Today enjoy a Private Quito Colonial City Tour. After meeting your guide, you'll start in Colonial Quito, an area of narrow cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed walls and, rising above, the steeples and cupolas of the city's many spectacularly decorated historic churches. Quito has one of the best-preserved colonial centers in all South America, and its integrity was assured in 1978 when the United Nations declared Quito a World Cultural Heritage site. During the morning you'll walk through the Main Plaza, where you will see the Government Palace, the spectacular gilded church of La Compañía, and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries, including the San Francisco Monastery, which was begun 5 days after the founding of the city in 1534. Then visit "La Ronda", the city's most famous colonial street, where you'll learn about the traditional jobs of Colonial Quito. The final stop of your colonial visit will be the "Panecillo", the hill that divides Quito in North & South, and where you'll admire the famous statue of Our Lady of the Panecillo, built by Bernardo de Legarda, as well as enjoying spectacular views of Quito. You'll stop for lunch in the old town, and afterwards enjoy a chocolate experience, starting with a guided tour explaining the history of cocoa in Ecuador, followed by a chocolate tasting.
(Breakfast, Lunch & Accommodations, Quito)