Cuenca is surrounded by four rivers and several monasteries. The most famous of these, El Sagrario (the old Cathedral), was built on former Inca foundations. Its construction began in 1557 when modern Cuenca was founded. It is located in the main plaza, Parque Abdón Calderón.

Catedral de la Inmaculada is another impressive structure. The ambiance of colours reflected from the stained glass windows coupled with the beautiful inner décor and gold altar make it a popular tourist attraction. There are other churches in Cuenca that are worth visiting, such as San Francisco, San Blas, Santo Domingo and El Cenáculo.

During Christmas, Cuenca hosts a splendid parade, called ‘Pase del Niño Viajero’. Musicians accompany the procession and every neighbourhood decorates its houses with symbols.

In June, there is the ‘Septenario’, which is the religious week-long festival of Corpus Christi.

The city celebrates 24 July (Simón Bolivar’s birthday) and 25 July (the Foundation of Guayaquil) with a lively car...

Historically, the Galápagos featured in Darwin’s controversial work of 1859, ‘The Origin of Species’. In 1959, to mark the 100th anniversary of the book&...