"Cuenca: A Choice Destination" a Cuenca Travel Page by richiecdisc

It’s always fun when a country has rival cities. It makes for great debate concerning their relative merits. Such is the case with Cuenca which while somewhat in capital Quito’s shadow manages to have its proponents of being Ecuador’s most beautiful city. Quito may be grander and certainly looms on a larger scale but Cuenca has an artsy charm impossible to miss even on a cursory visit. Though only the country’s third largest city and remote with regard to transit compared to the capital and Guayaquil, it very much has an international flair and a strong Spanish heritage which pervades the easy going bustle that makes it feel somehow more European than either. Perhaps this obvious self confidant air comes from its Incan past when its closer proximity to Cusco and reported spectacular architecture made it the second city of the near mythic empire. Sadly, little remains of this splendid past what was built upon its ruins will disappoint few who love Spanish colonialism. If you like walking down cobblestone streets, admiring quaint balconies and impressive churches, have a penchant for both local and international cuisine or just want to lounge around in a café, Cuenca should not be missed. It has the rare quality of retaining an old world feel while offering all modern conveniences. You choose which is for you but by all means, Cuenca is a choice you’ll want to make.