Palacio del Gobierno

The heart of the old town is the Plaza Grande (formally known as Plaza de la Independencia), a picturesque, palm-fringed square surrounded by historic buildings. The austere, white building on the plaza’s northwest side (between Chile and Espejo), with the national flag flying atop, is the Palacio del Gobierno. Visitors can enter by guided tours (in Spanish and sometimes English), which offer a glimpse of the brilliantly hued mosaic depicting Francisco de Orellana’s descent of the Amazon. You’ll also peer in a few of the staterooms. The president carries out business in this building, so sightseeing is limited to rooms not currently in use. On Monday, the changing of the guards takes place on the plaza at 11am.