People from Quito and Guayaquil have a bit of a rivalry with each other. They both think their city is better, and they’ll talk trash with each other about why. One thing they can agree on though is that Cuenca is the cream of the crop.
It doesn’t have anywhere near the size of Quito or Guayaquil, but Cuenca is Ecuador’s most beloved city. The historical centre and its colonial architecture is well preserved and offers a charming walk through the past.
The city is littered with cute cafes, restaurants featuring international cuisine, and more than enough places to have more than enough drinks. Add the safety of the city to its resume as well as its close proximity to the Parque Nacional El Cajas, and it becomes clear why Cuenca is a favourite spot for locals, tourists, and expats.
How to fit Cuenca into your full Ecuador travel itinerary.
If there’s any drawback to the city, it might be that its residents know they are from the crowned jewel of Ecuador. To make an unfair, sweeping, generalized statement: Cuencanos might be a bit pretentious.
Keeping up appearances and who you associate with is important in Cuencan society. I learned most of this on a Tinder date, but it was also reaffirmed to me by other Ecuadorians. Say what you want, but those online dating apps are great for learning about cities from someone who lives there. Purely educational…
1. Parque Nacional El Cajas
The city of Cuenca is charming, but the national park just outside the city takes the cake for best views in the area. The landscape here is otherworldly. The rustic gold landscape, moss covered rock formations, llamas, and lakes will blow you away.
On my bus ride from Cuenca to Guayaquil (my favourite in all of Ecuador), my eyes were fixed to the window with my mouth hanging open. I was tempted to ask the bus driver to pull over and let me off with no inclination of where to go. This park is stunning.
Unfortunately, my introduction to the park was on my exit from Cuenca. I wish I had known about it earlier. When I go back to Ecuador, El Cajas and the Quilotoa Loop will be on the top of my list.
There are day trips from Cuenca that will take you to the highlights of the park, as well as a few multi-day hikes if you really want to immerse yourself.
Stay safe while on the road. Follow my 21 basic travel safety guidelines.
2. New Cathedral of Cuenca
This is the standout feature of the historic centre. The beautiful blue domes make for picturesque photo backdrops. At night, the illuminated domes overlook the city.
Venture inside the cathedral and climb to the top for proper views of Cuenca.
3. Wander the Colonial Centre
This is where Cuenca gets its charm. It has a beautiful colonial center with attractive buildings at each corner.
Calderón Park is at the center of the downtown and is a quaint little plaza to hangout in the afternoon and people watch. The new cathedral is on one side of the park and the old cathedral on the other. There’s a beautiful fountain in the middle surrounded by tall trees.
Plaza de San Francisco is a public square where you’ll find a clothing market during the day. There are a lot of nice clothing stores in Cuenca, but the plaza is where you’ll find some of the best deals.
4. Pumapungo Archaeological Park
After Cusco, Peru, Cuenca was the 2nd most important city for the Incas. The Pumapungo Museum showcases this history as well as preserving and restoring part of the original Incan city that you can walk through.
Our museum guide told us that back in the days of the Inca, their foot messengers could get messages from Cuenca to Cusco in just a few days. I knew the Incas had lightning quick message delivery, but this blew my mind. The distance between the cities is about 2,500 kilometres!
5. Find Good Eats on Calle Larga and Avenida Remigio
Calle Larga runs on the north side of the river and is a great place to find international cuisine and trendy restaurants. Avenida Remigio on the south side of the river is another great spot for restaurants, drinks, and nightlife.
This is one of the primary reasons that expats and locals love Cuenca. The food options in this city are fantastic.
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6. Mirador de Turi
The Mirador de Turi is on the south side of the city and offers the best views of the city. Admittedly, I didn’t do this, so I can’t offer valuable information. But, I bet you it’s a nice hike with some beautiful views.
7. Cascada El Chorro
About an hour’s drive south of Cuenca is a beautiful park and waterfall. The waterfall is just outside the town of Girón. I wish I had more to say but I didn’t make it here either.
Entrance to the park will cost $2 for foreigners, and a taxi from Girón to the waterfall is about $5.
8. Visit One of the Breweries
Alright, back to something I know a little bit about. I’m a sucker for a good brewery and Cuenca has a few. There is a Latitud Cero tap room at one of the corners of Calderón Park. This is one of the premier craft brews in Ecuador.
Along with the Ecuadorian brewhouse, there is also a Belgian brewery offering international beers. Jodoco Belgian Bistro is inside Plaza San Sebastián and has a good variety of beers on tap as well as what must be another selection of 100 or so in the bottle. The food here is fantastic as well.
If you fancy German beer head to the Bar Far Out. If Czech beer is your thing, the Golden Prague Pub will satisfy your pilsner cravings. As well, there are a lot of different brew pubs offering beer and good food.
I read somewhere once that Cuencanos drink more than any other city in Ecuador. Judging by the number of beer spots, it seems plausible.
9. Rio Tomebamba
This river runs through the centre of the city and separates the old town from the new. Walking or running along the river offers you a bit of a nature escape inside the city. Follow the river into Parque El Paraíso for some true respite.
Conclusion
Cuenca is nice, but I’ve got to admit that I didn’t fall in love with it the way so many people before me have. Nevertheless, it is certainly a must-stop on the Ecuadorian traveller trail. Parque El Cajas will blow you away and the historical centre is quite charming. A few days are definitely warranted in this town, and you might find that this is your favourite place in Ecuador.
After Cuenca, head north to Baños, west to Guayaquil, or south to Loja or Vilcabamba.
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