Bus Tour of Cuenca
Welcome to my first blog post! Today I'll be talking about our first day visiting Cuenca, Ecuador.
I went with my fiancé and our friend to visit my fiancé's mom, who has retired in Cuenca from the States. We arrived on August 30, 2025 and stayed for a week. The weather was a high of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and mostly overcast every day. It was perfect for me with a sweatshirt on, but keep in mind the sun can get very hot when it comes out due to the lower amount of atmosphere so high up (about 8,000 feet altitude!).
On the first day we arrived, after taking a much needed nap, we headed into old town Cuenca first to Coffee Lovers restaurant then to Parque Calderon to catch a tour bus. Coffee Lovers is run by a local and family friend who speaks Spanish and English. Prices in Ecuador are much lower than the US and you can pancakes, eggs, and fruit for about $7. Tipping is also much lower than the US, while not expected it is appreciated to tip a few cents to a dollar for good service. I recommend Coffee Lovers for anyone visiting the area for great food at a great price.
Huevos Rancheros at Coffee Lovers
At the square, the busses are yellow and red and leave every 30 minutes. You can ask for a bus that has English translation in addition to Spanish. Ecuador is mostly cash based, using the US dollar, so make sure you hit an ATM before approaching the bus staff. They stand at some of the corners in bright yellow so they're hard to miss. The tours cost about $8 a person and go North or South on double decker buses. After buying a large umbrella from a street vendor and applying sunblock, we headed out on the top of a North direction bus.
Old Town Cuenca
The bus drove us through old town on the way to Turi, where there is a view point of the city. For a few dollars the restaurant down the street will let you walk on their glass overlook! From the overlook you can see the Cuenca 'Swing at the End of the World' which is part of the adventure park on the hill.
Looking down on the glass walkway
Overlook of Cuenca
Once you're done you simply hop back on one of the buses to head back to the Parque Calderon. During the tour they discuss how the red roof tiles are part of city code. You can find painted tiles at some of the markets such as the Rotary. I'll be making a separate post about all the shopping we did, so be sure to stay tuned!
Architecture in Old Town Cuenca
