By air
Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE), ~2 km from the centre
South America · Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador
A graceful colonial city of rivers and blue domes
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to September — the drier months
Don't miss
The New Cathedral
Parque Calderón
The Pumapungo Museum
Cajas National Park
Things to do
Walking the old town
Browsing Panama hat workshops
Hiking in Cajas National Park
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Alex Proimos · CC BY 2.0
What to pack
Warm layers, rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes
A quieter corner
The Turi viewpoint above the city at dusk
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Cuenca?
June to September — the drier months. What to pack: Warm layers, rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes.
How do I get to Cuenca?
Fly into Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE), ~2 km from the centre.
What is there to do in Cuenca?
Walking the old town, browsing Panama hat workshops, hiking in Cajas National Park. A quieter find: The Turi viewpoint above the city at dusk.
What should I eat in Cuenca?
Mote pillo, hornado and the city's market lunches.
About Cuenca
- Mountains
- Riverside
Where it is
Cuenca is a city in the southern Andes of Ecuador, built along the Tomebamba River at about 2,500 metres.
History
The Cañari people lived here before the Inca built the city of Tomebamba on the site. The Spanish founded Cuenca in 1557 on a grid plan, and its well-kept colonial centre was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
People
Cuencanos speak Spanish, and Cañari and other Kichwa-speaking communities from the surrounding valleys come into the city markets to trade.
Known for
- The blue-tiled domes of the New Cathedral
- Toquilla straw Panama hats
- Inca remains at Pumapungo
- Riverside walks along the Tomebamba
Did you know?
The so-called Panama hat is woven in Ecuador, and Cuenca has long been one of the main centres of its trade.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.