Quito: the city of the eternal spring
Because Quito – the capital of Ecuador – is located so close to the equator, there is a perfect climate of around 20°C all year round, and it feels like it is always spring. The city of Quito, located at an altitude of 2,850 meters is surrounded Andean snowcapped mountains, by the volcano Pichincha and, on the other side, by beautiful beaches.
Quito, “the crown of the Andes”, is owner of a rich colonial heritage. The cathedral on the Plaza Grande with its snow white color catches your eye directly. Quito has the best preserved city center of South America, and you will find numerous religious abbeys, manor houses and monuments in the city. The abbeys often contain big sparkling golden altars. Quito can thank its nickname to all of these preserved historical places and buildings.
The neighborhood “La Mariscal” is the area where it is all about bars, restaurants and clubs. It is a truly entertaining area and there is a great vibe among the trendy locals and global backpackers. Quito is home for many street vendors who are selling their fresh products everywhere and creative street musicians and artists. There is always something going on. However, there is a big gap between the rich and the poor. There are more than 1.9 million inhabitants (but this amount is growing by the minute) living together in this metropolis, of which people have to deal with a shortage of even the most basic needs.
If you are interested in exploring this thriving and colorful city and you would like to make yourself useful by working as a volunteer in Quito, “Volunteer Work Latin America” – a brand from Dos Manos Travel – , can offer you several volunteer projects to choose from. You can work at a primary school or day care center of your choice. You will stay in our residence, where you will live together with other international Spanish language students and volunteers. From here you can discover the city Quito, but of course also do tours in Ecuador to the other regions. For example, discover the impressive volcano world of the Sierra, the amazing animal kingdom on the Galapagos Islands or the tropical jungles in the east.
If you would like to read more about doing volunteer work in Ecuador, or if you have any questions or you want to get to know more about the many volunteer projects we can offer you in Quito just let us know.
Interesting blog about Quito!