Cuenca, Ecuador: Why Visit + What to Expect

Cuenca was our first overnight stop in Ecuador after spending a month in Peru, and Lori and I could already tell on arrival that Ecuador was going to be a whole new ballgame.

Here’s our first-hand guide for travelers—including our favorite things to see and do, tips from our own experience, and our honest opinion about the place.

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First Impressions of Cuenca, Ecuador

Before crossing the border, it hadn’t registered in our minds how much more developed Ecuador would be over Peru, and making Cuenca our first stop made the gap even clearer.

An American with some Spanish skills and some money could very comfortably make a home in Cuenca, and indeed many do. It’s a clean, well-organized, and cosmopolitan city with most of the amenities of the U.S.

Yet, Cuenca is also rich in distinctive culture, traditions, people, food and music all its own, and doesn’t feel like it’s been tainted by outside influence.

It may not surprise you then that the historic core of the city has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The bus ride up to Cuenca from Machala was one of the more harrowing we’ve encountered owing to some fairly intense construction detours en route (flying is undoubtedly the most comfortable, but least scenic way of arriving here).

Lori and I were pleasantly surprised (and quite relieved) to find a city such as Cuenca waiting for us on the other end of a very long and exhausting travel day.

Featured Things to See & Do

There are so many things to see and do in Cuenca, it was hard for us to decide what we want to focus on for the few days we were here. If we could go back and do it all over again, we’d definitely add more time to our Cuenca itinerary.

Below are the top highlights from our time in Cuenca and what we’d recommend to visitors traveling there today.

UNESCO-Designated Centro Historico

The modern city of Cuenca, Ecuador is one of the most agreeable and comfortable places we’ve visited in South America. In that respect, it seems this city is a great place for an extended stay.

But if you’ve only got a few days like we did, the UNESCO-designated Centro Historico is going to be where you’ll want to spend most of your time. That’s where the vast majority of Cuenca’s historic sights and attractions are located.

It’s a beautiful and well-maintained historic center, offering endless opportunities for wandering aimlessly and taking lots of colorful photos.

Calderón Park

By itself, Parque Calderón is a wonderful place to relax under tall pines, people watch, and observe modern and traditional Cuencan culture playing out in real time.

But Parque Calderón’s central location in the heart of the Centro Historico is undoubtedly its biggest draw.

From here, you’re in easy striking distance of the city’s best churches, markets and museums. Don’t miss Cuenca’s 16th century Old Cathedral, and massive “New” cathedral (see below).

A few blocks farther, Mercado 9 de Octubre, Mercado 10 de Agosto, and Mercado de Artesanias Rotary are the places to find everything from souvenirs to street food and more.

Cuenca New Cathedral

Cuenca is loaded with historic churches and cathedrals, but the Grande Dame of them all is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, or simply, New Cathedral.

And by “new” they mean newer than the Old Cathedral which workers broke ground on in 1567.

This New Cathedral broke ground in 1885 and was completed in 1975.

Above, is the front facade of this massive structure. If it looks a little funny to you, that’s because the cathedral towers never realized their full height.

The builders truncated the towers due to a slight error in calculation by the architect (the foundation had not been built to accommodate the added weight of the towers…oops).

I guess that’s what happens when a building this huge and complex is constructed over nearly a century.

And if the cathedral looks enormous, that’s because it is.

It was originally envisioned to be able to hold the entire city of Cuenca! While never fully realized, it did come close—at one time the building was able to accommodate 9,000 out of Cuenca’s 10,000 inhabitants.

However, with a current population pushing half a million, 9/10ths of the city’s population just isn’t going to fit anymore.

Panama Hats

Believe it or not, Cuenca is also the birthplace of the Panama Hat as we know it today (not Panama), and there’s even a museum devoted to all things Panama Hat—the Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero.

While numerous artisans still carry on the tradition of weaving the Paja Toquilla, fewer than a dozen or so weavers capable of making the finest “Montecristi Superfinos” exist today.

Funny thing about them Panama Hats… They’re actually women’s attire in Ecuador, or at least they started out that way. If you see an Ecuadorian sporting a Panama Hat, chances are, they’re a woman.

Rio Tomebamba

Cuenca offers one of the best riverwalks we’ve seen in the region, following the picturesque Rio Tomebamba. There are a number of worthwhile cafes and attractions along the route, making for an easy way to tie in a number of activities all at once.

We recommend starting in Parque Calderón and making your way south towards Parque Madre until you find the path at the bottom of the pedestrian stairs. Turn left and meander until you reach Museo Pumapungo.

Museo Pumapungo

A little farther down the riverwalk is the excellent Museo Pumapungo with its museum, gardens, bird sanctuary and Incan ruins!

If you can swing it early in your stay, it’s a great place to start your explorations of Cuenca because it offers background and context for everything in the region, from history to the natural topagraphy and ecology.

It’s a sprawling complex that can get busy, so we recommend arriving early in the day and devoting a couple of hours to this excellent museum and park.

Mirador de Turi

To cap off another lovely day in Cuenca, we took a cross-town bus up to the Mirador de Turi. From here, you get a commanding view of the Centro Historico and surrounding hills.

We tried to arrive around sunset, but didn’t get much of one on this mostly cloudy evening. Regardless, I still think its the best time to visit for the pastel hues of the sky and warm glow from the city lights.

The public bus system is straightforward and fairly comprehensive and costs significantly less than the a roundtrip from the city center in a taxi. Ask the people at your hotel or guesthouse for the best bus to take to Mirador de Turi from your location.

Our Favorite Places to Eat + Drink

There’s no shortage of top-notch eateries and watering holes in Cuenca. We could have stayed much longer just for the food and drinks options alone.

Here are our recommendations of where to go in 2024:

✪ Upmarket Traditional Cuencan As the name implies, Museo De La Gastronomia Cuencana Restaurante is both a top restaurant in Cuenca as well as a folk museum. Top-rated and highly recommended.

✪ Casual Cafes For breakfast and brunch check out Cafe De Nucallacta for Ecuadorian and international favorites. For healthy North American fare, try Cafe San Sebas.

✪ Beer Gardens & pubs For local draft beers, live music, and a casual vibe, try Chill & Chela Beer Garden. For a taste of Europe and something different, head to Golden Prague Pub.

Cuenca Accommodation

During our first visit to Cuenca, we were on a pretty tight budget (read our experience below). In retrospect, we wish we would have spent a few dollars more to take advantage of some of Cuenca’s wonderful accommodation options.

Everything about our stay in Cuenca was perfect…except the first night’s accommodation.

We had an idea of two centrally-located hostels we wanted to stay in (a block away from each other), but had not yet made reservations. Since we were arriving a bit late in the afternoon, we hurried over to the hostels to have a look.

Hostal El Capitolio was perfect, but the price tag sent us around the block to the next place. Hostal Escalinata wasn’t exactly the Ritz, but it seemed to have everything we needed at half the price of Capitolio.

We love a good deal on lodging, but this time, we really should have stuck with the first place.

It’s not uncommon in Latin American cities to be awakened at midnight by the thump of a raging disco down the street, but I never would have imagined that we’d find ourselves sleeping inside a raging disco.

The night started out just fine. After a fun-filled evening strolling around the neighborhood, we turned in around 11pm. All was quiet and sleep came quickly.

And then, all hell broke loose.

Now, imagine for a moment that, for some strange reason, you’ve set up a bed in the middle of a popular dance club and are sleeping soundly when all of a sudden the DJ powers on the sound system, cranks the volume to “11” and lets loose the Hounds of Hell!

But we’re in a private hostel room, not a club, you say! WRONG.

After our rude and heart-attack-inducing awakening (but after the paralyzing shock subsides enough for me to gather my thoughts) I begin to investigate, and what do I notice? A six inch gap between the top of the wall my head is up against and the ceiling.

Even worse, in addition to the deafening noise, flashing light covering the entire spectrum is spilling through the gap into our room.

I hoist myself up to peer through the gap and couldn’t believe what I was looking at? An entire disco happening literally on the other side of our paper-thin partial wall. And the music continued into the night and didn’t end until sunrise.

Earplugs, useless. Other vacant rooms, nonexistent. Just thumping and flashing and blaring, for hours, and hours.

In hindsight, we should have just gone next door and joined in, but we were just too exhausted for that. So, we soldiered on. But the minute the sun came up we were packed and out of there.

When to Visit Cuenca, Ecuador

Cuenca, Ecuador’s climate is one of the city’s biggest draws, offering spring-like weather year-round. Any time is a good time for visiting, but there are certain times of year that are better suited for certain activities.

✪ June to September (Dry Season) This is the best time for outdoor activities like hiking, visiting the nearby national parks (like Cajas), and catching some of the biggest cultural festivals of the year (like Corpus Christi in June). Expect mostly clear skies and cooler nights.

✪ April to May (Shoulder Season) This is a good option for visiting if you want to catch Cuenca in full bloom with fewer tourists, but don’t mind a bit of rain.

✪ Holiday Season (December) See Cuenca lit up in all its festive glory for the Christmas holiday season, including the colorful Pase del Niño Viajero parade. But be warned—there will be rain (at some point in your stay).

Final Thoughts

To us, Cuenca, Ecuador feels a world apart from anywhere else we’ve visited in Ecuador and neighboring Peru. It’s modern and cosmopolitan, yet friendly, relaxed, and compact at the same time.

Cuenca also offers a wide variety of things to do and places to visit, all within a short walk, bus ride, or taxi ride from the city center. From sprawling green spaces to panaramic vistas and stunning churches, Cuenca is a feast for the senses.

Who might want to skip Cuenca?

With that said, there are some who may want to skip Cuenca altogether. If you’re keen on spending a lot of time in the western lowlands and easter selva, Cuenca might not be the best fit for your itinerary (other than passing through).

Also, if you’re short on time and want to experience the most unique and memorable aspects of Ecuador, we recommend prioritizing stays in Baños de Agua Santa, Quito, and the Quilotoa region.

South America Travel Inspiration

• Baños & Ruta de las Cascadas: A Traveler’s Guide
• The Peruvian Amazon: Iquitos, Mazán, and Indiana
• Taquile Island (Isla Taquile) on Peruvian Lake Titicaca
• Amantaní Island (Peru): Our Homestay Experience
• Uros Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca in Peru
• Cuzco, Peru: Exploring the Capital of the Inca Empire