Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city and economic hub, covering an area of 344.5 square kilometers. It is also the country’s largest port city. Nearly 2.5 million people live there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seafood and music are absolute musts. These two elements give the city a \u201cCaribbean soul.\u201d The climate is humid and tropical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The city has undergone a massive transformation in recent years thanks to the administration (the mayor). Now you\u2019ll find huge parks and green spaces here, which serve as great places for city residents to relax amid all the stress of big-city life. Notable landmarks include the Malec\u00f3n 2000 along the banks of the Rio Guayas and, right next to it, the hill \u201cLas Pe\u00f1as,\u201d where the city was founded.
Guayaquil was founded on July 25, 1538, under the names \u201cMuy Noble\u201d and \u201cMuy Ciudad de Santiago de Guayaquil\u201d by the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana. However, this place had already existed as a small settlement prior to that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By 1600, the city already had a population of 2,000, and by 1700, that number had grown to over 10,000. In 1687, more than 260 pirates under the command of George d\u2019Hout (English) and Picard and Groniet (French) raided the city. During the raid, 35 pirates were killed and 46 wounded. Among the residents of Guayaquil, 75 were killed and more than 10 wounded. The pirates took the women as concubines. Quito paid a ransom to secure an agreement that the city would not be destroyed or burned down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1709, the English captains Etienne Courtney, Woodes Rogers, and William Dampier joined them with 110 pirates. However, they then ran into trouble due to a yellow fever epidemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On October 9, a group of civilians, supported by soldiers from the \u201cGranaderos de Reserva,\u201d overpowered the royal occupiers\u2014largely without bloodshed\u2014and arrested the Spanish leaders. Guayaquil thus declared itself liberated from the Spanish conquerors and became the Free Province of Guayaquil (\u201cProvincia Libre de Guayaquil\u201d). To this day, October 9 is a holiday on which the liberation of Guayaquil is celebrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new \u201cJoaqu\u00edn de Olmedo International Airport,\u201d ranked as the best airport in South America, is located right next to the international bus station. Today, you can fly from this airport to destinations all over the world. However, as is the case everywhere, not all flights are nonstop. For example, I once flew from Hamburg via Amsterdam to Guayaquil. It was cheaper to fly from Hamburg to Munich, then to Madrid, and finally directly to Guayaquil with \u201cLan Chile.\u201d The seats were a bit more comfortable (more legroom) than those on the \u201cexpensive airlines,\u201d and the food actually had \u201cflavor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to visit the Gal\u00e1pagos Islands, Guayaquil is the cheapest way to get there. If you fly there from Quito, you\u2019ll have to stop in Guayaquil anyway, so you\u2019ll end up paying more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I should probably add that Guayaquil, like most major cities around the world, is full of drivers who pay little attention to pedestrians. The city\u2019s bus system is well-developed and very affordable. If you don\u2019t transfer, you pay only 25 cents, no matter where you\u2019re going. So every time you get on a bus, you give the driver a 25-cent coin (exact change, if possible).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A visit to the \u201cEl Gran Terminal Terrestre de Plaza Norte\u201d bus terminal is always worth it. Buses also depart from here to other countries. I once paid just $6 for a trip from Guayaquil to Peru (the border area). The ride took five and a half hours. At almost every stop, \u201cstreet vendors\u201d get on and try to sell you something\u2014whether it\u2019s chocolate, candy, or even music CDs. This means it never gets boring during the ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to take a taxi, you should pay attention to the license plates. Taxis equipped with surveillance cameras have solid orange (slightly yellowish) license plates. Personally, I also take private taxis (not marked as taxis), which are usually cheaper if you agree on the price in advance. However, I don\u2019t recommend this to tourists. There are also \u201cblack sheep\u201d among them who make phone calls during the ride, and then \u201cladrones\u201d (thieves) sometimes get in at the next stop. But if you\u2019re looking for an \u201cadventure,\u201d go right ahead\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One more thing about the parks: I live near a park called \u201cMalec\u00f3n del Salado.\u201d It\u2019s only a 10-minute walk from my place. I often go there when I\u2019m putting my ideas down on paper. It\u2019s just beautiful there. Right next to it is the University of Guayaquil and some great restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You shouldn\u2019t miss the museums either: the \u201cMuseo Municipal,\u201d \u201cMuseo Nahim Isaias,\u201d \u201cMAAC,\u201d and \u201cPresley Northon,\u201d all located in the city center.
I also recommend a walk up \u201cLas Pe\u00f1as\u201d hill, which is where Guayaquil originated. The colorful houses are beautiful and catch your eye even from a distance. From there, you can see the whole city. It\u2019s only 440 steps up. I always take the steeper stairs along the riverbank, though, and then light up a cigarette at the top\u2014that always throws the younger folks off balance. They\u2019re panting, and I\u2019m breathing calmly, and then I just ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d with a grin on my face\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another must-see is \u201cParque de las Iguanas,\u201d a park in the heart of the city that\u2019s teeming with tiny prehistoric lizards (iguanas). It\u2019s a great spot for taking photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Huge shopping centers, such as the \u201cMercado Artesanal,\u201d are well worth a visit. They certainly hold their own when compared to those in Europe. On the contrary, I think they\u2019re simply more beautifully designed. They\u2019re not as cold and commercial as most of the ones I\u2019m familiar with in Germany. They\u2019re much more colorful and filled with exotic plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You also absolutely must visit the \u201cParque Hist\u00f3rico.\u201d It\u2019s one of the highlights if you\u2019re in Guayaquil and interested in the local flora and fauna, as well as the area\u2019s history. A huge area with a wide variety of animals and plants\u2014half zoo, half history and botany museum. Not only did I get an absolutely delicious cup of coffee there, but I also learned how coffee is prepared: not as a powder, but as an extract (liquid) brewed with boiling water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re in Guayaquil, you should definitely visit \u201c6 de Marzo\u201d Street during the last two months of the year. It\u2019s best to go with someone you know who\u2019s familiar with the city. There, you\u2019ll be amazed by the world-famous \u201cA\u00f1os Viejos\u201d artworks\u2014papier-m\u00e2ch\u00e9 figures depicting scenes from all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of course, don\u2019t forget to visit the \u201cBah\u00eda,\u201d a market right on the \u201cMalec\u00f3n 2000\u201d with countless narrow aisles where you can buy just about anything at reasonable prices. But if you\u2019re not careful, you\u2019ll quickly end up paying too much. But that\u2019s the case everywhere in the world. You can find just about anything there, from reading glasses for $2 to stereos and even air conditioners. I shop there regularly, though I\u2019ve gotten pretty good at knowing the prices by now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you rent a car, you can also explore the cocoa and banana plantations around Guayaquil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, that’s it for now\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’d like to learn more about the city and the country, feel free to contact me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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