Learn Spanish in Quito

The capital of Ecuador, Quito, is located in a beautiful valley surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. It is a city of Franciscan tradition and surprisingly friendlier and with a safer feeling then other large Latin American cities. Furthermore, it has kept its colonial charm in spite of growing to the size of 1 million. But, somehow, Quito retains a small city atmosphere — probably because you can still walk to many places you need to go. Ownership of a car is not a must. Distances are short and the bus system is quite extensive. At 2,850 meters (9,300 feet) Quito is the second highest capital city in terms of altitude in the world. Moreover, Quito is located only 35 kilometers (22 miles) away from the equator and is known locally as “la mitad del mundo” (middle of the world).

The historical center of Quito was appointed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978 and has many appealing plazas and baroque churches, including the Cathedral, the convent and church of St. Francis, which is the largest building of the Colonial era built by the Spaniards in South America.

Quito has relatively good communication links to the rest of the country. It is the financial, political and administrative center of the country. After the Galápagos Islands, it is the most visited tourist center of Ecuador. Travel by land and air to other points in South America and the world is easier than from most other locations within the country. Its location makes it ideal for access to most other areas of the country, including beaches, mountains, and the Amazon basin. For visitors, especially visitors who enjoy shopping, Quito is Ecuador’s most important marketing center for the country’s artisan products, lying very close to some of the major production areas and indigenous markets. While life in Quito is not the least expensive within Ecuador, it was considered as recently as four or five years ago to be the cheapest capital city in the world when expenses are calculated in dollars.

You can learn Spanish in Ecuador in Quito:

• Spanish Courses in Quito