Ecuador Travel

Cuenca city outlook

Cuenca city outlook

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Cuenca's narrow cobblestone alleyways, impressive colonial architecture and compelling sights have made this Ecuadorian city, which is the third largest in the country, a favorite amongst Ecuadorians and foreigners alike. Although it is steeped in history, the city manages to maintain a modern feel with hip cafés, and funky restaurants serving up international fare, and numerous bars that keep the young university population smiling.

This southern city is also the capital of the Azuay province and has a notably more relaxed vibe than the major Ecuadorian cities of Quito and Guayaquil. However, its temperature is not significantly warmer than it is in Quito, as its positioning in the Andes keeps the heat at bay and the weather mild overall. Like Quito and other Andean towns, Cuenca's temperature does not fluctuate much throughout the year; it stays floating around the high 50s or low 60s fahrenheit. Cuenca's two seasons are dictated by the amount of precipitation that falls. Between January and May, Cuenca has the rainy season and between June and December, it has the dry season.

What is now the city of Cuenca was once a Cañari settlement called Guapondeleg, which was founded around 500 B.C. However, the Incas absorbed this territory into their own about 500 years before the arrival of the Spanish and renamed the area Tomebamba. Under the command of Inca leader Tupac Yapanqui, an illustrious city meant to rival the grandeur of the city of Cusco, Peru, was built. This city, called Pumapungo, was supposedly a site of golden temples and other grandiose features, and is considered by some to be the allegorical ¨Lost City of Gold.¨ April 12, 1557 marks the day when Cuenca was founded by Gil Ramírez Dávalos, a Spanish explorer. At the time, though, the city had been abandoned by the Incas and was left in ruins. Shortly after, the site was renamed Cuenca after Cuenca, Spain.

Cuenca is certainly not lacking in cultural and religious sites. Its historical area is especially appealing to tourists, as this is the part of Cuenca that was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. Cuenca has numerous churches, plazas and museums that are worth a look during your stay.

Parque Abdón Calderón is Cuenca's expansive central plaza, which is home to both the Old and New Cathedrals of Cuenca. The plaza is also a nice place to people-watch in between exploring the churches. Here, you can relax on one of the scattered benches and take in the fresh air and surrounding architectural beauty.

The Iglesia del Sagrario, or the Old Cathedral of Cuenca, doubles as the Museum for Religious Art, which contains religious sculptures and paintings. Located in Parque Calderón, this white Baroque-style cathedral contains stones from the ruins of Tomebamba. El Sagrario, whose construction began in 1557, was the main church of worship for the Spaniards during colonial times. In fact, it was only reserved for prayer by Spaniards; indigenous people were not even allowed inside. However, since the construction of the New Cathedral, El Sagrario is not longer used for services.

Across from the Iglesia del Sagrario is the Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción, or the New Cathedral of Cuenca. The Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción was constructed in 1885 as a replacement for the Old Cathedral, which could not support the growing population. This cathedral is more impressive than El Sagrario, as it has three giant blue tiled domes and an interior made of marble. Romanesque architecture dominates, though other styles of architecture can be detected in its design.

The Museo Remigio Crespo Toral is a historical museum focusing on the history and art of Cuenca. Housed in the original home of Remigio Crespo Toral, an infamous Ecuadorian poet, the museums boasts around 8,000 archeological pieces including pre-Hispanic ceramics and gold pieces from indigenous cultures like the Cañar and Chordeleg. Colonial and religious sculptures and paintings by artists like Velez, Sangurima and Alvarado are also on display. You can even view Toral's remarkable personal coin collection here. The museum is divided into four different sections: Archaeology, Cuenca's Independence, Cuenca's Founding and Historical Documents.

For a peek into the indigenous cultures of Ecuador, Cuenca's Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes is a wonderful option. The cultural museum focuses on the eleven major indigenous groups of Ecuador: the Quichaua, Saraguros, Salasacas, Otavalenos, Huaorani, Cofan, Siona, Achuar, Shuar, Zaparo and Secoya. In the museum, you will find a selection of pre-Columbian artifacts, archeological treasures and art displays dating back to as early as 13,000 B.C. There is also a recommended multimedia section.

Formerly an 18th century monastery, the Museo de Las Conceptas has since been transformed into one of Cuenca's most notable art museums. In addition to the large collection of artwork, artifacts and furniture, the museum also has an abundant assortment of colonial and pre-Columbian instruments as well as a religious art area with rare crucifixes made by Gaspar Sangurima. To complement the art, there are some educational displays about the Nuns of the Conception, who used to live in the monastery.

In the last 5 years, Cuenca in Ecuador has become a nice location for retirement. Almost 200 North Americans and European citizens have settled down in Cuenca. They like it for the weather, the quiet way of life, the great architecture and other aspects of Cuenca that make life there easier and enjoyable, at a third of the cost of a similar lifestyle in the USA, Canada or Europe.

Travel & Transport to Cuenca

Getting to Cuenca from most major Ecuadorian cities is easily possible by bus or plane. The main bus station in Cuenca is called Terminal Terrestre and it is about a 20 minute walk or a quick cab ride from the historical center. Cuenca is located about four or five hours by bus from Guayaquil and ten hours by bus from Quito. From Guayaquil, San Luis cooperative buses make regular trips to Cuenca, costing about $5 one way. From Quito, you can take an overnight bus with Panamericana Internacional, which runs regular bus journeys between Quito and Cuenca. The trip should cost around $8.

Cuenca's airport is called Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar and is a short five-minute walk from Terminal Terrestre. The airlines Tame and Aerogal have daily flights between Quito and Cuenca and Guayaquil and Cuenca, which are 30 minutes long and cost about $120 roundtrip. LAN Ecuador only has flights between Guayaquil and Cuenca. American Airlines and Continental Airlines also both have international services to Cuenca.