{"id":1451,"date":"2015-03-07T18:18:30","date_gmt":"2015-03-07T18:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldoftravelling.com\/blog\/?p=1451"},"modified":"2015-03-07T22:13:01","modified_gmt":"2015-03-07T22:13:01","slug":"cuenca-jewel-of-the-south","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldoftravelling.com\/blog\/?p=1451","title":{"rendered":"Cuenca – jewel of the south."},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cComparing the colonial beauty of Cuenca and Quito is a favorite pastime around here. In grandeur, Quito wins hands down. But Cuenca \u2013 that tidy jewel of the south \u2013 takes the cake when it comes to charm. Its narrow cobblestone streets and whitewashed red-tiled buildings, its handsome plazas and domed churches, and its setting above the grassy banks of the R\u00edo Tomebamba, all create a city that\u2019s supremely impressive. Though firmly anchored in its colonial past, Ecuador\u2019s third-largest city (elevation 2530m) also has a modern edge, with international restaurants, art galleries, cool cafes and welcoming bars tucked into its magnificent architecture.\u201d<\/i> Excerpt From: Lonely Planet – South America.<\/p>\n

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Having travelled through Peru at quite a rapid rate of knots it was time to stop and catch breath – Cuenca proved to be the perfect place. I managed to find an excellent B&B (Cuenca Rooms) owned by an Ecuadorian couple who spoke excellent English. I also met and socialised with a wide range of interesting travellers, and locals, that made my stay in this delightful city such a joy.<\/p>\n

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As well as R&R I also took in an amazing 5-hour hike in Parque Nacional Caja. The scenery was stunning and the weather, which apparently changes rapidly, was fantastic.<\/p>\n

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Next stage: Cuenca to Ba\u00f1os via Riobamba.<\/p>\n

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\u201cComparing the colonial beauty of Cuenca and Quito is a favorite pastime around here. In grandeur, Quito wins hands down. But Cuenca \u2013 that tidy jewel of the south \u2013 takes the cake when it comes to charm. Its narrow … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-1451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ecuador","tag-cuenca"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t