Ecuadorian culture is rich and diverse. This small country is not characterized by single traditions or cultural habits but rather by a range of cultures peacefully coexisting. Up until today, culture plays an important role in the everyday life of Ecuadorians. Read about Ecuador’s many traditions and cultural diversity and get inspired .
The Inca Culture Amélie As soon as you spend even five minutes searching about South America, you will immediately come across the word “Inca” several times, often without any further explanation. So you naturally ask yourself: “Inca, what is that?”. Most people probably know that they are an indigenous, pre-Columbian nation. But do you know […]
La Fanesca – The tradition of Holy Week in Ecuador SOLEQMASTER Fanesca is a traditional dish characteristic of Holy Week in Ecuador. This tradition originated because of the Catholic Fasting period, in which the consumption of meat was forbidden. Thus, the consumption of cereals and fish became popular at that time. In Ecuadorian gastronomy it […]
A stroll through the museums in downtown Quito Maria Come with me to A STROLL THROUGH THE MUSEUMS IN DOWNTOWN QUITO. There is a lot to see and experience in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. In various blog articles we have already presented some sights, especially in the old town. But Quito has not only many […]
Guided city tour Quito: Ruta Romance y Libertadores EMILIA Last week we had the opportunity to take part in a guided tour through the old town of Quito, Ecuador’s capital. The theme of the route is “Romance and Liberators” and takes its guests to the city’s historic churches and squares. Everything revolves around the love […]
Museum tip Quito: Guayasamin residence and the Capilla del Hombre Maria S. Visiting the Guayasamin museum If you have a few hours in Quito, you should visit the Guayasamin Museum. The museum is located in the Bellavista district directly at the foot of the Parque Metropolitano. The location itself is impressive, because from here you […]
QUITO FOUNDATION CELEBRATIONS – FIESTAS DE QUITO 2018 MARIA Although I have lived in Ecuador for three years I never made it to the Fiestas de Quito, the celebrations of the foundation of the city. So this year I was really looking forward to it and was curious how it would be like. We already […]
ECUADOR FOR VEGETARIANS – TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS MARIA Ecuador for Vegetarians – Tips and recommendiations When you are a vegetarian and traveling through Ecuador your first impression might be that you will starve. There is meat everywhere. But don’t worry, when you get to know the Ecuadorean cuisine better, you will notice that there is […]
ECUADORIAN FOOD – FLAVOURS YOU CAN ONLY FIND IN ECUADOR DAYANA Ecuador is a compendium of landscapes, climates, species of flora and fauna and of the most exquisite flavours. What’s better after a stressful day than to end it with a typical drink, accompanied by a dessert? We invite you to try Ecuadorian food! Canelazo […]
FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF THE INCAS IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES DAYANA Last weekend the SOLEQ.Travel team went on an excursion to the Ecuadorian province Cañar to check out the Inca Trail. Come with us and FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF THE INCAS IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES. Preparation Before our hiking trip there were a couple of things […]
FIESTA DE LA LUZ – QUITO’S OLD TOWN SHOWS ITS MOST COLORFUL SIDE DAYANA Last week starting on August 9th to August 13th Quito lightened up for the second edition of the Fiesta De La Luz (festival of light). Of course the SOLEQ.Travel team didn’t want to miss the opportunity to attend this amazing event. […]
Ecuadorian Coffee History – 4th largest amount of coffee in the world DAYANA If you’ve visited Ecuador, you might have been served the type of instant coffee that is popular among Ecuadorians; Nescafe. I’ve been a proud drinker of good coffees since I was sixteen, so I almost spit out the first coffee I bought […]
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: ALL YOU NEED IS ECUADOR! DAYANA Christmas and Hanukkah are around the corner, and you’ve probably been too busy traveling to think about what presents to get your like-minded traveling family and friends. Or maybe you just miss Ecuador so much that you want a perfectly curated list to send to your […]
CHICHA: ECUADOR’S ANCIENT BEER DAYANA Chicha is a drink native to Latin America that first appeared during the aboriginal/pre-Colombian period, around 5000 BCE. It is essentially a corn-based beer, although corn can be substituted for quinoa depending on the region in Ecuador. The Incas discovered that saliva could be used to trigger the fermentation process […]
TRADITIONAL ECUADORIAN DRINKS AND DESSERTS DAYANA Ecuador is becoming a popular foodie destination because of its delicious cuisine, but sometimes less attention paid to its traditional drinks. Energy-packed days of adventure will make you want to sit back, relax, and taste some of the traditional Ecuadorian drinks and desserts, which are just as varied and […]
THE FIRST CALL FOR INDEPENDENCE ASTRID On August 10, 1809 Quito was the place of the first revolt against Spain in Latin America. A group of criollos (people of Spanish descent but born in the South American colonies) declared their independence from the Spanish. They formed an independent government junta and signed a document which […]
ECUADORIAN DANCES – have a passion for dancing! DAYANA Ever since I was little, I have always loved to dance. When I was a teenager I danced especially Standard, Hip Hop and Jazz. When I finally knew that I will go to Ecuador, I was willing to learn the Ecuadorian dances and traditional music. The […]
TRÁNSITO AMAGUAÑA – A FIGHTER FOR INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ASTRID Tránsito Amaguaña – a fighter for indigenos rights, was one of Ecuador’s most important indigenous leaders, who is until today remembered and honored. She was born on September 10, 1909 close to Cayambe. Her parents lived and worked on a hacienda. They worked for the owners […]
ANDEAN MUSIC – have a passion for music DAYANA Music is the art of mixing sounds, and expressing feelings and emotions. It is proven that people have created music from the beginning of time. The history of music begins with the Egyptian Culture. They used instruments that were very difficult to use and to build, […]
THE GOLD HILL OF ZARUMA SOLEQMASTER Pre-colonial times Let’s dive into the history of THE GOLD HILL OF ZARUMA together. The beginning of the exploitation of gold in the province of El Oro goes back to pre-colonial times. In Zaruma, located in the province’s highlands in Ecuador’s coastal region, the discovery of gold veins brought […]
LA FANESCA – A TRADITIONAL ECUADORIAN DISH DAYANA The traditional dish “Fanesca” is usually prepared to be eaten and enjoyed during Lent. The most typical day to eat this dish on is Good Friday. The origin There are many different narrations about the origin of this dish. One of these narrations says that in the […]
FRUITS OF ECUADOR – come to the local market DAYANA When I first arrived to Ecuador, one of the first things I did was head to the supermarket to buy all the fruits of Ecuador I had never seen before. I should have gone to the local market where the fruit is much better (and […]
JEWISH EXILE IN ECUADOR ASTRID The well-known destinations for German Jewish refugees during the Holocaust were the United States, England, Switzerland, or other neighboring countries that seemed safe before the war began. However, it was actually difficult to get a visa for the US, and with the beginning of the war it became even harder […]
highly rated SPORTS IN ECUADOR DAYANA ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HIGHLY RATED SPORTS IN ECUADOR Concerning Sports in Ecuador, there is a lot to say about. Haske tells us about his experiences in Quito.“Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved watching and participating in sports. Several times per week […]
HOLIDAYS: CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S IN QUITO DAYANA Christmas in Quito After a hopefully successful year for all of you, it is time to find a relaxing end of 2015. Here in Quito we have our own traditions concerning holidays. The “Quiteños” – citizens of Quito – already at the beginning of December take time […]
The Cacao Boom in Ecuador ASTRID Cacao had been known and used by the indigenous cultures of South and Central America for centuries. In 1502, Columbus saw his first cacao beans. Thinking they were almonds he was not really interested in them. It took almost 50 more years, before the first cacao beans reached Europe and […]
FESTIVITIES OF QUITO DAYANA The festivities of San Francisco de Quito … are celebrated to remember the foundation of the city. It was on December 6 in the year 1534 that Quito was founded by Sebastian de Benalcazar, in the same place where it is today. In August of the same year, a city was […]
THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN ECUADOR – TRADITIONS DAYANA For the Ecuadorians, each year November 2 is the day to commemorate in different ways the Day of the Dead. The “Día de los Muertos” which was celebrated in Ecuador last week is an old tradition since pre-Inca times. In pre-Inca times In pre-Inca times […]
THE KICHWA LANGUAGE official language in many Latin American countries ASTRID Today, as many people celebrate the “Indigenous Peoples Day” we want to give you an insight a language spoken in the Amazon of Ecuador: The language of the Kichwa. The indigenous people of this culture, who originally are from the highlands, have lived for […]
AFRO-ECUADORIAN HISTORY ASTRID Today we want to share information with you about Afro-Ecuadorian history. Especially the Northern Ecuadorian Coast is home for many Ecuadorians of African ancestry. Their history is quite fascinating and their cultural roots can be found until today in their traditions and customs. Many of today’s Afro-Ecuadorian population are still descendants of […]
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY ASTRID Today (September, 29th) is International Coffee Day! Did you know that coffee is an Arabic word? It’s “qahwa” and means “stimulating drink.” It was discovered in the 9th century in Ethiopia in the region of Kaffa and arrived to Arabia because of the slave trade in the 16th century. The process […]
Floreana, a Book Review ASTRID If you hear “Galapagos”, you will probably think about giant tortoises and iguanas, and Darwin and his theory of evolution. But there’s another side to the Galapagos Islands that is less known yet absolutely fascinating: the history of the islands’ first settlers. Especially the history of the first inhabitants on […]