Monasterio de Carmen Alto

Lonely Planet review

The 18th-century Arco de la Reina (García Moreno at Rocafuerte), a massive arch built in the 18th century to give shelter to churchgoers, spans García Moreno. On one side of the arch stands the Monasterio de Carmen Alto. Inside this fully functioning convent, cloistered nuns stay busy producing some of the finest, most traditional sweets in the city.

One of the tastiest treats of all are the limones desamargados (literally 'de-soured lemons'), which are made by hollowing out tiny lemons and filling them with a sweetened milk concoction. They sell out quickly, so get there early on a Tuesday or Thursday morning. Through a revolving contraption that keeps the nuns hidden from view, they also sell traditional baked goods, aromatic waters for nerves and insomnia, bee pollen, honey and bottles of full-strength mistela (an anise flavored liqueur).