Enjoy Quito’s Green Side

Much of the life of the Quiteños happens in the city’s parks, which offer a large array of activities for all ages. With the summer sun beating down on Quito, its parks are a great escape from the heat and bustle of the city. Here are some recommendations:

La Carolina Park:
fun for all ages
This park offers attractions for adults and children, athletes and non athletes; for all… It is located in the midst of the business center of the city. Thousands of Quiteños go to La Carolina for their daily exercise, especially very early in the morning. While most of the city sleeps, la Carolina bursts with activity before the sun is completely out. On weekends, La Carolina fills with families practicing several sports like soccer, basketball, ecuavolley (an Ecuadorian version of volleyball with only three players on each team and unique rules), roller skating, biking, doing aerobics, jogging and even horseback riding! The park also features a lagoon that can be enjoyed on rowing boats or pedalos.

The city’s Botanical Garden is also found within this park. Here one can appreciate and learn about the diverse flora found in Ecuador’s various ecosystems. It includes a wonderful orchid display, and always holds wonderful temporary exhibits, as well as a newly inaugurated environment classroom, which uses top-notch technology to promote educational projects to protect the environment. Moreover, La Carolina also includes the city’s Vivarium, which holds an amazing exhibit of reptiles. Several snakes that live in tropical and subtropical areas of Ecuador can be seen face to face.

Finally, La Carolina holds the Ecuadorian Museum of Natural Sciences, which shows the natural richness of the country. It has plants, minerals and pre historical animals’ skeletons.

Useful information
Address: Av. Amazonas, de los Shyris, Naciones Unidas and Eloy Alfaro.
Public Transportation:  Trole, La Carolina stop. Ecovía, Naciones Unidas, Eloy Alfaro & Benalcázar stops.

La Alameda Park, the oldest park in town
Also known as “Chuquihuada”, La Alameda holds one of the oldest sightseeing spots of the old town, known as “Churo” (curl) for its peculiar curvy shape. From the top of the “Churo” one can see emblematic sites of the city such as El Panecillo hill, the Pichincha volcano and the Basilica. Several monuments are found along the park, such as that in honor of the French Geodesic Mission that came to measure the Equator at the end of the XVIII C, and a monument to Simon Bolivar located at the arch in the park’s entrance.

The first astronomical observatory of Southamerica is also found at this park... and it still works! It was built in 1876 and had the best technology avialable at the time. Currently, this place is open to the public for those who want to learn about antique astronomical instruments such as the Merz Telescope.

La Alameda also has a natural lagoon that can be enjoyed on rowing boats or pedalos, which has become a tradition in Quito. Instant photographs are also offered in the old fashioned way.

Useful information
Address: Diez de Agosto and Gran Colombia Ave.
Public Transportation: Trolebus, Alameda stop; Ecovía, Simón Bolívar stop.

ITCHIMBÍA PARK, A BREATHTAKING NATURAL VIEWPOINT
The park covers the top and the sides of the hillside known as Ichimbía [ICHIMBEEA], which roughly defines the eastern limit of Quito`s Old Town. It extends over 54 hectares at an altitude of 2,910 metres. It’s one of the city’s most beautiful lookouts, a 360 degree view over the city: the sprawling south, the Historic Centre and the modern north. On clear days, one can spot several volcanoes, including Pichincha, Cayambe, Antisana, Atacazo, El Corazón and the Illinizas.

The Itchimbía hillside’s history goes back in time. It was thought to be a ceremonial site for the sun and the moon for pre-Incan peoples; an observatory for the stars; as well as being known as the ‘Apothecary of Quito’ for the number of medicinal plants that grow there.

Up until 2003, the hillside had become, unfortunately, a rubbish tip and subject to numerous illegal settlements. The city therefore held a competition to decide the area’s management, which is now one of the city’s success stories. The green areas of the park have been restored and expanded. Thousands of native trees have been planted. The park is particularly popular during the summer months of June to September when people come to fly kites from its heights.
Itchimbía park has children games, an agora for artistic presentations, a large parking lot, hiking and biking trails, soccer, basketball and volleyball courts, picnic areas with amazing views, and also includes the Centro Cultural Itchimbía, commonly referred to as “Crystal Palace”. This beautiful art nouveau structure was imported from Hamburg for the old Santa Clara market during the presidency of Eloy Alfaro in 1889. It was restored and now hosts exhibitions, musical performances and other artistic and cultural events.

Useful information
Address: José María Aguirre N4-108 y Concepción (barrios El Dorado / La Tola).
Public Transportation: Trole, San Blas and La Alameda stops. Ecovía, Eugenio Espejo and Simón Bolívar stops.

For more information:
www.quito.com.ec

Article © by This is Ecuador Magazine  Order your monthly copy of This is Ecuador