In this guide, you’ll discover the surprising ease of being vegan in Cuenca. We also have tips for what to do in Cuenca and how to get to exciting day destinations such as Cajas National Park and the Ingapirca ruins. Finally, this guide is not short on practical information such as outdoor exercise opportunities, supermarket and recycling how-tos, and fine vegan dining you won’t want to miss.
Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city, but feels a lot more relaxed (and safer) than Guayaquil and Quito. Many retirees and expats have made Cuenca their home, and it’s easy to see why – mild climate, low cost of living, great vegan options, and plenty to do both inside and out. We highly suggest Cuenca for a visit or extended stay. This is also a great place for digital nomads who don’t speak Spanish or want an easy intro to Ecuador.
General Tips for Cuenca
- JEP credit union ATMs have the lowest ATM fees we’ve seen in Ecuador, 50 cents per transaction at the time of writing.
- We recommend getting accommodation within walking distance of a SuperMaxi if you are planning on doing any cooking. Not only is SuperMaxi the most well stocked supermarket in Ecuador, it is also the only place we’ve seen that has good recycling possibilities – there has been a recycling point in the parking lot of every SuperMaxi we’ve visited in Ecuador – so it’ll be much easier to recycle if you can just walk your recycling over to SuperMaxi.
- Cuenca has a network of buses that go throughout the city center and surroundings, though they are not very tourist friendly. We hopped on a bus one day and found that there was no way to pay on board – we could only pay the 25 cent fee if we already had a transport card. Luckily, a kind woman let us use her card in exchange for cash, but if you don’t speak Spanish this might be a stressful hurdle. If you will be in Cuenca for a while and want to get a card, information about purchase and recharging can be found here.
- Unlike in Quito, there is no Uber or Cabify here – you’ll have to hail a taxi and make sure they put on the meter or agree on a price beforehand. If you arrive or leave in the middle of the night you’ll have less choice – two cab drivers refused to take us to our destination because they didn’t know where it was, and the third overcharged us significantly (but what else to do at 4:30 am?). There is a mediocre tech option here – download an app called Azu Taxi – it will not show you the price ahead of time, but you can call a taxi through the app directly to you, so if you don’t feel like chancing it on the street it’s a good option.
- Don’t be discouraged if you get to Cuenca and feel as though you suddenly can’t understand Spanish – Cuencanos have a particular accent which is described as a “singing” accent by many. Very beautiful, but a little harder to understand than the more neutral Ecuadorian Spanish spoken in other regions.
- The biggest airport in Ecuador is in Guayaquil and you might find cheaper flights to there vs Cuenca. The bus from Cuenca to Guayaquil (or vice versa) takes about 4 hours and costs $9.20.
(Outdoor) Exercise in Cuenca
We love a good budget workout and the chance to get outside. The ability to exercise outdoors was one of our favorite things about Cuenca! Our AirBnb was near the Río Yanuncay, one of the rivers flowing through Cuenca that offers gravel or paved paths near the river – it’s really beautiful for a walk or a run. There is also the Parque Lateral along the river, with more green space and some sports fields. From the river, you can also access Parque el Paraíso, which is a beautiful park with football fields, nature walks, and two sets of street exercise equipment (pull up bars, some rings, parallel bars, etc). You can get in a good free workout here.
(P.S., if you stay south of the Old Town near the Río Yanuncay you’ll also likely be close enough to a well stocked Supermaxi at El Vergel mall. We thought this was the ideal location to stay long term in Cuenca vs staying in the historic city center to have access to outdoor spaces and supermarkets for everyday living.
Another place to exercise outside is Parque de la Madre – it’s not as beautiful as the river area, but they do have a circular running path and street exercise equipment as well. The workout equipment is about the same, but the river is definitely a more scenic run – so if you don’t run but want an outdoor strength workout, you might consider staying near Parque de la Madre as it is a little closer to the city center.
Parque El Vergel is small but also has a street workout area.
Finally, there is an abundance of choice when it comes to gyms in Cuenca, which we appreciated on rainy afternoons. The gym we went to was basic and cost about $16.00 for two weeks, $30.00 for a month, or $2.50 for the day (plus a one-time matriculation fee of $5). Other gyms will have similar prices.
What to do in and around Cuenca
Ingapirca ruins
This is definitely a must-do day trip when in Cuenca if you are interested in ancient civilizations. The Ingapirca archeological complex is the biggest and most impressive set of Incan and Cañari ruins in Ecuador. The cheapest way to get there is taking the bus from Cuenca, which will drive you to the ruins, stay long enough for you to take the (required) guided tour, and then take you back to Cuenca. If you want to be able to stay longer in the ruins, you can also hire a private guide from Cuenca – though of course that will be more expensive. We also saw lodging around the site of the ruins, so you could always make this a weekend trip and get another bus back the next day.
If you want to take the bus: Find Cooperativa de Transportes Cañar in the main bus station in Cuenca. They advertise “servicio directo a Ingapirca.” At the time of writing, there is a bus leaving at 9:30 am Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ONLY. The trip costs $4 each way and takes about 2.5 hours. You have about 90 mins there before the bus takes you back. We arrived back at the station around 16:00. It seems like a very full day for only 90 minutes at the ruins; however, the bus ride itself is beautiful and incredibly scenic so we thought the trip was absolutely worth it.
Just be aware – the bus dropped us off right in front of the ruins but we had to find it a little down the road when it was time to go back. We still don’t know if it would’ve driven back to the drop off point if we hadn’t found it first, but we weren’t taking any chances of getting stuck there.
Parque Nacional Cajas
If you like hiking and nature, Cajas National Park is absolutely the best day trip to do from Cuenca. The environment is otherworldly – straddling the Continental Divide, this might be the only place reaching over 14000 feet where snow is extremely rare. You’ll be able to see the páramo landscape (the Ecuadorian “moor”) – not many trees but an abundance of mosses, flowers and grassy plants. Cajas is not completely without trees, however – the Polylepsis forest is full of papery looking trees that are the highest growing trees in the world.
This park is also extremely wet, with lagoons, rivers, waterfalls and puddles everywhere you look – when we hiked there, it was raining on and off and our feet got wet immediately. However, this only added to the mysterious fairy tale-like atmosphere of the place. It was completely unique and stunningly beautiful.
You can visit Cajas by yourself – from the bus station (terminal terrestre) look for Cooperativa de Transportes Alianza – they’re one of the first stalls when you go in and they advertise Cajas on their booth. If you buy your ticket to Cajas, you’ll be able to get maps for the trails at the visitor center they drop you off at. When we were in Cuenca, a landslide had made it so that public buses were not going by Cajas, so we had to book a private tour – this was nice, because the guide knows the path well and can point out interesting things about the flora and the landscape. However, it is a much more expensive option. We had no choice and decided to take the plunge and take a private tour. We took this tour and had a great time with the guide – so if you are thinking you want to go the guided route, we can recommend this company.
Pumapungo Museum and Archeological Park
A free museum that includes several parts – the bank has a currency museum in the basement, the second floor has ethnographical information covering all the regions of Ecuador, and the first floor had some paintings as well a section dedicated to explaining the archeological site you can reach at the back of the museum. Tomebamba was apparently one of the most important cities of the ancient Incan empire. The ruins aren’t as vast as those of Ingapirca, but they are right in the city. Our favorite part was the impressive terraces you could see going up the hill as you wander through the garden.
There isn’t much information in English – the section on the Amazonian Shuar tribe is bilingual, as well as the outside signs. The rest was only in Spanish. Another downside – in the outside area there is a separate organization’s “aviary” which has several captive birds. It is the building you can see when you exit the museum down the hill on the right. It’s a little depressing but easy to avoid.
Still, the museum is free and definitely worth looking at the ruins. There are also some cool murals around the corner from the museum you can check out while you’re in this part of town, on Paseo 3 de Noviembre.
The Flower Market (La Plaza de las Flores)
Did you know that Ecuador is the world’s biggest exporter of roses? If you want to get some straight from the source, check out the flower market. Located right in the city center just a block away from Parque Calderón, this plaza full of colorful flowers is worth checking out even if you aren’t planning on buying any. When you are here, don’t forget to try the Agüita de Pitimás, a traditional drink made by the nuns of the Carmen Monastery. This drink contains a secret blend of several herbs and flowers with medicinal properties that is supposed to be great for your health and relaxing as well. We even heard the rumor that the “relaxing” properties of this blend were due to it being dosed with Valium… after drinking it we can say that this is almost definitely a legend only, though not as “relaxing” as diazepam it is delicious and certainly worth a try. You can buy this water at the far side of the plaza for $0.75 per cup, $1.50 for a half liter and $3 for one liter. You can also bring your own container to save plastic, we saw plenty of people doing this while we were there.
Church hopping
Cuenca is famous for its variety of beautiful churches. We suggest wandering into any of the ones in the center that look open, but definitely don’t miss going up to the roof of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the huge blue-domed church in the center of town. Try to get there on a clear day, you’ll be able to see the whole red roofed city and the mountains on all sides. There’s a little alley near the Cathedral to explore (called “Santa Ana”) and a charming courtyard where you can admire the cathedral roof as you have a snack or drink at one of the restaurants there. Also not to miss: the Old Church of Cuenca right across the park from the Cathedral, now a museum; Santo Domingo Church, beautiful and colorful; San Blas Church – an atypical church compared to others in Cuenca, covered in pink marble and which forms a latin cross.
River Walk
This was mentioned above, but even if you aren’t into running, a walk along one of Cuenca’s rivers is highly recommended. Check out Río Yanuncay’s (south of the historical center) well-maintained path along the river and stop by the Parque Lateral or Paraíso, both along this path,for some beautiful nature right in the city. The Río Tomebamba is the river that passes right by the edge of the historical center and is also a lovely place to walk; make sure you check out the Puente Roto along the way, as well as the attractive buildings overlooking the river.
The Mirador de Turi and Icto Cruz
Make your way up to this lookout point for a fantastic view of Cuenca and the surrounding mountains. There are several ways to get here – taxi, tourist or city bus, or even walking (though be aware the walk goes through some neighborhoods and the way there is uphill with many stairs). This view is beautiful both during the day and at night. We actually reached Turi as part of a hike we followed on AllTrails that also included Icto Cruz – stunning views, but unless you like broken bridges, faint farm paths, suburban dirt road walking, and trails of dubious clarity, we do not recommend the trail we followed. If you’re determined and this sounds like your idea of a fun adventure, send us a message and we’ll help you out with the details.
Museo Remigio Crespo Toral
We actually just wandered into this museum as a way to escape the rain, but ended up really liking it. Located in the former house of Remigo Crespo Toral, an important Ecuadorian writer, you can see an example of what a house in Cuenca might have looked like in the early 1900s. You can also learn a little bit about this poet, his works, and his life. The museum is free and has a lovely cafe with a patio overlooking the Tomebamba river. Be aware that the information in the museum is in Spanish only. Either way, it is located in an attractive area of town, and with free entry it is definitely worth an hour of your time.
Mercado 10 de agosto
The Mercado 10 de agosto is a giant market located in the historical center of Cuenca. Here and the surrounding area is a great place to get cheap, fresh produce, nuts and seeds, spices or souvenirs. We’ve found to have more luck if we ask for “$1 of carrots,” for example, than asking for the quantity by number or weight and paying after. Like any market, there is a ton of meat sold here as well, so if you are sensitive it might be best to avoid it. The food court is on the second level.
If you’re so inclined, you can get a “limpia,” a spiritual cleansing to clear out bad energy (latest info is that this happens on Tuesdays and Fridays). Part of this process includes being rubbed all over with an egg which is later cracked open into a cup. The egg use prevented us from trying this ritual. However, if you are interested in plant cures, check out the “Mama’s Aisle” in the market, where you can find women selling medicinal plants and even potions to bring you success, love, or any other fortune you desire.
Plaza San Francisco
Visit this plaza for great views of the Blue Domed Cathedral Roof, souvenirs, or to take your picture in front of the Cuenca sign.
What to Eat and Buy Vegan in Cuenca
We were overall pleasantly surprised by the vegan options available in Cuenca. One super unexpected delight was the abundance of vegan fine dining here – an experience we had never gotten to enjoy before due to cost. The good news is that, if like us you have always wanted a fancy multiple course meal but have not had the budget for it, it is a lot more affordable here. Check out our vegan restaurant and store recommendations below:
- Cafe Libre – located in a private house near Azuay University, we loved this restaurant’s classy interior and beautifully presented dishes. Cafe Libre does lunch too but we went for dinner – the meal consists of about 5 courses: the presentation of the dishes is stunning and the food is delicious. Each course is explained by the chef. This tasting menu costs $30 pp and we felt like it was a great value for the money. You can make a reservation over whatsapp (+593 0998654833), and they’re very responsive if, like us, you arrive at the address, don’t know how to get in, and have to call for instructions.
- El Oasis was probably the fanciest meal I’ve ever eaten – an eight course meal that includes amuse bouches, appetizers, an entree, desserts, and several drinks (a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic, or you can request no alcohol). Not only is the food delicious, but the chefs are super friendly and try to give the meal a communal feeling. Don’t worry if you go alone, you will meet people here – there is just one table and a lot of thought is put into every aspect of the meal, including the seating arrangement. The chefs also come out at each course to explain what they’ve made and, like at Cafe Libre, you can really tell they are passionate about what they make and present. The chefs speak English as well. Dinner at El Oasis was a lovely experience from beginning to end. This meal will cost $50 and was completely worth the money.
- Cuenca doesn’t only offer gourmet vegan restaurant food – you can also get gourmet vegan desserts at Zatua Miski. We suggest ordering the Vegan Box for a taste of everything including cookies, brownies, and chocolates – everything we tried was mind-blowingly delicious. You can get delivery or pick up your order and pay by transfer, or paypal. We contacted them on whatsapp and said we didn’t have an Ecuadorian bank account, and she let us pay in cash. You can also find some of their desserts in other stores in Cuenca (more on that below).
- Nandala was our favorite casual vegan restaurant in Cuenca. They have an almuerzo (lunch fixed menu) and you can also order from the regular menu – dishes were about $5-$8. Everything we tried at Nandala was delicious, but we especially loved the Crispy Chicken Burger and the Caesar salad. One reason we didn’t make it to more vegetarian restaurants in Cuenca is because we couldn’t stop going back to Nandala!
- Fratello Vegan is another all-vegan restaurant in Cuenca that does more casual food. They have a beautiful location by the river and we loved the concept, but unfortunately the quality depends on what dish you order. For example, do NOT get the portobello sandwich, which turned out to be a generic white hot dog bun with sauteed mushrooms that somehow they felt comfortable charging us $7.25 for. We did like the seitan wings and hot dog, so give it a try and come to your own conclusions (but if you only have time for one restaurant, go to Nandala).
- YuA Restaurante is a vegetarian restaurant that does all vegan almuerzos and, according to the owner, only has a few vegetarian dishes on the menu (the rest are vegan). We tried the almuerzo and it was a good, no frills meal – at $3.75, it was a good value for the price. The space is also very nice, with an outdoor patio seating option.
- Cafe de Ñucallacta has delicious coffee, plant milk, and all day vegan breakfast options (serves meat as well). The space is beautiful and is a good place to go and get some work done (there are other people here doing the same).
- CU.gallery and Anacleta Coqueta (two linked areas) is a gallery/shop with a variety of interesting clothes, jewelry and more. 80% of their items are made in Ecuador, and the shop assistant told me unprompted that none of their products are animal derived! They were also selling chocolates from Zatua Miski when we went. This is a great place to get a unique gift for friends/family or yourself while supporting a local business taking steps to avoid animal cruelty.
- La Alquería Natural Market has vegan cosmetics including lip balm, soap, toothpaste, and more. We found some really nice made-in-Ecuador chocolate face masks here, which made a really nice gift. They also sell small bags of Guayusa leaves here if you didn’t make it to the Amazon but want to try this stimulating plant.
- The Supermaxi in Cuenca is extremely well stocked, with plenty of products catering to the expat population (JIF peanut butter for $9 tempted us only slightly). However, there are a few products we saw at the supermaxi in Cuenca that were not in Quito, including vegan coffee creamer, violife cheese, and Cordon Green brand “queso fresco” made with garbanzo and choco beans. We liked this cheese MUCH better than the Eco Love “No es Queso” variety.
There you have it! Cuenca was the perfect last stop for us in Ecuador, and one of the most “liveable” cities there. We’re sure you’ll adore it too. As always, let us know if you go and used any of our suggestions!