Located in an Andean valley, Cuenca is a town of striking contrast. It has successfully preserved its colonial past from its cobbled streets, churches, pre-Hispanic ruins, museums, and colorful Indian markets. Colonial Cuenca is just across the Tomebamba River from modern day Cuenca with modern office buildings, art galleries and two universities. Home to many scholars and artists of Ecuador, Cuenca is said to be the “Athens of Ecuador.”
Ecuador was named for its position on the Equator and is bordered by Colombia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean. Not many countries as small as Ecuador have such diverse climate regions. This country has the tallest active volcano in the world, great white sand beaches, tropical rain forests, deep crevasses, colorful Indian markets and is well known for its social and political stability.
