Cuenca
Cuenca is a city filled with flowers, art crafts, textiles, embroidery, pottery, gold, and silver work, besides its rich architecture and archaeological legacy that is in an intermontane basin in the Andes surrounded by four main rivers.
What to do in Cuenca?
Cuenca has so much to offer for those seeking for culture, the Historic Center colonial architecture is very well preserved. Explore and discover its many museums and archaeological sites as Pumapungo, once the religion center of the city in precolonial times. You can find the ritual baths and aqueduct system still working until now, currently used for maintaining the vast gardens of this archaeological complex.
Cuenca has so much to offer for those seeking for culture, the Historic Center colonial architecture is very well preserved. Explore and discover its many museums and archaeological sites as Pumapungo, once the religion center of the city in precolonial times. You can find the ritual baths and aqueduct system still working until now, currently used for maintaining the vast gardens of this archaeological complex.
Let’s not forget about the colorful artisan fairs and the Paja Toquilla hat factories.
Best tours in Cuenca:
- Cajas National Park
- Cuenca City Tour
- Ingapirca archaeological complex
- Vsiting Chordeleg jewelry shops and Gualaceo leather factories
- Loja musical city
- Biking in Cuenca
- Visiting Vilcabamba town
- Visiting Zaruma
- Cajas National Park
- Cuenca City Tour
- Ingapirca archaeological complex
- Vsiting Chordeleg jewelry shops and Gualaceo leather factories
- Loja musical city
- Biking in Cuenca
- Visiting Vilcabamba town
- Visiting Zaruma
Where to stay in Cuenca?
There are plenty of beautiful colonial style hotels that will remind you of old times but with all mod cons. Beautiful verdant views of the city. Take a break and enjoy the clear skies and fresh air of this cute little town.
There are plenty of beautiful colonial style hotels that will remind you of old times but with all mod cons. Beautiful verdant views of the city. Take a break and enjoy the clear skies and fresh air of this cute little town.
Best hotels in Cuenca:
- Mansion Alcazar
- Cruz del Vado Hotel
- Oro Verde Cuenca Hotel
- Carvallo Hotel
- Victoria Hotel
- Santa Lucia Hotel
- Selina Cuenca
- Mansion Alcazar
- Cruz del Vado Hotel
- Oro Verde Cuenca Hotel
- Carvallo Hotel
- Victoria Hotel
- Santa Lucia Hotel
- Selina Cuenca
What to eat in Cuenca?
Cuenca offers a unique experience as its gastronomy is influenced by the geographical characteristics of the surrounding Andes. There are endless flavors for you to discover but their main dish is hominy in all its varieties (pillo, pata and sucio)
Hominy or field corn is a main ingredient in the Andean diet, it used to be cooked in pottery pots over a wood-fire to obtain its tenderness.
Cuenca offers a unique experience as its gastronomy is influenced by the geographical characteristics of the surrounding Andes. There are endless flavors for you to discover but their main dish is hominy in all its varieties (pillo, pata and sucio)
Hominy or field corn is a main ingredient in the Andean diet, it used to be cooked in pottery pots over a wood-fire to obtain its tenderness.
Traditional food in Cuenca:
- Mote Pillo. Hominy mixed with eggs, green onions, lard, salt, and cheese
- Mote Pata. Field corn soup, beef and pork ribs, bacon, smoked sausage, “pepa de zambo” chili, colored lard, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin
- Mote Sucio. Hominy with black lard served with onion and chili
- Rosero. Beverage made with boiled maize, fruit skin, spices and rose petals, with chopped fresh fruit
- Cascaritas. Roasted pork skin
- Morocho corn empanadas. Stuffed with pork, onions, green peas, and boiled egg
- Aguado de gallina. Thick chicken soup with rice
- Mote Pillo. Hominy mixed with eggs, green onions, lard, salt, and cheese
- Mote Pata. Field corn soup, beef and pork ribs, bacon, smoked sausage, “pepa de zambo” chili, colored lard, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin
- Mote Sucio. Hominy with black lard served with onion and chili
- Rosero. Beverage made with boiled maize, fruit skin, spices and rose petals, with chopped fresh fruit
- Cascaritas. Roasted pork skin
- Morocho corn empanadas. Stuffed with pork, onions, green peas, and boiled egg
- Aguado de gallina. Thick chicken soup with rice
Where to eat in Cuenca?
If you want to enjoy the best culinary experience in Ecuador, come to Cuenca, where you will taste its traditional food with wood-fired meat and vegan options, native products, atmosphere as welcoming as its people and landscapes, and with the best views from the city and natural surroundings in the restaurants of this beautiful and unique city.
If you want to enjoy the best culinary experience in Ecuador, come to Cuenca, where you will taste its traditional food with wood-fired meat and vegan options, native products, atmosphere as welcoming as its people and landscapes, and with the best views from the city and natural surroundings in the restaurants of this beautiful and unique city.
Best restaurants in Cuenca:
- Tiesto's Cafe Restaurant (Ecuadorian food with vegan options)
- Salón Tres Estrellas (Ecuadorian and Latin American food)
- Raymipampa Restaurant (Ecuadorian food with vegan options)
- Dos Sucres (Contemporary Ecuadorian and fusion food)
- El Maíz Restaurant (Contemporary, international and fusion Ecuadorian food)
- Tiesto's Cafe Restaurant (Ecuadorian food with vegan options)
- Salón Tres Estrellas (Ecuadorian and Latin American food)
- Raymipampa Restaurant (Ecuadorian food with vegan options)
- Dos Sucres (Contemporary Ecuadorian and fusion food)
- El Maíz Restaurant (Contemporary, international and fusion Ecuadorian food)
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