I was totally impressed with this capital city of Ecuador. This historic center has amazing colonial architecture. The churches are some of the most beautiful I have seen anywhere. Along with Krakow Poland, it was named one of the first two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. Make sure to see:
Plaza San Francisco: A beautiful square in the historic center.
Catedral Metropolitan, Plaza del la Independencia: Well-worth the visit on your trip to Quito. Make sure to visit the attached museum. The churches are amazing and in my opinion rival the best in Mexico, Spain and other parts of Europe. Make sure to visit La Merced, San Francisco, La Compania and Santo Domingo. The altars, ceilings and carvings are amazing.
Calle de la Ronda: This is a great spot in the evening for restaurants and live music. I liked the daytime where you can see the restored architecture and colorful flags that hang across the street. Stop in for a hot chocolate or buy some great Ecuadorian artisanal chocolate in several flavors and percentage of cacao at Chez Tiff located at Morales 989 y Venezuela.
For an excellent guide, I recommend contacting Luis Alberto Cruzatty for tours of the city. His phone is +593994888470 and email luisalberto.ab@hotmail.com. I used him for Quito and Otavalo and the Highlands and thought he was excellent.