Surrounded by the impressive snow-capped peaks of the Andes, at nearly 3,000m, who would believe that Quito lies within 25km of the equator. Tropical it's not - but pleasantly spring-like throughout the year it is. More like two cities rolled into one, the cobbled streets of the old town gradually become the wider, tree-lined avenues of the new town, colonial churches swapped for modern hotels and banks, indian dress for pinstripes. But for a capital city there is still a small, intimate feel about the place, just as there is in the country as a whole. The beauty here is that all the history and culture is contained within a small and perfectly accessible area.
