Guayaquil, is the capital of the Guayas province. The city's surroundings have one of the most important tourist potentials in the nation, seen through a wide span of tourist attractions that range from historic or archeological ruins that can be appreciated in museums, to reserves or locations where one can practice fascinating ecotourism. With the modernity of its new constructions, there is a contrasting story and tradition in Guayaquil that can be seen in the Malecon 2000, which is full of day and night life. Visit our sister site Guayaquil Caliente for Guayaquil pictures.

An afternoon walk along the promenade of  the broad and murky Guayas River is enjoyable, even so when you walk along "El Malecon" (Click image on right ) You can walk all the way to the Peñas neighborhood (daytime): The best time to visit Guayaquil is during the city's fiesta (9 October), which combines with Columbus Day (12 October) for several days of festivities. You can escape the city by staying in the nearby resorts of Salinas and Playas, though both are very popular and crowded.

La Rotonda: A splendid monument that reminds the historical meeting between Simón Bolivar, the liberator, and José de San Martín, that determined the formation of the great Colombia (integrated by Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador) and the farewell of San Martín, whom would leave the continent after that.                                                 

Barrio de Las Peñas: It was declared a cultural patrimony of the nation in 1982, for being the most representative urban-architectural complex of the 20th century. It is located in the very same place where the city was founded and characterized by its paved streets and their Spanish style wooden houses. The Santa Ana hill - ideal to obtain a panoramic View - and the Guayas river constitute their natural surroundings. The picturesque colonial district of Las Peñas, with its working docks and bobbing restaurant boats makes a good place to eat seafood, sip a beer and watch the city's river traffic. The chocolate-colored Guayas River teams with fragile rafts paddled by banana peddlers, huge ocean liners, dugout canoes and fishing trawlers. Las Peñas historic streets now house art galleries and artists' studios, the city's oldest church, Santo Domingo.

Church of Santo Domingo: It is the oldest church in the city. Its original construction dates from 1548, but had to be restored 390 years later. There is a water well on its interior, that, according to some faithful people has curative properties.

The Cathedral: Originally it was constructed with wood in 1547, but a fire consumed its structures. In 1948, the present temple of neo-gotic style was elevated. They emphasize its glassworks and the marble altar brought from Cuenca. You can find it in Chile Street.

Parque del Centenario: The biggest in Guayaquil. It occupies an extension of four blocks, where you can observe a number of monuments, being the one of greater importance the one for freedom, it shows the image of the Ecuadorian heroes. On its surroundings, statues of a minor size represent history, justice and the heroism.

Parque Bolivar: It is the botanical garden of the city and it has less than a century of existence. In their green areas and pools, you can find turtles and iguanas, that are used to be in contact with the public.

Municipal Museum: The Jibaros (a tribe of the Amazonia) had the custom to reduce the heads of their enemies, those that after the procedure were left the size of a doll head. Until now, the investigators have not been able to discover the methods and techniques used by the natives. An impressive collection of these " Military trophies " is exhibited in the room located between the Sucre and Pedro Carbo streets.

Other interesting museums are the House of the Ecuadorian Culture (it exhibits Pre-Columbian objects found in the Ecuadorian coast) and the Museum of the Central Bank (an important exhibition of Pre-Hispanic utensils and samples of ceramic and textile).

The Simón Bolivar Pier: A meeting point of interchange, a place stuffed of life that located by the sea and its greatness of incessant waves. Here, sailors relate risky stories, children sell refreshments and trying to think that everything is a game and couples interchange promises of love having the sea as their witness. In front of the pier is the Morisca Tower that was constructed in 1770. Thanks to its height is an ideal place to overview Guayaquil.