Pichincha district, Ecuador

Places to visit near Quito

Quito is a city in Pichincha district, Ecuador, home to about 1,399,814 people. Within 50 km by road there are 227 places to visit — 57 hill stations & viewpoints, 57 forts & heritage, 41 museums and 28 waterfalls. The must-see places are Panecillo (1 km), La Virgen de El Panecillo (1 km) and Capilla del Robo (2 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Quito on the map

Quito at a glance

Location
Pichincha district, Ecuador
Population
about 1,399,814
Coordinates
0.2298° S, 78.5250° W
Places within 50 km
227 (52 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for museums

Top places to visit near Quito

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Quito: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Quito

Things to see near Quito, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Quito

66 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Quito. The closest is Panecillo (1 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Forts & heritage near Quito

60 forts & heritage within 100 km of Quito. The closest is La Virgen de El Panecillo (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Museums near Quito

41 museums within 100 km of Quito. The closest is City Museum (2 km). Best time: year-round.

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Waterfalls near Quito

29 waterfalls within 100 km of Quito. The closest is Cascada Chaupiurco (3 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

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Churches near Quito

15 churches within 100 km of Quito. The closest is Capilla del Robo (2 km). Best time: year-round.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Quito

12 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Quito. The closest is Laguna Verdecocha (23 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Ecuador →

A one-day trip from Quito

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 7 km on the road.

  1. Start in Quito
  2. 1 km Panecillo · viewpoint, Pichincha
  3. 1 km La Virgen de El Panecillo · heritage site, Pichincha
  4. 1 km City Museum · museum, Pichincha
  5. 1 km Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum · museum, Pichincha
  6. 1 km Capilla del Robo · church, Pichincha
  7. 2 km Back to Quito

Plan a longer trip from Quito — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Quito

No traveller has reported from around Quito yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Quito

    All places near Quito by distance

    Within 15 km of Quito

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Quito by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints5766Panecillo (1 km)
    Forts & heritage5760La Virgen de El Panecillo (1 km)
    Museums4141City Museum (2 km)
    Waterfalls2829Cascada Chaupiurco (3 km)
    Churches1515Capilla del Robo (2 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs712Laguna Verdecocha (23 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens79Malla El Jardín (8 km)
    Parks77Plaza de la Independencia (2 km)
    Other attractions44Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal (6 km)
    Caves22Cueva del Oso (10 km)
    Mosques & dargahs11Mezquita Khaled Ibn Al Waleed (8 km)
    Beaches & coast11Playa del Río Saloya (49 km)

    Quito: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Quito?

    Panecillo (viewpoint, about 1 km), La Virgen de El Panecillo (heritage site, about 1 km), Capilla del Robo (church, about 2 km), City Museum (museum, about 2 km), Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum (museum, about 2 km), La Gangotena (heritage site, about 2 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Quito?

    227 places on Spotwander: 57 hill stations & viewpoints, 57 forts & heritage, 41 museums, 28 waterfalls, 15 churches.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Quito?

    Panecillo, about 1 km by road; Cantera Virgen de la Merded (3 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Quito?

    La Virgen de El Panecillo, about 1 km by road; Batalla de Pichincha (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest museum to Quito?

    City Museum, about 2 km by road; Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum (2 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Quito?

    Start in Quito, visit Panecillo, then La Virgen de El Panecillo, then City Museum, then Casa del Alabado Pre-Columbian Art Museum, then Capilla del Robo, and drive back — about 7 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Quito?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for museums.

    Towns near Quito

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Quito’s location and population from GeoNames. Data sources & credits.