Top 10 Things to Do in Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca, officially known as “Santa Ana de los Cuatro Rios de Cuenca,” is the third largest city in Ecuador, and one of its most beautiful cities. The historic center of the city has even been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cuenca has it all: culture, history, architecture, and delicious food! If you decide to visit the beauty that is Ecuador, make sure to plan a few days to explore Cuenca. Check out this guide with the top 10 things to do in Cuenca, Ecuador.
- Ride around the city in the tour bus.
For your first day in Cuenca, take an introductory ride around the city on the Turibus. The double decker tour bus departs hourly from Parque Calderon. It takes you around the city’s main attractions, and it’s hop on/ hop off. Get a little acquainted with where things are, and which spots you want to further explore.
2. Wander around the historic center.
Any trip to Cuenca has to begin with a trip down to the historic center. There’s a reason why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even though Cuenca has been modernizing and going through renovations in recent years, it still retains its colonial flavor and history.
The city is very picturesque, so grab your camera and wander the cobblestone streets. Admire the beautiful colonial buildings and homes (you will notice the red brick roofs and balconies decorated with flowers). Browse through Cuenca’s many different markets. For handmade artisan goods, check out Plaza La Rotary, Plaza San Francisco, La Casa de la Mujer. If you want to get a taste of the local life, check out Mercado 10 de Agosto. Locals shop here for fresh meat, cheese and produce, but you can also grab a bite to eat on the second floor.
Also worth visiting is Plaza de las Flores. It’s basically a flower market, and though you probably won’t actually need to buy any flowers, it is a visually appealing spot to check out.
The great thing about Cuenca is that everything is within reasonable walking distance, so you can easily check out these places in a day.
3. Visit a museum.
There’s a lot of history to Cuenca, so it’s no surprise that there are a ton of museums here! My favorite is Museo Pumapungo. This museum serves as a introduction to Ecuadorian history, and you can also wander actual Incan ruins on the outside. *Bring a translator app though, the exhibits only have captions in Spanish and Quichua (form of the indigenous language of Quechua).
Did you know Panama hats are actually from Ecuador? Another top thing to do in Cuenca is to visit a Panama hat museum. Check out Museo del Sombrero de Paja Tojilla and Homero Ortega Hats to learn more and see them made at an active hat factory.
If you’re into the less typical museums, check out these specialty museums: Museo de la Medicina, Museo de las Conceptas, Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes, Museo Remigio Crespo Toral
4. Visit the Old and New Cathedrals
As you drive or walk around Cuenca, you will notice the bright blue domes at the cathedral. These are iconic to the city’s skyline, and you will often find them painted on different souvenirs.
The New Cathedral, officially known as Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion, was completed in 1975 after the Old Cathedral became too small. While the New Cathedral is still a functioning cathedral, visitors are welcome to enter, and you can even climb steps all the way to get up close and personal with the iconic blue domes. You can get an amazing panoramic view of the city from up top too!
(See my previous post for the best places for panoramic views of Cuenca: https://mybucketlistjourneys.blog/5-spots-for-panoramic-views-of-cuenca/ )
The Old Cathedral is also open, but is no longer a functioning cathedral. It’s a museum now, but definitely worth visiting. You will immediately see why there was a need for a new cathedral. Check out the small crypt here too! There is a larger one under the New Cathedral which is also open to visitors.
5. Take a trip to the zoo.
If you don’t like zoos, this is the zoo for you. I’ve always thought of zoos as more for children, so I’ve never taken interest in them. If you’re like me, visit Amaru Zoo. Amaru is about 25 minutes outside of the city center by car.
This is not your “look at animals through a glass” kind of zoo. For starters, it’s situated on the side of a mountain, so be prepared for some physical activity. The zoo is more of a sanctuary, as Amaru makes it a priority to help rehabilitate animals rescued from abusive conditions. The zoo also aims to preserve endangered species (it’s home to one of the few living condors, the Ecuadorian national bird). You get to see the animals in natural enclosures in the wild and they are very well taken care of. It’s definitely a great organization to spend your money on (admission is about $6, and you can purchase snacks about half way through the hike). It’s also a great educational experience.
*To get through the entire zoo, plan for about 2-3 hours. Again, it’s on the side of a mountain, so expect hiking (there are some resting spots though).
6. Have a picnic by the river.
You’ll notice that in Cuenca’s official name, it mentions four rivers. These rivers are Yanuncay, Machangara, Tarqui and Tomebamba. The Tomebamba is the most popular, and it runs through the city. There river actually inadvertently divides historic Cuenca with the city’s more modern side. The river offers quite scenic walking paths and you can pick any spot along the river for a nice picnic in the grass. On occasion, you might see dogs bathing in the river or even people washing their clothes.
There are a couple of bridges over the river as well — for a little bit of history, walk over to El Puente Roto, or the broken bridge. It’s literally a broken bridge, which was partially destroyed due to river overflooding. It’s now a top attraction in Cuenca.
7. Head on up to Turi, and beyond.
For more panoramic viewpoints, check out Mirador Turi. It’s about a 25 minute drive outside of the historic center. This is Cuenca’s most popular spot for views. Over the years, they have renovated the area to include more restaurants and even a small “theme park” with zip lining and a swing.
Don’t stop there though. On the way to Turi, the road splits. Turi is to the right, go left. Further above Turi is a more recent development — Mega Parque Icto Cruz. As you can guess from the name, this is way bigger than Turi. Because it’s higher up, the views are even better! The space is more spread out, so you can enjoy the view from various observation decks. There are also hiking trails available, as well as ziplining.
8. Check out the Ingapirca Ruins.
Aside from the small ruins at the Pumapungo museum, there are many other ruins around the country as well. The largest and most well known are the Ingapirca Ruins, located in the adjacent Canar province. It’s no Machu Picchu, but definitely worth a trip to learn a little more about the history. The drive is a little over an hour, or you can also take a bus from the main bus terminal.
9. Day trip to El Cajas National Park.
My favorite place to visit is actually just outside of the city center. El Cajas National Park is about a 40 minute drive away for the historic center, but an absolute must on your itinerary. This is the top destination for fishing, hiking, bird watching, you name it! If you want to getaway from the busy city, spend a day out in nature in El Cajas. While there are many stops along the way for fishing, I highly recommend the Dos Chorreras properties, made up of a lodge, fishing area, and two restaurants and a gift shop.
10. Eat, eat, and eat some more!
Of course, out of the top 10 things to do in Cuenca, I have to include eating. Aside from culture and history, Cuenca is also known for its gastronomy.
As I mentioned before, the city has gone through many changes in recent years. Prior to my most recent visit this January, I was last in Cuenca in 2015. One of the main things I noticed is how there have been much more dining establishments open in the last six years. Many of these restaurants have worked on the overall customer experience and giving fine dining a new meaning.
For example, during my recent visit, I had dinner one night at Tiestos http://www.tiestoscaferestaurant.com
It’s a restaurant that serves many typical Ecuadorian dishes, but with a twist — like a typical shrimp soup, but with a hot sauce made out of pineapples. Not your traditional combo, but Tiestos works to redefine the way we enjoy our traditional dishes. Not only that, but the waiters were also very attentive. They prepare the food in front of you, and since it was my first visit, they stuck around and even suggested which dishes to pair with which sauces.
As for what specific food to try, you have to try the traditional dishes — motepillo (hominy with scrambled eggs), hornado (pork), llapingachos (potato patties), guatita (tripe in a peanut/potato sauce) are just some staples in Cuenca. Of course, if you want to get the full Ecuadorian experience and are feeling a bit daring, try our delicacy — cuy (guinea pig). You can find some of these classics at Mercado 10 de Agosto, but you’ll also come across countless of other places around the historic center.
For a lighter meal, try humitas or quimbolitos, steamed corn cakes, which are typically served with coffee. A popular spot for these are on Avenida Loja at Aroma Cafe.
You will also find that Cuenca offers a gastronomical variety, the best of both worlds, both the traditional and non-traditional. Try Klebers for giant, one foot long hot dogs with delicious toppings. Try Boggari for specialty ice creams served with grated cheese and cream. Check out Dos Chorreras Chocolateria for a fig cheesecake.
So, after reading this entire guide, you realize that my list of “top 10 things to do in Cuenca” is really more than that. Cuenca really is an amazing city and even after just a few days in the city, you’ve only begun to scratch the surface. Next time you plan a trip to Ecuador, make sure to leave aside a few days to explore this gem of a city!
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