Quito's old town is San Francisco, an extravagant religious center that has survived countless earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is currently under restoration for the first time. After it was built on the remains of the palace of Atahualpa, former Inca emperor, nobody touched it, so what will be dug up before it is open to the public remains a mystery.

All of these improvements have been complimented with several exquisite new boutique hotels in former colonial mansions. Stay in one of these excellent new hotels and feel the infective buzz of Quito's energy all around you.

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