To take pictures of the "Virgin" Panacillo from the front you may stop halfway on the street upwards.
At the statue the park is behind her so you'll see her back or climb down again!

The people of Quito are extremely friendly and accommodating. There are PLENTY of adventure trips leaving for the mountains every hour of the day. Horse back, biking, kayaking, you-name-it! Internet bars are plentiful as are hostels for backpackers.

Ecuadorians use the USD, so conversion is unnecessary. However, Ecuadorians will NOT do business with you if they don't like you.

There's a wonderful art fair in the park every Saturday. Totally worth a stroll.

Unfortunately, the cuisine is less than appetizing for my taste.
It's very beany, ricey, potatoey. The national dish is cui (whole deep fried guinea pig). I'd recommend the Magic Bean for the biggest pancakes you've EVER seen.

Ok i would like to say Quito is a great city wiht amazing people.....

Loved it immensely. Travel a lot to the surrounding areas.

If you arrive by plane and the weather is clear don't forget to keep your camera ready! A fantastic view expects you before landing!

Backpackers will find lots of hostels, restaurants and travel agencies at the streets: Rio Amazonas and Mera.

Take a overnight trip to the BellaVista hotel in the cloud forest. One of the most amazing places I have ever been.

Stay off the streets at night or you will get robbed and beaten, I has not happened to me but I have seen this with my own eyes.

You really have to take the elevator to a height of 4000m. There you have a great view over the city (if there aren't too much clouds). But make sure you have something warm to wear!

Quito is unique for its amount of churches. Even I am not a big fan of churches in general, some of them are really imressive such as "La compania" with its gold. Also the temperature is ideal for sightseeing; fresh in the morning, and about 20°C during the day. But also shopping fans will be sattisfied in on of the large malls. A third point is the nature. The mountain Pichincha is a beauty and als other volcanos further away build a breathtaking panorama.