Four hours is enough to see the old town of Quito properly if you use them well. This guide is for you if you have a morning or an afternoon free in the city, perhaps on your first day or before a flight. It helps you choose between the early and the afternoon start, decide which churches to go inside, and avoid the days when the streets are hard to move through.
What you are looking at
Quito was one of the first places put on UNESCO's World Heritage List, in 1978. The Spanish refounded the city on 6 December 1534, over the ruins of an Inca city, and the old town still follows a street plan bent around the slopes of the Pichincha volcano. Its churches are the main reason people come: Baroque work of the Quito School, where indigenous and European craftsmen mixed their traditions.
That explains the order of the tour. You see the shape of the place first from El Panecillo, then walk down into the squares and churches you have just looked at from above.
Morning or afternoon
The tour starts at 07:00 or 13:00. The choice matters more than it seems.
Quito has two seasons. June to September is the dry season, with warm days and cool nights. October to May is wetter, and March and April are usually the wettest months. In the wet months the pattern is often clear mornings and showers in the afternoon, mixed with spells of sun. The weather can turn from hot sun to a thunderstorm within minutes.
So, from October to May, the 07:00 start gives you the better chance of a clear view from El Panecillo. The early start has one catch: most churches are not yet open. The tour handles this. Your driver takes you to El Panecillo and the squares first, and you reach the churches once their doors open.
The 13:00 start suits you if you land the night before and want a slow morning, or if you are in the dry season and clouds are less of a worry. Pack a rain jacket either way.
The altitude, on cobbles
Quito sits at about 2,850 metres. Medical guidance treats anywhere above about 2,450 metres as high enough for altitude sickness in people who have not acclimatised. If you flew in yesterday, this tour may be one of your first walks at that height.
Three things from that guidance are worth knowing:
- Symptoms usually start between two and twelve hours after arrival, often after the first night. A headache is the main sign.
- Fitness gives no protection. Keep exercise mild for the first 48 hours.
- Avoid alcohol for your first 48 hours at altitude.
The old town is cobbled and steep in places. Because the driver drops you and meets you at each stop, you walk the streets but not the hills between them. Take the slopes slowly and carry water.
The sun is stronger here than you might expect. Wear a hat and sunglasses and put on sun cream, then put more on every couple of hours.
Which churches to go inside
The car and the driver are included. The churches are not: each one sells its own ticket, and your driver waits while you go in. Four hours does not leave time for every interior, so pick before you go.
La Compañía is the one most people choose for its gold. San Francisco is the large church and monastery on the stone plaza. The Cathedral faces the Plaza Grande.
The Basílica del Voto Nacional is different. It is neo-Gothic, begun in 1883, and its gargoyles are carved as animals of Ecuador: iguanas, Galápagos tortoises, armadillos and condors. Locals will tell you it is still unfinished, and that the world ends on the day it is completed.
The tower ticket is not included either. The climb uses steep stairways and narrow walkways, with views over El Panecillo and the old town and, on clear days, the volcanoes around the city. It is not recommended if you suffer from vertigo or have limited mobility. Mass is held regularly, so tourist visits fit around it.
The churches are working places of worship. Keep your voice down and dress as you would for a service.
Days when the old town fills
A few dates change the old town completely. Check them against your calendar:
- Good Friday. The Jesús del Gran Poder procession sets off from the church of San Francisco. Its route runs for more than two and a half miles and climbs to the Basílica, with well over a thousand cucuruchos, penitents in purple robes and pointed hoods, and thousands of people walking with them. Streets close and crowds are dense.
- 2 November. On All Souls' Day a large procession goes from the General Cemetery to the historic centre, and the churches hold special masses.
- Around 6 December. The Fiestas de Quito mark the city's foundation, with parades, music and open-top party buses called chivas.
These days are worth seeing if you like crowds and ceremony. If you want quiet church interiors, pick another day.
On your own or with a driver
You can do the old town without a car. Since December 2023 Quito has had a metro line, 15 stations over 22.5 kilometres from Quitumbe in the south to El Labrador in the north. The San Francisco station is in the historic centre, close to the Cathedral and the Carondelet Palace. From there you walk.
What you lose on foot is El Panecillo, which is a climb above the old town, and the slopes between the squares and the Basílica. With a driver, those stretches are done in the car and you keep your legs for the cobbles. You can also change the order on the day, stay longer in one church and skip another.
The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
Who it suits
It suits a first day in Quito, a stopover, or the last morning before a flight. If you need to be at the airport afterwards, ask us about a transfer when you book; see our airport transfers.
Families do well on it, since the walks between stops are short. People who struggle with steps should skip the Basílica towers and choose the plazas and church naves instead.
If you want the equator too, four hours is not enough. The full-day tour of the old town and the Middle of the World covers both. For the other trips out of the city, read our guide to day trips from Quito.
Questions people ask
Is the 07:00 start too early for the churches?
No. The tour starts with El Panecillo and the squares, so you reach the churches after they open.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you get a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Can more than 16 of us go?
Yes, in two vehicles on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
Booking the half day
Choose the 07:00 start in the wet months and either start in the dry season. Leave hard walks and late nights for later in your stay. The stops, the start times and what is included are on the old town, El Panecillo and Basílica tour page, where you pick the size of your group and book.
