Ecuadors große Städte & Galapagos Legend Kreuzfahrt "Ost"

About the destination: Quito, formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador. Quito is beautifully situated in a valley on the eastern slopes of Pichincha Volcano. Situated at an altitude of 2850 metres above sea level, Quito is the highest capital in the world. Quito’s Centro Histórico is a lovely area with colonial architecture, cobbled plazas, majestic churches and many interesting museums. Centro Histórico is a Unesco World Heritage Site. One of the prettiest spots in the old centre of Quito is the Plaza de la Independencia, beautifully landscaped with flowers and trees. The buildings around the plaza include the pink confection that is the Hotel Plaza Grande, the Catedral Metropolitana de Quito, and the Presidential Palace. In the centre of the plaza there is the memorial to independence. Plaza San Francisco is one of the most beautiful places in Quito. It is a cobbled square with the whitewashed church and monastery of San Francisco standing along its north-western side. The Monastery of San Diego, situated southwest of Centro Histórico, is a lovely monastery from the 17th century, full of outstanding colonial religious art. It is absolutely worth a visit even if it is a little bit further away from the Centro Histórico. North of Centro Histórico we have the colourful Mariscal neighbourhood where there are many hotels, international restaurants, bars and trendy cafés.Quito is a friendly and fun city. With a superb Old Quarter and a dramatic setting, Quito is a place that grows on anyone.

About the destination: San Cristóbal (Chatham) is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, as well as one of the oldest geologically. It is administratively part of San Cristóbal Canton, Ecuador. Its Spanish (and official Ecuadorian) name "San Cristóbal" comes from the patron saint of seafarers, St. Christopher. English speakers increasingly use that name in preference to the traditional English name of Chatham Island, derived from William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. San Cristobal Island is composed of three or four fused volcanoes, all extinct. It is home to the oldest permanent settlement of the islands and is the island where Darwin first went ashore in 1835. A small lake called El Junco is the only source of fresh water in the islands. The availability of fresh water is what led to the early settlement of San Cristobal. A penal colony was built on San Cristóbal Island in 1880 for prisoners from mainland Ecuador. This later turned into a military base for Ecuador and export center for the island's products including sugar, coffee, cassava, cattle, fish and lime.

About the destination: Guayaquil is the largest and most populous city in Ecuador. Guayaquil is located on the west bank of the Guayas River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Guayaquil. The climate is hot and generally humid. Guayaquil is a very modern city and the nation's main port.The oldest part of Guayaquil, Las Peñas, has been restored to an attractive neighbourhood with art galleries, cafés, shops, bars and restaurants. Las Peñas neighbourhood is situated on Cerro Santa Anna. It is a picturesque neighbourhood full of colourful colonial houses. At the tip of the hill there is a light-house, go at the top to get outstanding views over Guayaquil. The Malecon 2000, on the Rio Guayas, is the city’s most famous landmark. Malecon 2000 is a long boardwalk area along the river that is beautiful and full of things to keep you entertained. Located in the middle of the Malecon, we have La Rotonda", an impressive monument that commemorates the famous meeting of Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin to discuss independence. The other places that are worth a visit are Malecon Salado, Parque Historico, Cerro Blanco and the Botanical Gardens. Guayaquil is a vibrant sprawling metropolis known for being the "Pacific Pearl" due to its natural beauty and marvellous surroundings. Don’t let Quito known, but some say that Guayaquil is Ecuador's best destination.