Cuenca, Ecuador...a beautiful, Highland City

After our long day of driving we finally arrived in Cuenca, a city of approximately a half million residents, located in the sierra of the Andes at 2550 meters above sea level.

Our first impression driving into the city was that it was well cared for with a lot of green spaces. There are four rivers that run through the city and it is surrounded by mountains on all sides.

Wide streets and treed boulevards...

One of the rivers that run through the city with green banks perfect for sitting and enjoying the day.

 Lots of places to stroll...

Great public spaces 

Cuenca's city centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site because of its many historic buildings...

Churches everywhere...

The distinctive blue dome of the Cathedral...

And of course the Main Plaza which is a great place for people watching or just catching a rest...

We also visited the Cultural Museum which had a great display of all the diverse peoples of Ecuador...

 And a great art exhibition...

Don was in desperate need of a new hat so we visited the Panama Hat factory to look for one. Did you know that Panama hats are actually made in Ecuador?

 Each hat is individually made with distinct molds for each style.

Helen is helping Don choose a hat, we all decided the white looked better!


There were lots of beautiful gardens to walk through...

And colourful birds to see...

The city had a very nice vibe and it is not difficult to see why there are thousands of expats living either full or part time here. The weather is also temperate all year long so not too hot and not too cold. We actually met a Canadian woman who lived there 7 months a year and paid 350 dollars a month for a new 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. 

We also checked out the supermarket and could not believe how cheap the produce and meat were. We didn't make it to the market but were told that food was even cheaper there.

We did make it to a restaurant one night which was rated as one of the top ones in Latin America. The food and the cost were both exceptional...

We all agreed the beef in blackberry sauce was the best as can be seen by what is not left on my plate. But not to be outdone by the dessert served on a hand painted plate.

Cuenca seemed to be a mix of a modern and traditional city...

These cherries looked delicious...

What about fresh eggs from the back of a truck?

Can I catch at least one?

Very creative street art everywhere...

Two versions of the backpack...

Sellers on every corner...

This lady was selling in front of the church.

Wonderful archways...

And wide views of Cuenca from the top of the hill, which by the way had many steps to the bottom. When in Ecuador...there is always a hill to climb!