Things to Do

Cuenca is probably my favorite city in Ecuador, and there is plenty to see both in Cuenca and around the city. Take a look below to find out information about attractions, museums, shopping, restaurants and bars. You can click on some of the photos below to see larger images.

Places to Visit In and Around Cuenca 

The Rivers

One of my favorite things to do in Cuenca is take a stroll by
one of the city's 4 rivers. On the banks of river Tomebamba,
you can enjoy a nice brick walkway where you can take in the
unique architecture of the colonial mansions built up off the
river. I used to live in an apartment in one of these buildings.

You can also walk down to El Puente Roto (The Broken Bridge)--
a bridge that was washed out in a flood more than three decades ago. Today, the half bridge serves as an overlook to the river, but there is still something poetic about a bridge that doesn't connect to anything. To access the walkway, just go down the stairs of Escalinata from the center of town to the river bank. The Puente Roto is to your left. The riverbank mansions are to your right. The photograph to the left is taken of a different river near the place where Javier and I will be getting married.

The Flower Market 
Padre Aguirre and Mariscal Sucre
(located very close to the main square)

If you want to see a wide range of flowers grown in Ecuador, be sure to visit this wonderful market set in front of an old monastery and cathedral. You might even want to spoil yourself or your loved one by buying 2 or 3 dozen roses for less than 15 dollars.

The Food and Vegetable Market
Mercado 10 de Agosto
Calle Larga and 10 de Agosto Streets

The fruit and vegetable market is a feast for the eyes and the senses. Come here and you can see a lot of tropical fruit that isn't available in the United States like Tomate de Arbol (Tree tomato), babaco, maracuya, chirimoya, etc. If you are bothered my raw meat, you shouldn't walk over to the meat section. Upstairs, vendors sell medicinal herbs.

Cajas National Park

If you like hiking, then you should definitely visit this national park. The altitude (9,000-14,000 ft.)might be a little high and the weather could get cold, but on a clear day, Cajas is glorious.  The park has over 200 lakes and many waterfalls in addition to the impressive glacial rock formations. Be sure to hire a guide. I have been recommended Apullacta tours.

Giron

Giron is another great place to hike and a lot warmer than Cajas. You can walk up a pathway to a really beautiful waterfall or you can take a more challenging hike to see a higher part of the waterfall. I wouldn't recommend the latter hike without a guide, but you can easily take the footpath to see the base of the waterfall. Again, I recommend Apullacta tours for hiking purposes. If you want to see some photos of the waterfalls you can go to this website: http://www.chingchong.com/gallery/ecuador

The surrounding towns

Many tour agencies offer trips to the surrounding towns of Gualaceo and Chordeleg. You can meet the weavers of Gualaceo or visit a medicinal market (only on certain days), where healing men or women practice interesting spirit cleansing techniques. You can also have a cleansing ceremony done at one of the markets in Cuenca on certain days. This may involve one of the following things-- being swatted by a collection of herbs, sprayed by alcohol, getting an ashen cross thumbed on your head like on Ash Wednesday or having an egg run over you and then broken. If you feel uncomfortable having this done, you might have a better chance at seeing it performed in one of the surround towns. Other towns have artisans who specialize in making straw hats, jewelry or Ikat ponchos. Apullacta tours offers excursions to these towns.

Ingapirca

Located only 2-3 hours away from Cuenca, Ingapirca is Ecuador's most important Incan ruin. During the summer solstice, many Indigenous groups from across the Americas convene here for Inti Raymi, a celebration of the sun. The scenery around the ruin is incredible, but this ruin is nothing like Peru's Incan ruins. If you want to see photographs, you can look on this website. Again, you can contact one of the local tour agencies to arrage a tour or take a bus.

Museums 

Museo de las Culturas Aborignes (Native Cultures Museum)
Calle Larga #5-24 between Hermano Miguel and Mariano Cueva streets
Telephone: (0115937) 283-9181

This museum has a nice pre-Colombian artifact collection and a very helpful staff. All of the artifacts come from a private collection and used to be displayed out of the owner's house, but they have now moved the collection to this attractive museum. The collection also includes a shrunken head. Yes, an Indigenous group in the Amazon jungle used to practice shrinking the decapitated heads of their captors. The group, however, does not continue this practice, but the shrunken head is worth seeing. 

Museo Banco Central (Central Bank Museum)
Located on Huayna Capac Avenue and Calle Larga.

This Museum is one of Cuenca's best museums and has nicely displayed pre-Colombian artifacts and an ethnographic exhibit. It also has a coin museum. Be sure to look behind the bank building to see Incan, Cañari (the Indigenous group before the Incans) and Spanish colonizers.  

CIDAP Artes Populares de America Museum
3 de Noviebre and Hermano Miguel Streets
(Close to the Escalinatas and in front of the river)

This museum occupies one of my favorite buildings in Cuenca. It's a must see for the building and location alone. It has an exhibit of local crafts and folk art. The store has a lot of great products from local Indegenous groups, pueblos and artisans. 

Museo del Arte Moderno (The Modern Art Museum)
1527 Calle Sucre and Coronel Talbot

Located near a charming plaza and church, this museum might offer a different perspective about how present-day Eucadorians and Cuencanos view the world. The last time I visited the museum, they had an impressive multi-media exhibit about how both urban immigration and emmigration from Ecuador to other countries are affecting Ecuador. This exhibit has undoubtedly been changed by now, but its worth stopping by this museum.  

Museo de Artes Religioso de las Conceptas
(Church and Monastery of the Conceptas)
Located on the corner of Presidente Cordova and Presidente Borrero Streets

Originally a 16th century monastery, this whitewashed, colonial building now serves as a museum of religious art. It's well worth visiting to see the architecture as well as the religous art. 

Esqueletologia Museum (Skeleton Museum)
Bolivar 6-57

I have to mention this museum because I find it so bizarre. It has a number of animal skeletons from Ecuador and around the world, placed in lifelike positions in habitat-like environments. It's small, only takes a second to run through and will make you respect the tissue that normally surrounds the creature's fragile frames. 

Shopping 

Panama Hats

While the name might lend one to believe that Panama hats were created in Panama, the hats actually originate from Ecuador. There are a number of factories around Cuenca which produce the finely woven, straw hats. You can buy them at a fraction of the price a hat would cost in the States.  

Some places which sell the hats include: 

Homero Ortega P. & Hijos

Avenida Gil Ramirez Davalos 3-86
www.genuinepanamahat.com
Phone: (0115937)280-9000
Store: Hermano Miguel 6-86 and Presidente Cordova 

Barranco

Handmade hats by Rafael Paredes and sons
Museum, Store and Workshop
Calle Larga 10-41 between Padre Aguirre and General Torres Street.
Phone (0115937) 283-1569 

Plaza de San Francisco

If you didn't get a chance to visit the Otavalo market or would like to see more Indigenous crafs and folk art, then you should definitely stop by this interesting market.

Leather Jackets

If you did not buy a leather jacket in either Cotocachi or Quizapincha (the least expensive leather), you can find a fairly inexpensive and good quality leather jacket in one of the many stores in Cuenca. If you're around for a few days, you might even be able to have a jacket custom made. Remember to bargain even if you're in the store. Many stores also have nice purses, wallets and briefcases. 

El Antilope

Location 1: Benigno Malo 10-23
Location 2: Gran Colombia 8-32

Ceramics 

Artesa

http://www.cuencanet.com/ceramics/index.htm
Luis Cordero 984 and Gran Colombia
Telephone: (0115937) 284-2647 
This store has a number of great pottery, housewares, ceramics and artwork. Check out some of the designs on their website, although they have much more to offer in their store. 

Eduardo Vega's Workshop and Gallery
On the hill of Turi

Eduardo Vega is perhaps the most famous ceramic artist in Cuenca, and you can see his ceramics in sculptures, hotels and address plackards around town. However, his studio is well worth visiting as much for his house and the view of the city as for his artwork. I find some of his ceramics a little kitchy, but there are some incredible vases in this store. You might also be able to find some nice tiles. 

Spanish Classes 

Ecuador is a wonderful place to take Spanish, because of the clear accent and patient, well-educated professors. I can recommend the following language schools.

CEDEI (Centro De Estudios Internacionales)
website: www.cedei.org
Gran Colombia 11-02 and General Torres
(I've heard that they are moving, so I'll find out the new address)
Telephone: (0115937)283-9003 

Simon Bolivar Spanish School in Cuenca 
website: www.bolivar2.com
Luis Cordero Street between Gran Colombia and Lamar
Telephone (0115937)283-9959
e-mail: info@bolivar2.com 

Restaurants, Bars and Other Treats 

El Maiz
Calle Larga 1-279 and Calle de los Molinos,
2 or 3 blocks down from the Banco Central Museum
Telephone (0115937) 284-0224
e-mail: elmaiz@etapaonline.net.ec

If you want to try traditional Ecuadorian and Cuencan food, you should visit this attractive restaurant. Once a residence, the restaurant almost makes you feel more like a guest in someone's home than just a patron in a restaurant. Things to try on the menu include Locro de Papas (a delicious potato soup), Humitas, Mote Pillo, Trucha (Trout from Cajas National Park) and Tortillas de Maiz. This would be a great place to stop for a coffee and a humita (a sweet corn tamale) or a full meal. Be sure to notice the murals in the house. My friend Eduardo Galarza painted them. The restaurant also has a nice view of the city and a comfortable patio for sitting outside.  

El Yogur 
6-16 Benigno Malo in between Presidente Cordova and Juan Jaramillo

I know it's strange to recommend a yogurt stand, but this yogurt bar has the best yogurt smoothies I've ever had in my life. You should also try the pan de yucca. It's a type of bread that seems to melt in your mouth.

Cafe Eucalyptus
Gran Colombia 9-41, between Benigno Malo and Padre Aguirre
Telephone: (0115937)284-9157
Read a review at http://www.thetravelrag.com/docs/10024.asp 

Located right across from Hotel Carvallo in an attractively renovated colonial building, Cafe Eucalyptus is well worth visiting. The restaurant, owned and operated by an American and English couple, serves tapas from all over the world and has a well stocked bar. It is also one of the few places in Cuenca where you can find dark beer. On Wednesday nights, Cafe Eucalyptus holds a ladies night, where women can drink free. As a result, the restaurant and bar has become a place to see and be seen by attractive Cuencanos of all ages. It's open for both lunch and dinner. This is good place to get a drink or a bite to eat for all.

La Viña
Juan Jaramillo between Luis Cordero and Borrero

La Vina is a favorite among Ecuadorians and ex-patriots. The owners are an Italian and Ecuadorian couple who have created a funky Italian cafe with homemade pasta, gnochi and other Italian food. The restaurant is small and fills up quickly, so you should get there around 6:30 if you don't want to wait. However, the wait isn't usually too long.  

Villa Rosa
Gran Colombia 12-22 and Tarqui 

The Villa Rosa is perhaps the best restaurant in Cuenca and the only place where you can find a well prepared filet mignon. I highly recommend  this restaurant if you want a nice dinner or lunch in an elegant colonial mansion. Prices are surprisingly inexpensive ($7-$15) for an upscale restaurant.

El Pedregal Azteca
Gran Colombia 10-29 and Padre Aguirre
Telephone (0115937)283-3627

El Pedregal Azteca is the only place to find good Mexican food in Cuenca. Items on the menu include Enchiladas de Mole, Enchiladas Verdes, Tacos a la Plancha (Grilled Tacos), Chiles Rellenos, Carne Asada and vegetarian plates. It also has margaritas, Mexican Beer (Corona and Tecate) and Chilean Wines. It's located in a very nice 19th Century colonial building. On Friday nights, they even have Mariachis. El Pedregal Azteca is open for lunch and dinner. 

El Jordan
Calle Larga 6-11 and Borrero
Telephone (0115937)285-0517

I have never eaten at this restaurant, but it has an interesting story. The owner was a waiter, who earned enough money to open up his own restaurant. This Ecuadorian had a dream to have a restaurant that served Middle Eastern cuisine, but with three sections decorated to represent different countries and regions of the world. Therefore, the restaurant has an American, French and Middle Eastern section. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they have Arab dancing which might mean belly dancers although I couldn't really tell you.

Wunderbar Cafe
Hermano Miguel and Calle Larga (Escalinata) 3-43
Telephone: (0115937)283-1274
e-mail: wunder@etapaonline.net.ec 

Wunderbar is a nice place to grab lunch or to eat a light dinner. It also has good beer and a great bar. Upstairs, you can play pool or foosball

Godika Chocolatier
Gran Colombia 12-57
Telephone: 284-4320

If you like chocolate as much as I do, then you should definitely stop by this store. Not only do they have delicious chocolates, but they also have the best chocolate cake in Cuenca.