Just half an hour north of Quito, the Mitad del Mundo marks the location of the equator — or rather, where 18th-century French explorers calculated it to be. The actual equator line sits about 240 metres north, at the smaller Intiñan Solar Museum.
The original monument is still worth a visit for its three-story museum covering Ecuador’s indigenous cultures — their dress, food, and customs. The surrounding complex has restaurants and souvenir shops, and it makes for an easy half-day trip from Quito.