Guápulo is one of Quito's most characterful neighbourhoods — a hillside village that tumbles down the steep eastern slope of the Andean valley, separated from the modern city above by the escarpment and connected to it by the Avenida de los Conquistadores. Its narrow cobbled streets, colonial church, artists' studios, and bohemian bars give it a distinct personality quite different from either the Historic Centre or La Mariscal.
The neighbourhood is centred on the 17th-century Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guápulo, a pilgrimage church with an ornate interior and a commanding position on the hillside. Around it, a community of artists, writers, and long-term expats has given Guápulo a café and bar scene that is small but genuine. The walk down from the Hotel Quito on the ridge above — steep stone steps through the trees — is one of the best urban walks in Quito. The walk back up is harder; taxis are available.