Must-see attractions in Central Highlands

Volcán Chimborazo and Volcán Carihuairazo are both within the Reserva de Producción de Fauna Chimborazo. It is called a ‘fauna-production reserve’ because…

About 14km north of Zumbahua, the famous volcanic-crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa is a gasp-inducing sight. A lookout on the precipitous crater rim offers…

Several famous ambateños (people from Ambato) had quintas that survived the earthquake. They were once considered countryside homes, but today they are…

Inside the beautifully restored 18th-century convent, Riobamba’s top museum houses one of the country’s finest collections of 17th- and 18th-century…

The Devil's Cauldron is a must-stop. There are two terrific trails from Río Verde that take you here. The first is accessed from below the soccer field,…

This majestic home was built in 1900 and now houses Ambato's best museum. There are tons of interesting historic photos on the 1st floor. Head up to the…

The centerpiece of Ecuador's most popular national park is the snowcapped and downright picture-perfect Volcán Cotopaxi. At 5897m, it's Ecuador's second…

On the northwest side of Parque Juan Montalvo is this museum in Montalvo’s pied-à-terre; the grand mausoleum in which the writer is interred is on the…

Perched on a hilltop behind Baños, just beyond the village of Runtún, this grassy viewpoint is a photographer's dream. As well as a pretty tree house,…

The Thursday morning market in Saquisilí is one of the best in the central highlands. It’s a mostly authentic and fascinating place to observe the array…

This 2710-sq-km national park contains three of Ecuador’s most magnificent volcanoes – the mightily active Sangay, the remittently active Tungurahua and…

One of the most authentic markets in the central highlands is held on Thursdays in Guamote, with separate sections for vendors of horses and donkeys; pigs…

The Saturday market transforms Riobamba into a hive of commercial activity, when thousands of people from surrounding villages come to barter, buy and…

Adjoining the church, this museum in the priest's former living quarters contains several oil paintings by Father Enrique Mideros as well as his…

If you're interested in indigenous culture, a look around this museum is well worth your time. However the exhibits, spread over five floors, require some…

This 200-year-old house was the countryside retreat of writer Juan Montalvo, the ‘Cervantes of America.’ There’s a tiny but well-put-together museum…

They say there’s lost Inca treasure buried somewhere in the remote and inaccessible wilderness of the 2197-sq-km Parque Nacional Llanganates. The park…

Although much of it crumbled in the 1797 earthquake, parts of the facade of this beautiful low-slung church date from 1534, making it one of the oldest…

Most action tends to center on this main plaza. At the southeast corner stands the republican-era town hall, topped by a pair of stone condors. On the…

Latacunga’s large markets are quite utilitarian, but that’s what makes them interesting. The food stalls on the second floor of the Mercado Cerrado …