Looking for places worth visiting in Cuenca Ecuador?

Cuenca Ecuador is a fantastic pedestrian city to explore on foot and home to beautiful churches and other sights such as museums. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the must see museums in Cuenca Ecuador:

Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes

If you’re interested in the pre-Columbian history of Ecuador, the Indigenous Cultures Museum (Indigenous Cultures Museum) is one of the best museums you can visit in Cuenca to enrich your understanding on the indigenous cultures that inhabited this region.

Things to do in Cuenca Ecuador

The museum houses thousands of artifacts on display going back as far as 10,000 years. The museum charges an admission fee of around $3 and it is located at 5-24 Calle Larga right next door to the Hostal Turista del Mundo.

Museo Remigio Crespo Toral

Museo Remigio Crespo Toral is another fantastic place where you can see more interesting artifacts on display.

Things You Must do in South America

The artifacts on display are mostly pre-Columbian which include lovely ceramic pieces and gold items, though there is a beautiful 19th-20th century coin collection, artworks and historic documents such as Cuenca’s declaration of Independence.

Museo Remigio Crespo Toral is located just up the road from Museo de las Culturas Aborigenes (right opposite Plazoleta de la Merced).

Museo de Arte Moderno

The Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum) is one of the top museums in Ecuador and a must see for art buffs. This museum boasts various exhibition halls showcasing Andean art and master pieces by Ecuadorian artists such as Oswaldo Guayasamín and Enrique Tabara. The museum also features sculptures, photographs, paintings and etchings by Goya.

Best Tourist Destinations in Latin America

The Museo de Arte Moderno is located right opposite Plaza de San Sebastian (San Sebastian Square) near the “Tres de Noviembre” bus station.


Padedes Roldan Hat Museum

Padedes Roldan Hat is another of the top museums in Cuenca Ecuador located along Calle (street) Larga that you can’t miss passing by. This museum/shop is a great place to see and learn about the famous “Panama Hats” (locally known as Toquilla Hats).

Things people do in Ecuador while on vacation

The owners allow visitors to tour their workshop for free to observe how these beautiful hats are made into their distinctive shape.


Ruinas de Pumapungo

Ruinas de Pumapungo (Pumapungo Ruins) are part of the Museo del Banco Central complex and they’re a UNESCO Historic Site. The Pumapungo Inca ruins are easily one of the most beautiful places in Cuenca and the stunning grounds surrounding it are home to hundreds of beautiful plants and wildlife.

As you walk this gorgeous site you’ll get to see underground tunnels, irrigation canals, cobblestone roads, dwellings, and even a ritual bath used by the Incas to purify their bodies. There is also an archeological museum within the site displaying many of the artifacts excavated at the ruins.

Artes Populares de America (CIDAP)

The Artes Populares de America (Popular Arts of Latin America) is another of the sights in Cuenca Ecuador that you have to add to your itinerary.

The center is free admission and it’s located opposite the Museum de las Culturas Aborigenes. It houses an amazing collection of colorful handmade textiles some which are still made using the Ikat technique. Ikat is an ancient weaving technique which is still used in Ecuador and in many parts of Indonesia. The center also showcases many other decorative arts such as ceramics and paintings that are up for sale.


See. Beaches to go to in Ecuador 
Popular Tourist Destinations in Brazil
Best Colonial Towns in Latin America
Belize Top Tourist Sites
South America top sights
Interesting places to visit in Puerto Rico
Top places to visit in Belize
Places to visit in Guadalajara Mexico
Places to visit in Puerto Vallarta
Places to visit in Yucatan Mexico
Places to visit in Quintana Roo
Interesting places to visit in Ecuador
Interesting places to visit in Paraguay

Places to Visit in Chile

Wondering what there is to see in Chile?

If you’re wondering how Chile compares to other vacation destinations in South America such as Argentina and Brazil, you’ll be glad to know that there are lots of attractions to see and visit in Chile that you’ll be spoiled for choice!

Some of our favorite attractions in Chile that you must visit are as follows:

Easter Island Moai Headstones

The stone heads in Easter Island are without a doubt, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chile. In fact, the majority of people that travel to Chile on vacation come to see these enigmatic Moai headstone statues.

Most of these headstones are located on the Rapa Nui National Park which also includes the Rano Raraku crater where the largest of the Moai headstones is located (over 70ft in height and over 200 tons in weight).

San Pedro de Atacama

The town of San Pedro de Atacama is a popular base for trekking and climbing tours in Chile as the area is surrounded by volcanoes such as the Licancabur Volcano, and fantastic landscape such as the Atacama Desert where you’ll find the elusive Llamas.

South America top sights

Besides climbing and trekking tours, San Pedro de Atacama is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chile because of the Tulor and El Tatio attractions.


El Tatio boasts lots of geysers which you can see bubbling away, while the Tulor is an archeological site where you can see a village remains, and visit the famous Archeological Museum of Gustavo Le Paige where you can see an interesting collection of artifacts belonging to the Atacameno people.

Vina del Mar

The city of Viña del Mar boasts four of the most popular tourist attractions in Chile which are Renaca Beach, Fonck Museum, Casino Vina del Mar, and the International Song Festival. the latter one is no doubt, the biggest event in Chile and one of the top music events in South America as it draws hundreds of famous artists from every corner of the world.

Out of all four, the Fonck Museum can easily be the highlight of your trip to Vina del Mar, especially if you can’t make the trip to Easter Inland, as the museum boasts the only Moai headstone in mainland Chile, as well as many objects of the native cultures from Chile such as Rapanui, Atacameños, Diaguitas and Mapuches.

In addition to this, the Fonck museum boasts of a wide collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian jars. In the area of natural sciences there is a complete sample of arthropods and animals of different zones of the country. You'll find the Fonck museum in Viña del mar at 4 norte #786 corner 1 oriente. It's open: Mon 10:00-14:00 and 15:00-18:00; Tues-Sat 10:00-18:00; Sunday and holidays 10:00-14:00

Isla (island) Mocha

Isla Mocha is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts in Chile looking to enjoy long treks and walks along the beach, or ecotourism.

You’ll be able to do everything from fishing and whale watching tours to excursions into the the island's nature reserve as well as wreck diving excursions to explore pirate shipwrecks.

Best Tourist Destinations in Latin America

If you're wondering hoe to get here, you can get to Mocha Island either by boat from the town of Tirua, or with a tour company in Concepcion who organizes trips to Mocha Island by plane.

Stone Eagle

Stone Eagle lookout point is located in Nahuelbuta National Park and it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chile as this viewpoint offers memorable views of the ocean and the Andes Mountains.

Things You Must do in South America

If you’re wondering how to get to Nahuelbuta National Park, the park is located around 2 hours’ drive from the city of Los Angeles and it’s easily accessible by car.

Pichilemu Surf Competitions

Pichilemu Surf Competitions are some of the popular tourist attractions in Chile, especially if you're a surfing enthusiast looking to see some of the best surfers in the world.

Nicest Beach Spots in Chile  

Surfing competitions are held in early November in Punta de Lobos Beach (around 3 miles from Pichilemu), which is actually one of the best surfing spots in Chile for extreme surfing.

Punta de Lobos is also not far from the beach resort of Pichilemu, and it’s definitely worth passing by since you'll be able to check out black-sand beaches, the old railway station and the museum of Nino Rural which boasts cool pre-Columbian artifacts.

See. Must do things in Peru
Things tourists do on vacation in Uruguay
7 Things to Expect on a Trip to the Amazon Rainforest 
Things Tourists do in Bolivia for fun
Top 5 Tourist Attractions in Argentina
Best Colonial Towns in Latin America
Beaches in Argentina near Buenos Aires
Popular Tourist Destinations in Brazil
Off The Beaten Path Destinations