A large modern city, hovering over the coast of the Pacific coast, which has managed to preserve a small island of colonial architecture in its labyrinths, is ready to compete with the capital of Ecuador with its size and ambitions. According to Wholevehicles, Guayaquil got its name from the neighborhood of the Guayas River. In its full name – Santiago de Guayaquil – the origin of the city, founded by the Spanish conquistador Sebastian de Belalcazar, is felt.
5 things to do in Guayaquil:
- At the end of September, visit the annual banana fair in Machala, the “banana capital of the planet.”
- Drink a glass of rum at the bar in the bow of the legendary Spanish ship “Jesus Maria de la Pura y Limpia Concepción de Nuestra Señora”, built in Guayaquil in 1641-1644. in the old part of the city.
- Find the legalized smuggling market on the embankment – the market “Bay”.
- Take a photo in front of the statue of the Sacred Heart of Christ on Carmen Hill.
- Ride a boat on the artificial lagoon of the Forest Park.
How to get there
The easiest way is to fly from Lima, the capital of Peru, to Quito, and from there make a flight to Guayaquil. Also from Lima to Ecuador can be reached by bus in a day. It happens that cargo ships call at the port of Guayaquil, but this method is not entirely convenient.
Beaches
The main places for sunbathing, swimming and recreation are concentrated to the west of the city. The pearl of the resort treasury of Ecuador is the most luxurious resort of Salinas. Crowded on Los Frailes Beach, also on the Santa Elena Peninsula, where you can stay in one of the beach villages. Tourists often make forays into the Machalilla National Park, which occupies part of the southern coast and Plata Island, where you can not only sunbathe, but also see huge colonies of albatrosses and frigates. Surfers idolize Montañita.
The ruined port of Puerto Lopez is an amazing viewing platform from June to September for whale watching.
Entertainment and attractions of Guayaquil
The heart of the city is the main square Parque Seminario (or Park Bolivar) with the giant St. Peter’s Basilica. The green coastal boulevard Simon-Bolivar is famous for its abundance of shops and restaurants. Often in the photo of the guests of the city there is an impressive statue of two national heroes of the city – José San Martin and Simon Bolivar, which is erected in the center of Plaza Civica with a rotunda.
Walking along the promenade, take a look at the historic district of Las Peñas: the architecture here bears traces of the colonial style, colorful houses huddle on the hillside. Che Guevara once lived here, and the area itself is sometimes called Guayaquil Montmartre – street exhibitions are held here annually at the end of July.
The city has many parks. One of them, Historic,0 is divided into three zones: tropical dry forest, mangroves and floodplain forests. Here you can also see caimans, spider monkeys, parrots, tapirs, ocelots and sea birds.
You can admire the Moorish-style clock tower at the southern end of the Plaza Civica, and nearby is the Mercado Sur glass and steel covered market, in one of the pavilions of which there is an art gallery. Don’t miss the narrow old lane Numa Pompillo of Llon, which immerses visitors in the turbulent depths of the city’s history.
All of Guayaquil is perfectly visible from Santa Ana Hill. This area is created for romantic walks. In the chapel, light streams through colored stained-glass windows, creating the illusion of magical tranquility, and iguanas roam the park.
An interesting excursion to the Central Cemetery, where a huge number of monuments and mausoleums. The central part of this pantheon is antiquity itself, sculptures and statues are made by masters from Italy and France. The seminary park has long been a haven for iguanas and squirrels.
Museums in Guayaquil
Guayaquil is famous for its rich museum heritage: the Museum of Anthropology and Art, the Banco Central Museum with a unique collection of gold items, ritual accessories of ancient civilizations of South America and ceramics of the pre-Columbian era, the Nakhim Issias Museum with a collection of religious art, the Abirto Museum in the building of the San Carlos fortress (1629 G).
In a small museum at the Guayaquil Park, visitors can see people dressed in costumes of yesteryear, who gracefully walk along the alleys to ancient music. Here you can also learn about the traditions and life of the country’s farming in the late 19th – early 20th century.
Weather in Guayaquil
The climate here is tropical, humid and hot, the air temperature fluctuates throughout the year from +19 °C in August to +34 °C in December. The rainiest months are January and February, floods are possible.
