Quito's old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978, in the very first group of sites ever listed. It is the largest and best-preserved colonial centre in Latin America, and the Metro leaves you a few minutes' walk from its main square.
Take Line 1 to San Francisco, stop 7 of 15 and roughly the midpoint of the line. It is the only station inside the old town.
From the northern terminal at El Labrador the journey takes about 19 minutes; from Quitumbe in the south, about 15 minutes. Trains run every 5 to 10 minutes depending on demand, and the fare is flat at $0.45 whichever station you board at.
The station exit opens onto Plaza de San Francisco. From there the rest of the old town is walkable: Plaza Grande is about eight minutes on foot, La Ronda a similar distance downhill.
The neo-Gothic basilica with climbable towers is nearer La Alameda (stop 8), one station north — not San Francisco, as is often assumed.
The hill with the winged Virgin has no station. Take a taxi from San Francisco; walking up is not advised for safety reasons.
The oldest astronomical observatory in South America sits in La Alameda park, also served by La Alameda station.
A workable order if you have three or four hours:
| Stop | What to do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Francisco | Exit the station, take in the plaza and the monastery | 45 min |
| 2. La Compañía | Five minutes' walk; the gilded Baroque interior | 30 min |
| 3. Plaza Grande | The main square and the Cathedral | 45 min |
| 4. Museo de la Ciudad | City history in a former hospital | 60 min |
| 5. La Ronda | Downhill for lunch or an early evening drink | 60 min+ |
Return from San Francisco station, or walk fifteen minutes north to La Alameda if you also want the Basilica towers.