Quito, Ecuador » City Info » Travel Tips

Quito is surrounded by colonial buildings, crystal lakes and traditional adobe villages. Quito is the city through which the equator passes, and therefore its name signifies the centre of the world. It is the best place to watch stars closely from the equator of the earth. You must plan your trip to Quito to experience these wonders. As in every big city, tourists should take proper care in certain areas of Quito.

Safety

Being a famous tourist place, special protection is given to the tourist. For security purposes, closed-circuit video cameras play an important role that helps tourist, national and metropolitan police officers. Still, it is always necessary to keep an eye on your belongings, follow practical tips, and protect you from petty thieves or bag snatchers.

Few security steps:

• Avoid travelling alone and, if possible, take local friends’ help while roaming on the streets, especially at night.
• It is safe to keep all important documents, extra cash, and valuable items in a safe box of the hotel itself and carry identification proof or passport in the pocket.
• It is advisable to avoid unnecessary exposure to valuable and expensive items in a crowded area.
• Before visiting any tourist place, always ask about opening and closing time
• Keep an eye on the belongings while using public transport
• Avoid roaming on lonely streets at night
• Do not hesitate to ask for help from the police whenever you feel unsafe.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory as the service charges are included in the bills. Still, tips can be given to appreciate the exceptional service given by the restaurants or cafes. Moreover, just like other American cities, if a bill is paid by credit card then leave a few coins in the form of tipping. For taxi drivers, tipping is not compulsory but round up the fare amount.

Smoking

Smoking is banned at public places and educational institutions. However, there are no strict rules about smoking, especially at workplaces, bars, and restaurants. Few shopping malls in the city have their policies on smoking. So it is advised to confirm before lighting up a cigarette in restaurants or bars or malls.

When to Travel

Quito experiences only two seasons; dry and wet seasons. The summer season i.e. dry season lasts only for four months; from June to September. The rainy season i.e. wet season is from October through May (8 months).

Mild days and cold nights are a normal pattern of the climate. In the winter season, the temperature can be down at night, and rainfall is expected at any time. However, it often sprinkles and sometimes rains hard, even in the dry season. Overall, the climate is not extremely hot or cold, and therefore the city experiences a comfortable climate all around the year.

The best months to go to Quito are those from June to September. The other months from November and February can be quite good too.

City Transport

The main means of transportation in Quito is taxis and rental cars. Taxis with a taximeter are easily available. If there is no meter, then negotiate on the price before hiring a taxi. It is always safe to travel by taxi, especially at night. Another option is to hire a car from a car rental company. For renting a car, keep your driving license and credit card ready along with extra cash for tax and insurance coverage.

There are 3 independent systems of buses, namely El Trole (green stations, buses of different colours), Metrobus (Blue stations marked with a Q, buses of different colours) and Ecovia (Red buses and stations marked with E). Travelling by bus is the cheapest way of transport in Quito.

Cycling is the best option to explore the city as there are special paths covering an area of 71km.

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