Quito was the first city in the world to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site — chosen in 1978 for possessing the most intact and extensive Spanish colonial historic centre in the Americas. This post accompanies a real quito walking tour filmed in 4K, the video WALKING TOUR OF QUITO, ECUADOR [4K 60 fps], an immersive walk through the colonial plazas and modern avenues of this Andean capital at 2,850 metres altitude.

About This Walking Tour

This 4K 60fps immersive walk covers Quito’s UNESCO World Heritage colonial centre — described in the video as showing why the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — moving through the colonial plazas and avenues of this city at 2,850 metres in the Andes. The walk covers the Plaza Grande (Plaza de la Independencia), Quito’s central square flanked by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Carondelet Presidential Palace, and the Archbishop’s Palace, and moves through the remarkable concentration of Baroque churches that makes Quito’s skyline unlike any other city in the Americas.

Key sites include the La Compañía de Jesús Church (completed 1765), whose ornate Baroque facade is considered the most elaborate in Ecuador and whose gilded interior is one of the most opulent in South America; the San Francisco Monastery complex (begun 1536), the first major church built in South America and the largest colonial complex in the Americas; and La Ronda, the oldest street in Quito, now a bohemian cultural corridor of artisan workshops, peñas (folk music venues), and weekend concerts. The walk also covers El Panecillo hill with its 30-metre aluminium Virgin of Quito statue, which provides 360-degree views of the city and surrounding volcanoes.

Highlights of Quito

The La Compañía de Jesús Church required 163 years to complete (1605–1765) and contains an interior of extraordinary extravagance — seven tonnes of gold leaf on carved cedar and plaster, covering every surface in Baroque and Moorish-influenced decoration. It is the finest example of the Andean Baroque style, which fused Spanish Baroque with indigenous Andean symbolism in a way unique to this region. The San Francisco Monastery and Church, construction of which began in 1536 immediately after the Spanish founding of Quito, took 70 years to complete and its square is the largest in Quito and the finest in Ecuador.

The Basílica del Voto Nacional (begun 1892, still technically under construction) is the largest neo-Gothic church in the Americas — its gargoyles are not mythological creatures but Ecuadorian animals: armadillos, iguanas, tortoises, and birds. Climbing the towers provides a remarkable view over the historic centre. El Panecillo hill rises from the heart of the city and the 30-metre aluminium Virgin of Quito (1976), visible from most of the historic centre, was assembled from 7,000 pieces of aluminium by a Spanish sculptor and provides the city’s best panoramic view, including several of Ecuador’s volcanoes on clear days.

A Brief History of Quito

Quito was founded by Sebastián de Benalcázar on December 6, 1534, on the ruins of the Inca city that Rumiñahui, the last Inca commander, burned to prevent it falling to the Spanish. The site had been inhabited for centuries before the Incas — the Quitu-Cara peoples gave the city its name. Quito became the capital of the Audiencia de Quito (the colonial administrative region) and its relative isolation at high altitude helped preserve its colonial architecture through centuries of neglect rather than modernisation.

In 1978 Quito and Kraków were the first two cities in the world to receive UNESCO World Heritage designation. Quito sits at 2,850 metres — the second highest capital city in the world after La Paz, Bolivia. Ecuador declared independence from Spain in 1809 and became part of Gran Colombia under Bolívar before becoming a separate republic in 1830. The historic centre’s extraordinary collection of Baroque churches — La Compañía, La Merced, San Francisco, Santo Domingo — reflects the intense missionary activity of the Spanish religious orders in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Practical Tips

Ecuador’s currency is the US dollar (USD) — Ecuador adopted the dollar as its official currency in 2000. Spanish is the official language; Quechua is widely spoken in indigenous communities. Mariscal Sucre International Airport is approximately 37 km north of the old city centre; the Quito Metro connects the airport to the city. The old city is compact and walkable in 3–4 hours for the main sites. Altitude of 2,850 metres affects most visitors — take the first day gently and avoid strenuous exertion immediately on arrival. Mornings tend to be clear; afternoon cloud and occasional rain are common.

Best Time to Visit

June through September is the dry season and the most reliable for clear views of the surrounding volcanoes from El Panecillo. October through May has more afternoon rain but mornings are usually clear. Being on the equator, Quito has remarkably consistent day length and temperatures year-round — the Mitad del Mundo equatorial monument is 20 km north of the city.

Watch & Explore More

Watch the 4K 60fps Quito walking tour above and explore the Americas’ most intact colonial capital. For more Andean walking tours, see Cusco: Inca Streets to Sacsayhuamán and Lima: Miraflores to Barranco. Subscribe to @walkingtoursvideoscom for walking tour films from cities around the world.