Cuenca was my absolute favourite city in Ecuador. It had everything one would want in a city (if you are me, that is) – stunning architecture, beautiful landscapes and delicious non-Ecuadorian food. (A running joke about the fact that I found traditional Ecuadorian food quite bland).
It made a nice change from Quito (somewhat grim and said to be dangerous) and Baños (where it felt like it rained all. the. time). You can read about my time in both places here.
Cuenca is located in Southern Ecuador; set in a valley, and surrounded by Andean mountains. It is a charming city, with beautifully preserved architecture in and around the Old Town, which can be explored and enjoyed on foot. I joined a free walking tour on my first day there (always a good way to get to know a city/country) and marvelled over the elegant colonial buildings that line the cobbled streets, with their mix of Italian and Spanish architectural influences.
The most famous, and incredibly exquisite building is the blue-domed Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción or New Cathedral of Cuenca. Situated in front of the central plaza ‘Parque Calderon’, this grandiose structure took almost 100 years to be constructed. It is famously incomplete due to a miscalculation by the architects – the two towers that flank the front facade were truncated as the foundation would not have been able to bear the weight had they been built to their full heights.
Views of the Cathedral from the surrounding streets allow you to appreciate the scale of the building, and its materiality; from the opulent marble doorways and stained glass windows to the striking blue and white glazed tiles from Czechoslovakia (Czechia). Views from the top of the Cathedral give you the city’s skyline set against the backdrop of imposing Andean mountains. I loved exploring the Cathedral; so much so that I went back for more after the walking tour, and again the next day.
The Old Town is bustling, but not overwhelmingly so. It still retains an old world charm. There are pockets of quiet and solitude like the central plaza with its garden of over 400 species of plants and trees; and other shaded plazas and cafes dotted around.
Southwest of the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Flores, considered one of the top outdoor flower markets in the world due to the diversity of the flowers (one of the benefits of the high altitude, and climate, of Ecuador). Here I tried ‘Agua de Pitimas’ (‘water with a little bit more’ in Kichwa, an indigenous language). This herbal drink is made by Carmelite nuns. It is said to contain 65 different medicinal plants, and to have special healing and calming effects. To me, it tasted both of nothing and of peppermint. If nothing else, it’s a good way for the nuns to raise funds from its sale!
Our next stop was Mercado 10 de Agosto. This lively market is full of vendors selling a range of fresh produce, dry goods and household items. I have a love -hate relationship with markets. They always seem to be on the list of ‘things to do’ in most tourist destinations but I feel like they’re ‘fun’ for people who didn’t grow up with markets. As a Nigerian, I have been to markets so many times, that I never find them particularly interesting. However, they are the best places to try fresh local produce. And this market did not disappoint.
We gravitated to the produce section, where I bought the most delicious strawberries I’ve ever tasted in my life. I would literally go back to Ecuador just for the fruits! And I also enjoyed the roast maize snack (‘chulpe’ or ‘cancha’). Our tour guide, Fernando, suggested we try the award -winning roast pig, ‘plato de chancho’, sold by two rival stalls (apparently one or the other has won an award for their roast every year for decades). Unfortunately I was once again disappointed by the (lack of) flavour of the meal although the roast was tender and juicy.
We continued to meander the streets of the Old Town, ending up by the banks of River Tomebamba and the ever present mountain views. I met up with Fernando for coffee later that evening. We went to one of those hole in the wall cafes that only the locals know about (he brought me a sample of his very own chocolate that he makes! For the life of me, I can’t remember what it was called but he sells it sandwiched between crumbly biscuits, and it was scrumptious). We wandered around Cuenca in the twilight but unfortunately a burgeoning migraine (mine) put paid to our plans to go dancing.
The next day, I continued along the path of River Tomebamba, as it traversed the city, towards Parque El Paraiso. The impressive colonial buildings of the Old Town gave way to modern (less architecturally interesting) buildings of the city but it remained a scenic setting, with the Andean mountains in the background.
I spent the afternoon at Museo Pumapungo. The indoor exhibition was closed for refurbishment but one could explore the open-air Archaeological Park for free, which I did. Here I got a better appreciation of the Incan culture and history of Cuenca; one of the reasons why this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Museo Pumapungo holds ruins that are thought to be of the Incan City of Tumipampa (Tomebamba), once the northern capital of the empire. Its terraced hills were similar to those I had seen in ruins in Peru (although on a far less grand scale). Tomebamba had been given capital status in the 16th century, by the penultimate ruler of the Inca Empire, Huayna Capac. Unfortunately the city was destroyed during civil war between the tribes (pre-Spanish invasion). The park was surprisingly bucolic, considering it is in the middle of the city, surrounded by high rise residential buildings. There was an artificial pool at the foot of the hill, a cloverleaf-shaped garden where gardeners plant the same vegetables that the Incas would have done, and a bird sanctuary.
Unfortunately my time in Cuenca was pretty short (less than 48hrs) so I had to satisfy myself with a ‘taste’ of the city rather than a full exploration. One of my regrets is that I did not make it to Cajas National Park (an hour away from Cuenca, it is said to be one of the most unique national parks in the country, located at almost 4500m or 14600 ft above sea level).
Cuenca filled my need for history and beauty and it’s a city I would love to visit again.
Did you know?
The ‘Panama’ hat actually originated in Ecuador. The name came about because in the 19th century most of the hats makers moved to Panama for economic reasons and the workers constructing the Panama canal often wore these hats to protect them against strong sunshine. A 1906 picture of Theodore Roosevelt wearing one of such hats during a visit to the Panama canal excavation made the hats even more famous, and the name stuck.
Have you ever been disappointed by the cuisine of a place you’ve visited? Do you think I am being harsh about Ecuadorian food? Tell me in the comments below.