ABOUT ECUADOR

Cuenca de los Andes, the third largest city in Ecuador, is located in the southern part of the country, in a broad Andean valley, surrounded by mountains. Cuenca is just 3 hours from Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, and 35 minutes flight from the political capital, Quito. 

Cuenca has a “perennial spring” climate all year around. Cuenca de los Andes is Ecuador’s  cultural and handicraft capital. A colonial city, it was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site.  With a population exceeding 400,000, Cuenca still retains many features of a small town, particularly its friendly people.  

Like most Andean cities, Cuenca has a colonial layout, full of churches and markets. The city is surrounded by 4 rivers, one of them, the Tomebamba, divides the city into old and new towns. Between them they harbor a diversity of lifestyles. 

The people of Cuenca are called Cuencanos, and they are proud of the culture, traditions and customs that they have maintained.