Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city; yet it still retains its pleasant provincial air. Its red tiled roofs, cobblestone streets, flowery plazas and museums make it very special. This comprehensive tour includes the Plaza of San Sebastian, a colorful artisans market, where handicrafts are sold. Then, visit the Museum of Modern Art, featuring an excellent collection of contemporary fine art. The original building was the House of Temperance where alcoholics were once shut inside its thick walls in an effort to cure them. A stop is made at Plaza San Francisco, where the exquisitely embroidered skirts of the cholas are for sale. Next is a visit to the flower market at the small plaza in front of the carved stone entrance to the church of El Carmen de la Asunción. From here, a stroll to the main square, surrounded by the imposing blue-domed Cathedral, the Court of Justice, the Municipal Palace, the Governor’s Palace and the Church of El Sagrario. Then, a drive along the Tomebamba river to admire the city’s overhanging houses and the laundry spread out to dry on its river banks and a great view of the city from the Hill of Turi.
Then relax, as the local people do, over a leisurely lunch of typical Cuencan delicacies.