At the Mercado Central, bowls of locro de papa land on the counter topped with cheese and avocado. Nearby, a helado de paila maker spins fruit sorbet in a copper pan over ice. On La Ronda, hatmakers, chocolatiers and instrument makers work behind open doors, inside an old town of gilded church altars.
Beyond the colonial grid, the TelefériQo climbs the slopes of Pichincha. Days feel like spring all year, with a dry spell from June to August and quick showers the rest of the time. A Local Friend reads the stall menu, the bus map and the mood of the street for you.
