What to See and Do in Cuenca, Ecuador, Cuenca, Ecuador

We were first attracted to Cuenca because of its UNESCO World Heritage designation and its reputation for being one of the most livable cities in Latin America.

Active, safe, affordable, with mild weather and local culture, we fell in love with this small city pretty much immediately. Extremely pleased with our choice to make Cuenca our home base for six weeks in 2016, we returned for two months in 2021.

After lots of research, speaking with native Cuencans as well as resident expats, we put together a list of what to see and do in Cuenca. This post includes:

– A self-guided walking route that covers most of the top attractions (with interactive map accessible by e-mail)

The centro historico is Cuenca’s main draw. Most of the following attractions in our list are found in this zone.

This main square is considered the heart of Cuenca’s historical town center. Named after one of Ecuador’s youngest heroes in their battle for independence, it includes a memorial, gardens, gazebo, and plenty of park benches to sit and people watch. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).