Magical Towns of Ecuador

Ecuador the country of the 4 worlds, also has Magic Towns

More than one Ecuadorian agrees that this is the country four worlds, which consists of: Amazon Rainforest, Sierra, Coast and Galapagos. These four natural regions are accompanied by emblematic cultural heritage sites and expressions. And for that reason the country looked for a way to highlight the importance of those peoples, places and customs. Therefore, there are special places meeting the requirements to be elevated to the category of Magic Towns. In some of  these cases its natural landscapes stand out, in others ancestral culture and traditions are highlighted. Each and every one of them they will help promote tourism in their localities and spread tourism of Ecuador around the world.

Magical Towns Program

In 2018 the Ministry of Tourism announced the “Magic Towns Program” that seeks to promote Ecuadorian sites that have unique cultural and natural attributes, this means tourist attractions that were identified and ranked.

Its objective is to increase the number of visitors in the localities as well as diversifying products and services, valuing traditions and wealth, promoting greater social participation and raising the quality of services. The project promotes reduction of poverty in each location, reduction of inequalities and revaluation of identity of each one of them.

This project originates in Mexico and seeks to enhance the tourist attractions from various locations in the country, which have an excellent geographical location, agricultural wealth, gastronomy, history, and culture, among other elements.

Magical Towns in the highlands

The first Magical Towns in the Ecuadorian highlands are: Cotacachi, Patate and Alausí,  three destinations of the Sierra that met all the requirements to be part of this program of the Ministry of Tourism. By being a Magic Town each town highlights its unique symbolic attributes that are an opportunity for National and foreign tourist exploitation. Currently there are applications from other locations that want to join the category of such as: Mira, Baños de Agua Santa, Mindo, Nono, Macará and Guano.

• Patate: It attracts for its diversity, its landscapes and its crops, however its particular feature is the celebration of the Lord of the Earthquake, the festivity summons thousands of faithful inhabitants in February of each year.
• Baños: Called the capital of adventure, it attracts tourists to practice adventure sports. Its main attraction is the Tungurahua volcano.
• Alausí: This town has everything ready to receive visitors, its surroundings and geography make it a dazzling and magical site, the Devil's Nose and Train Route are without any doubt its main attraction.
• Cotacachi: The charm of this place is enclosed in the Cuicocha Lagoon. From there legends are narrated as romance between this and another volcano, this story makes it the hook for tourists and the magic of this canton.
• Mindo: It is a town that ran for town magic of the province of Pichincha belonging to the canton San Miguel de los Bancos, it offers tourists the experience of enjoying their natural attractions and adventure activities like canopy in Mindo.
• Nono: This place is located in the province of Pichincha, is a rural parish of the Quito canton. His main attractiveness is natural for owning an ecological reserve where you can admire the diversity of the Andean and jungle forests.
• Mira: A place located north of Ecuador in the Carchi province,Mira's tourist places , are very varied from tourist complexes, to religious tourism.
• Macará: It is a town in the province of Loja, in southern Ecuador its tourist attractions are the spas and waterfalls that adorn the natural landscape.
• Guano: This wonderful place offers the most varied cultural, artisan, gastronomic and cultural experiences adventure. One of the attractions is the museum of the mummy of Guano.

Magical towns of the Ecuadorian East

One of the localities of the Amazon in pursuing the categorization of Magical Town is Misahuallí.

• Misahualli: It is the first tourist port of the Amazon of Ecuador, canoe trips and visiting ancestral communities are some of the tourist attractions offered by this Ecuadorian eastern place.

Magical towns of the Ecuadorian Coast

In the Ecuadorian coast the localities in running to climb to the categorization of Magic Town is Muisne, Zaruma.

• Magical Town Muisne: A beautiful place in the province of Esmeraldas, this canton stands out for the enchanting landscapes Natural, Muisne beach is one of its most visited attractions In this town.
• Magic Town Zaruma: The historic center of Zaruma is the main tourist attraction in this town, its heritage architecture

It stands out in this picturesque place. Learn more about these first villages and get ready for an experience Magic in Ecuador.