Main Attractions

(*)Walk to the Southeast end of the historical district to check out the Puente roto, or broken bridge, which used to span the picturesque Tomebamba River.


(*)Take a tour of a ?Panama Hat? factory. Cuenca is world-famous for producing these misnamed hats, which are woven mostly by hand from straw in an art that is fast disappearing.


(*)Hit Plaza Civica, a busy market in the center of town where you can buy clothes, pottery, and handcrafts unique to Cuenca.


(*)Visit El Cajas National Park, not far from town and known for its more than 275 lakes and waterfalls, with plenty of hiking trails, camp grounds, and streams for trout fishing.


(*)Check out the Central Bank Museum, featuring large displays of religious art along with Incan and Canari archaeological relics.

When to go

Cuenca?s climate is mild year-round, with warm days and cool nights. The rainy season is January through May, though even then days can be quite sunny with most of the rainfall occurring in the nighttime.

How to get there

(bus) The cheap option to Cuenca is to travel by bus, and most backpackers and budget travelers choose this option. Several bus companies make multiple trips daily to and from main cities such as Quito (10 hours) and Guayaquil (4 hours), and transport from nearby cities and towns is also available. Buses are certainly convenient, though comfort varies. For those who wish to save time but not money, flights are available several times daily from Quito and Guayaquil on TAME, AeroGal, and Icaro airlines.

Visa information

Travelers from the US, Canada, most European countries, and Israel do not require a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. A 90 day tourist visa will be stamped in your passport at the airport.

Tipping

A common tip at restaurants is 10%. Taxi drivers should not be tipped, and rates should always be negotiated beforehand when traveling by taxi after 7 at night or any time there is no meter running.