Top Four Parks in Quito, Ecuador
La Carolina, El Ejido, La Alameda, Metropolitano among City's Best
Parks are a popular destination on weekends for athletes, families, and young couples. From hiking to buying local works of art to pony rides – there is always something to do in Quito’s parks.
Parque de la Carolina
In the spirit of New York’s Central Park, La Carolina is in the heart of modern Quito, and boasts plenty of recreational areas, including soccer fields, tennis courts, jogging tracks and walking paths, as well as a manmade lagoon where families can rent paddleboats and canoes. Pony rides are offered for the little ones on weekends. The park also houses Quito’s Jardín Botánico– a beautiful botanical garden displaying the native flora of the area. One of the capital city's most important parks, it is here that hundreds of thousands of Ecuadorians congregated for a mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. The historic moment is commemorated by a large monument in the shape of the cross, called La Cruz del Papa.
El Ejido
One of the most traditional parks in the city, El Ejido is located on Av. Patria just west of Casa de la Cultura. On weekends, it is a great place to browse the work of local artists, who display and sell their goods on the park’s sidewalks. Street entertainers, such as comedians and traveling theater groups, often perform in this park, attracting large crowds of young and old alike. Watch a competitive, high-stake game of ecuavolei (a national sport similar to volleyball but played with a soccer ball) while enjoying a plate of papas con cuero (potatoes with pork skin), or fritada (fried pork). Or simply take a stroll through one of the many paths.
La Alameda
La Alameda is a small, narrow park perched just outside of historic old town. At the entrance is a large monument of Liberation leader Simon Bolivar. Other busts of some of Ecuador’s most famous politicians and leaders also decorate the park. This park is revered locally for being the site of South America’s oldest observatory – the Observatorio Astronómico – built during the years of 1864-1887.
Parque Metropolitano
Located in north Quito to the east of Av. Eloy Alfaro is Parque Metropolitano, one of the largest parks in the city. This park is a favorite getaway for cross-country cycling, biking, and trekking. The highest point in the park is at an altitude of 2988 m above sea level, so precautions should be taken when doing sports here. With lots of wooded areas and walking paths, one could easily forget that there is a city of almost 1.5 million just minutes away.
