Riobamba Tourism

Riobamba in Ecuador is surrounded by beautiful elevations such as the Chimborazo volcano, the highest in Ecuador and closer to the sun in the world. We invite you to visit the local tourist attractions in Riobamba, The Sultan of the Andes.
 
 
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Riobamba - Ecuador, is also known as "The Sultan of the Andes", astonishing volcanos are located nearby.  It is also known as the city of novelty, since  the first Constituent Assembly was held here in 1830 , it is also the capital city of the province of Chimborazo , one of the 24 provinces of Ecuador.

Riobamba history

The foundation of Riobamba took place on August 15, 1534 by Diego de Almagro, in the sector known today as Colta.

Riobamba suffered a strong earthquake in 1797, the new and definitive plain of Tapi was moved, where there was an opportunity to trace the renaissance city according to modern and better urban conceptions, a work to which the Baron de Carondelet dedicated his efforts.

On November 11, 1820, the Riobambian patriots declared Emancipation for Spanish rule. The background to previous attempts and the example of freedom struggles throughout the Americas encouraged these patriots to keep trying and their efforts paid off. The city of Riobamba became the communicational axis between the mountains and the coast because it is located in the central part of the country.

General Information about Riobamba:

  • Full Name: San Pedro de Riobamba
  • Population: 225,741 inhabitants
  • Altitude: 2,754 m.a.s.l.
  • Extension: 5,637 km2
  • Climate of Riobamba: It has an approximate temperature of 14 ° C
  • Riobamba Parishes:
    • Urban parishes:
      • Lizarzaburu
      • Maldonado
      • Velasco
      • Fast
      • Yaruquíes
    • Rural parishes
      • San Juan
      • Calpi
      • Licán
      • Cacha
      • San Luis
      • Punin
      • Flores
      • Licto
      • Pungalá
      • Cubijíes
      • Quimiag

Festivities of Riobamba

The most important popular festivals in Riobamba are:

  • Festival of the King of Kings Child: (starts in December and ends on January 6)
  • Riobamba Independence: April 21, it is the most important celebration. Cultural and civic activities are organized throughout the month.  Among the events to highlight is the bullfighting fair called "Lord of Good Success”.
  • Emancipation from the Spanish Domain: November 11
  • Christmas - Baby Jesus’s Pass: From the month of December to January the child's passes are made, its main characters are holy family.  A festivity in which the Catholic faith and folklore unites, also with colorful characters, among them are the Curiquingues, the Sacharuna, among others. Music and dance parades take over the streets of Riobamba. Christmas is lived as a national holiday but in Riobamba it is much more than that.
  • Inti Raymi: Also known as the Feast of the Sun, ancestral cultures have the tradition of holding the festival. In the indigenous community of Cacha of Puruhá - Inca origin, it maintains the Andean ritual. It takes places just half an hour away from Riobamba.

Riobamba

How to get here? Dare to know and visit the beautiful city of Riobamba, we will provide you with some directions to get to this wonderful place.

  1. How to get from Quito to Riobamba?
  2. How to get from Guayaquil to Riobamba?
  3. How to get from Cuenca to Riobamba?

It is the city of the inter-Andean region that has the best and most well maintained and attractive parks. Neoclassical architecture can be seen on the facades of monuments and buildings.

Riobamba is a wonderful city that has beautiful tourist places and a wide culture, history and tradition. It has even been able to overcome natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Riobamba is declared as "the railway capital" of Ecuador, it is one of the first heritage cities, considered the first city for having the first Catholic Church the first Olympic stadium, and for it is the city where the first Constitution of Ecuador was signed.

The name Riobamba its meaning is "Broad Plain", from the ancient capital of the Puruahaes.

Distances to Riobamba

  • Guayaquil to Riobamba: approximately 233 km
  • Quito to Riobamba: 188 km approximately
  • Cuenca to Riobamba: approximately 254 km
  • Esmeraldas to Riobamba: approximately 442 km
  • Ibarra to Riobamba: approximately 303 km
  • Tena to Riobamba: 195 km approximately

Riobamba Tourist Places

This beautiful city offers  a series of tourist places that will allow you to explore the city, we present you some alternatives.

What to do in Riobamba?

In this beautiful canton it is possible to do cultural, community, religious, adventure tourism and why not gastronomic tourism.

Religious Tourism

Adventure Tourism

  • The Altar: Its shape attracts attention to all tourists. This wonderful volcano is located in the Sangay National Park. Novel tourist attractions you will also find, you can do some adventure activities.
  • Ice Train: This tour is spectacular, it will allow you to experience new adventures, the adventure begins in Riobamba, the next stop is Urbina, where Baltazar Ushca, the last ice maker of Chimborazo continues along a path accompanied by a guide to reach the community of Moya .
  • Chimborazo Volcano: The Chimborazo volcano is the highest mountain in the highlands of Ecuador. It is located at 6263 meters above the sea level. Due to its altitude and low temperature, mountaineers must find the right equipment. The guidance of a mountaineering professional is recommended to climb this volcano. Here you can find some shelters like the Carrel cabin and the Whymper cabin.
  • Sangay National Park: It has an ecological, biological and cultural importance. It is made up of a network of more than 324 lagoons, volcanoes such as Sangay, Tungurahua and Altar, which constitute important tourist attractions. High levels of diversity and endemism are present in this place.
  • Riobamba Cathedral: Symbol of Catholic religiosity, in its stones you can interpret passages from the old and new testament, with aboriginal and Spanish expressions.
  • Red Square Riobamba: The best place to acquire and admire the most varied crafts and clothing of the Andean peoples.

Riobamba gastronomy

Gastronomic tourism is an important complement for the tourists since they can taste the exquisite typical food at their disposal. We should mention classic dishes such as:

  • Pork Ceviche
  • Riobambeño baked pork
  • Hard maize pasty
  • Hard maize with milk
  • Fruit with ice from "Chimborazo"
  • Llapingachos (potato tortilla fill with cheese) with chorizo ​​and egg
  • Pan icecreams

More interesting things about Riobamba:

Guano

In the vicinity of the city of Riobamba we can locate the Guano canton, it stands out for its famous artisans, but Guano is also chosen because it is the ideal place for adventure. It has a museum where the Guano mummy is located.

Andean condor

Did you know that 20 specimens are under human care? They were rescued and remain in six wildlife management units, which are distributed in the inter-Andean region: Zuleta, Otavalo, Guayllabamba, Cotopaxi, Cuenca and Baños. In Ecuador, the condor is considered an emblematic bird and is part of 2 national symbols: the flag and the national shield.




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