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City in Azuay, Ecuador
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. The city is located in a highland valley at about 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level, and is home to 518,000 people according to the 2010 census. Its moderate climate makes it enjoyable year round. The center of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site site because of its many historical buildings. Everywhere you look in Cuenca, there are flowers, blooming trees, grass and rushing waters.
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Pumapungo Archaeological Museum and Park, formerly the Central Bank Museum
The museum has very good exhibits for those interested in the ethnological history of the region and city, including exhibits like the shrunken heads. The museum has expansive grounds with well-preserved Inca ruins, an aviary with a variety of spectacular birds, a botanical garden with a focus on food and medicinal plants used by the Incas, and some llamas.
Museum of Aboriginal Cultures
A large collection of pre-Columbian artifacts and pottery displayed. There seemed to be free guides in English (or French) describing room by room the artifacts but it couldn’t be confirmed as of February 2023. Guidebooks in Spanish, French and English can be borrowed. Cafe and handicrafts shop.
Interamerican Center of Crafts and Folk Art
The CIDAP has the largest collection of crafts and pieces of folk art of America, from 26 countries with more than 8000 pieces of ceramics, textiles, wood, metals, plant fibers, stone, glass, utensils, and tools of work. It offers a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
$5 for 2-hour tour of Cuenca and a visit to the Mirador de Turi (Turi viewpoint). Leaves from Parque Calderón. For one price, you can get off the bus anywhere you like and get on the next bus that comes.
The river walk is a great place to walk, relax and enjoy the views of the city. The city of Cuenca has a vision for the river walk to someday become another San Antonio, Texas. The river walk is along the Tomebamba river that flows close to downtown.
Approximately 1 hour north by automobile or 2¼ hours by bus is the excavated ruins of Ingapirca (Kichwa: Inkapirka, meaning “Inca wall”). The ruins are located just outside of the small town of El Tambo in the Cañar Province. The town was named after the Inca palace and temple site. These are the largest known Inca ruins in Ecuador. At the site, you will see the excavated temples of both the Incas and the Cañar. Ingapirca was the northern ruling city of the Inca empire. Directions: In order to reach Ingapirca, there are two different access roads from the main Panamerican highway that are approximately 8 to 10 km travel: (1) North entrance from El Tambo (recommend option); and (2) South entrance which is just south of Uculoma. The journey east from the Panamerican takes you through typical southern Andean countryside panorama, including sheep, donkeys, llamas. You can hire a driver ($20–30 from Cuenca), but there is also a bus service. Direct buses to the ruins can be boarded at the bus terminal close to Cuenca airport, leaving at 09:00 and 12:20, returning at 13:30 and 15:45 (the bus waits near the ruins before returning to Cuenca, it's better to ask the driver about the exact return time). Bus journey time is 2¼ hours each way. For the direct bus you need to buy a ticket in the Cooperativa Cañar booth (booth #04). Outside these times, take a bus to El Tambo (2 hours) and change there for a bus to Ingapirca (30 minutes). The bus fare is $4.00 ($8.00 return). Tours: You cannot visit the site on your own, the only way to do it is to get a tour. The guides will meet you at the gate. The majority of the tours are in Spanish. There is an English guided tour once per day. Ingapirca is always closed on the many holidays in Ecuador, so make sure to check out the holiday schedule before you take a trip to Ingapirca.
Very popular with travellers, all-tapas bar, all very tasty. Live music on weekends. It's warm and friendly, and also good for groups. Quite expensive for Ecuador, $5 for a Coca-cola plus tip makes one think that the travellers are taken advantage of.
One of the better cafés in the lovely historical centre of Cuenca, with a beautiful (heated!) street terrace and friendly staff. Great variety of coffees available. The food is also praised though pricier than most restaurants, coffees are the real deal here.
The Jazz Society of Ecuador
The Jazz Society Café is the Cuenca performance venue of the Jazz Society of Ecuador. Reservations on website or by email. Food served by Mother and Son Family Kitchen. Jazz dinners are 16:00-19:00.
A well-known local pizza chain in Cuenca that has three or four branches. The fruit pizza is excellent and quite inexpensive. The ice cream there is also delicious and costs about 70¢ for the first scoop.
Nice little cafe which serves yum affordable breakfasts. Much of the food features raspberries in one way or another.
Rustic and yet pretty formal. Think lamb chops and wine. Reservations online.
Great little cafe with a good atmosphere. Serves breakfast and lunch.
Cheap and better than average local lunch with a soup, a main dish, a dessert and a drink. Made by women victims of domestic violence (>50% of population in Cuenca). The Mujeres con Éxito association has other activities to support and empower these women.
Great salsateque on Wednesday nights. Full of locals and extended-stay travellers. Extremely fun.
Hostel-bar-restaurant. Appears very noisy and uncomfortable as a hotel, but it is a good place to eat lasagna or sandwiches although more expensive than most places. The perfect place to start your night with a few drinks and to then proceed elsewhere.
Lovely, quiet place, with a mix of rooms to suit all travellers: singles, doubles, double en-suites. Gorgeous little courtyard with garden in the middle of it all; a hummingbird likes to hang out there sometimes! Very cheap, but really clean, and just nice. $2 breakfast: eggs, toast, juice, coffee, bread and jam. Towels provided. Lady owner very friendly, but it really helps to speak Spanish! Cuenca is really safe, but even more so in this area - Calle Larga is a block away. Reception is next door, but there is a bell to ring to the left of the main door to get someone to come over - it's hard to spot it, but the bell is there!
Owned by an Ecuadorian family, this hostel is located in the heart of Cuenca's historic district. Dorms and private rooms available with or without private bathroom. Hostel is quiet enough to get a good night sleep but in the same neighborhood of all the great restaurants and bars.
A cheap option in the historic centre. Includes a cafeteria service, a laundry, and cable tv.
Nice, clean rooms at less than $13. Features 2 indoor patios, fully equipped kitchen and is 3 blocks from the main square in a safe area. Colonial house with indoor balconies and has single, double, triple and quadruple rooms.
Hostel run by Swiss siblings a couple of blocks away from Cuenca's main square. The place features an amazing design and also has a very nice restaurant and bar.
Owned by a local family, the hostel is perfectly located, very central. Clean and comfortable though some might find it bare and old with its creaky wooden floors and uncharming facade. Large rooms with windows and some with balconies (the best are at the back, away from the noise of the street). Free and good Wi-Fi (in the rooms), laundry facilities, communal kitchen (very basic), towels provided, and roof terrace. Great and cheap place. The owner is very helpful and friendly.
Well-run hostel located next to the Pumapungo museum and archaeological site. Relaxed atmosphere, clean rooms and a free to use kitchen. Great escape from the chaos and noise of the downtown bars while still being within walking distance.
In a picturesque colonial-style building in the Historical center. 17 comfortable rooms with bathroom, distributed in 3 floors.
This place is set back off the road, so it's pretty quiet. You are immediately treated like family, and they will do anything reasonable to help you out. There is parking, and you are about 8 blocks from central park. The water hot and they provide cable TV. While it does lack a little homeyness, it's because the facility is brand new.
Nice hostel in the center of the city with a full kitchen, hot showers 24/7, and the friendliest service in town. Warm, homey, and very centrally located.
An old colonial building with a pretty courtyard. The price includes breakfast. Very pretty but simple rooms, quiet, with a self-serve kitchen, free wireless, book exchange, and large DVD library. Very nice hot showers with good pressure.
The most affordable nice hotel in town. Located in the center, across from the church and square of San Francisco. Most rooms have a balcony. All have cable TV and hot water. Price includes breakfast on the roof. Friendly staff, excellent value. $17 for one person, $25 for double.
Ahh, the pampered life, with antiques and heavy carpets in an old restored mansion. Get your free breakfast here in a formal setting and maybe try a spa afterwards.
4 junior suites, 3 one-bedroom suites and 4 two-bedroom suites, a restaurant and a terrace with a city view. For international arrangements calls +1 754 213-1423
Boutique hotel with 16 rooms located just one block from the main square. Restaurant and a rooftop terrace with a city view.
Diagonal to the flower market, there is a tiny selection of English books.
Exclusive arts from rural communities located in the southern region of Ecuador.
A permanent and quaint display of artists and artisans located next to the University of Cuenca.
Cuenca's biggest shopping mall, with cinemas (typically Spanish language only) and food court.
To buy from their fine range of Panama hats. You get a short tour round, an explanation of how they are made and a chance to see your hat go from a simple woven straw cone to a finished wearable hat. Various styles, men's and women's and sizes.
There are two wonderful used English bookstores --although a bit pricy ($5-20).
By bus or car
Cuenca lies on the Pan-American highway. Buses offer connections to many cities in Ecuador. The bus system in Ecuador is well developed. Buses can be obtained every one or two hours during the day.
Cuenca's tourism office, iTur, is on the main plaza (Parque Calderón) and has lots of helpful maps and brochures to guide you during your visit in and around the city.
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Cuenca · Regional · CUE
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Articles and travel topics about Cuenca (Ecuador) and Ecuador.
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