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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- South America
- Ecuador
- Quito
- Plaza San Francisco
Plaza San Francisco
The Plaza San Francisco is a large cobbled square with the
western side completely dominated by the enormous façade of the
Iglesia de San Francisco and its belltower, and the Monastery of
the same name. It is a peaceful place, without the shady benches
full of people and the business of Plaza de la Independencia.
Inside the church are chapels gilded in gold, splendid altars and
many religious paintings and carvings produced by the Quito School.
The Monastery holds some priceless examples of Spanish sculpture
and art. It is the biggest religious compound in South America,
with seven courtyards and buildings stretching behind the church,
which only become evident once the visitor has ventured through the
stone doorway of the main entrance.
Information & Facts
Language
Spanish is the official language, but Quechua is the main
language spoken among the indigenous people.
Money
The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency in Ecuador. In 2000
the sucre was replaced by the dollar as the legal currency, but
despite dollarization, the sucre will likely persist in rural areas
for a while longer. It is recommended that travellers bring both US
dollar notes and travellers cheques as other foreign currencies are
difficult to exchange outside of Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca. Small
denominations in good condition are the easiest to exchange outside
of the main cities. In the main centres most currencies can be
exchanged at banks and exchange houses (
casas de cambio) at variable commission rates. ATMs are
available in the cities, and major credit cards are accepted in
tourist areas and large hotels although a commission of 6-8% is
often charged.