Quito offers new “seven wonders” tour

Aug. 31, 2011 - PRLog -- Prompted by the Quito Visitor’s Bureau, Quito has begun offering 7 Maravillas, a new theme route that guides visitors through the city’s historic center. This district is home to five of the “seven wonders” chosen by Ecuadorians in a nationwide vote.

The tour begins with a visit to the Basílica del Voto Nacional, a gothic cathedral whose towers and waterspouts are a classic example of gothic building styles. As visitors continue on their route through the 2011 American Capital of Culture, they also experience the glorious baroque Compañía de Jesús church and the historic Plaza de la Independencia and Plaza de San Francisco, public squares whose history dates back to the founding days of the city in the 16th century. The Iglesia de la Virgen del Quinche church represents Quinche, which has been part of Ecuador’s indigenous cultures since the pre-Incan era. Along the way, guests are made privy to insider tips on the rich culinary traditions of the quiteños. These include the Luis Banda’s famous Cruz Verde street stand, which has been serving up honey-roasted peanuts for three generations.

Travelers to Ecuador join the tour any day of the week, except Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for around 15 USD per person. Reservations can be made with the tourist information office in the historic center by calling +593 2572 445.

In addition to the stations on the tour, the seven wonders also include the symbol of the city of Quito, a 150 feet


-high statue of the Virgen del Panecillo. The statue looks north from Mount Panecillo, which means “bun” in English, and is one of the many viewpoints over the Ecuadorian capital city. The Estación de Ferrocarril Eloy Alfaro, built in 1905 and formerly Ecuador’s most important train station, in the Chimbacalle district rounds out the list of the seven wonders.

As part of the city’s 2011 American Capital of Culture program, the Quito Visitor’s Bureau called a nationwide vote on the wonders starting on June 6th. The vote was open to all Ecuadorians after a simple registration on the voting website. By the end date on July 31st, more than 14,000 votes had been cast. For more information on the project, please visit http://7maravillasdequito.com/

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