Cuenca Travelers Recommend

Three days in Cuenca give you time to soak up the culinary and cultural highlights of the UNESCO-listed historic center, and explore El Cajas National Park and beyond. Here’s how to make the most of three days in one of Ecuador’s most laid-back and livable cities.

Day 1: Discover Cuenca’s Colonial Charms

Get your bearings in Cuenca on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, most of which depart from Parque Calderón and allow you to create your own itinerary. Disembark at the Old and New Cathedrals, and the Cuenca museums that most interest you—the Panama Hat Museum is an essential destination for fashion and history buffs while food lovers won’t want to miss the city’s many excellent chocolate shops.

Alternatively, take a more structured tour of Cuenca; shared, private, walking, biking, and colonial-themed options are available. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a show in the historic center—the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra often perform in the Old Cathedral.

Day 2: Take a Cultural Day Trip

On your second day in Cuenca, take a day trip to the surrounding towns and villages. Combine a visit to the Ingapirca archaeological ruins with a thrilling ride on the Devil’s Nose Train, or if you’d prefer to do some souvenir shopping, head to the artisanal towns of Gualaceo, Chordeleg, and San Bartolomé. Some full-day excursions combine stops at these crafty villages with a visit to Ingapirca for a more general interest full-day excursion.  

You can also go souvenir shopping in Cuenca in the company of a guide, ideal for those who find marketplaces overwhelming. Shopping tours tend to explore the Mercado 10 de Agosto while some also include a cooking class. 

Day 3: Get Back to Nature in El Cajas National Park

After two days of strolling and shopping, up the ante on your final day with a full-day trip to El Cajas National Park, which typically include convenient round-trip transportation. Excursions are typically accessible for all ability levels, meaning that your entire party can enjoy the sweeping panoramas, opportunity to see llamas in their natural habitat, and endemic flora of El Cajas National Park.

However, more advanced hikers can opt for specialized tours which incorporate hikes through impressive cloud forests. Similarly, tailored bird spotting excursions will be of special interest to twitchers, who can both benefit from the insight of a local guide as well as look for El Cajas National Park’s many endemic bird species at their own pace. 

Modernity and tradition collide in Cuenca, a laid-back, liveable city and UNESCO World Heritage site. With two days to dedicate to Ecuador’s charming colonial destination, there are plenty of ways you can experience the best of Cuenca and the surrounding area. Here’s how to do it in only 48 hours.

Day 1: Explore the City

Morning: Start your day with Ecuadorian coffee and people-watching in Parque Calderón, the central plaza. Then, get your bearings while also admiring some of Cuenca’s architectural highlights: Hop-on hop-off bus services typically depart from the square to top attractions, such as the Turi Viewpoint and San Sebastián Church.

Afternoon: In the afternoon visit the attractions of most interest to you. History buffs may want to opt for a half-day guided city tour to learn more about the city’s past. Food lovers can choose among market tours and interactive cooking classes. Regardless, take time for brief stops at the Panama Hat Museum or at some of Cuenca’s many chocolate shops to sample cacao products—both essential Ecuadorian experiences.

Evening: A day in Cuenca wouldn’t be complete without a tranquil evening stroll through the historic center. Watch the buildings light up from within, stop to admire street performers, or grab drinks at one of Cuenca’s many bars. And, don’t forget to sample lechón (roast pork), one of Ecuador’s typical dishes.

Day 2: Venture Further Afield

Morning: Wake early on day two for a full- or half-day excursion to the Ingapirca ruins, Devil’s Nose train, or several artisanal market towns, such as Gualaceo and Chordeleg. Meanwhile, active travelers won’t want to miss the opportunity to take a shared or private tour to El Cajas National Park, a top spot for bird-watching.

Afternoon: If you opt to stay in Cuenca’s city center on day two, consider taking a full-day tour of the city’s many colonial highlights to learn from a knowledgeable guide. Alternatively, take your time to explore Cuenca’s markets, including the Mercado 10 de Agosto.

Evening: Relax on your final night in Cuenca. Enjoy a typical Ecuadorian meal at one of the historic center’s restaurants—and take the opportunity to sample roasted guinea pig, a traditional dish of the Andes—before catching a Cuenca Symphony Orchestra performance at the Old Cathedral.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied in Cuenca, which is hailed as one of Latin America’s most livable cities. Even if you only have 24 hours in the UNESCO-listed destination, there’s still time to experience the city’s culture, cuisine, and colonial charm. Here’s how to make the most out of just one day in Cuenca.

Morning: Explore the Historic Downtown

Kickstart your time in Cuenca on a walking tour of the historic downtown area. Tours give you chance to grab a cup of Ecuadorian-bean coffee in Parque Calderón and typically stop by both the New and Old Cathedrals.

Alternatively, explore at your on pace on a hop-on hop-off bus tour or get active during a city biking tour. Both are great ways to see several city highlights in a short space of time and prove ideal for travelers with just 24 hours in Cuenca.

Afternoon: Markets or Museums

Spend your afternoon visiting some of Cuenca’s museums. For culture and fashion fans, a visit to the Panama Hat Museum—which is often covered by city tours—is essential. Alternatively, learn more about the city at the Ethnographic Museum or admire artworks at the Museum of Modern Art.

If museums aren’t your thing, visit one of the city’s many marketplaces and learn to make local delicacies during a cooking class, an excellent option for food lovers that are keen to take home skills as well as souvenirs from Cuenca. Meanwhile, active travelers can take a half-day excursion to the nearby El Cajas National Park.

Night: Dine in Style

Finish your day in Cuenca with dinner at one of the city’s top restaurants, many of which surround the central square. Look out for creamy locro de papas soup, cuy asado (roasted guinea pig), or lechón (roast pork). After dinner, relax and people-watch in the bustling Parque Calderón; sample a typical canelazo (warm, often alcoholic, punch) or craft beer; or catch a Cuenca Symphony Orchestra concert at the Old Cathedral.