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Riobamba
Also known as San Pedro de Riobamba
Riobamba (, full name San Pedro de Riobamba; Quechua: Rispampa) is the capital of Chimborazo Province in central Ecuador, and is located in the Chambo River Valley of the Andes. It is located south of Ecuador's capital Quito and situated at an elevation of 2,754 m.
AI overview
Riobamba is the capital city of Chimborazo Province in the Andes mountains of central Ecuador, located south of Quito at a high elevation of 2,754 meters. The city serves as an important administrative and regional center in Ecuador's mountainous interior.
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Place details
- Locality
- Riobamba
- Region
- Chimborazo
- Country
- Ecuador
- Population
- 264,048
Travel guide
Get in
thumb|Chimborazo, the nearby snow-capped inactive volcano.|300x300px
Get around
A bus costs 30 cents. Taxis are plentiful; most trips within town should be $1.50. Minimum fares are $1.20 until 19:00 and $1.30 after 19:00.
The main tourist area is very walkable - ask for a map at the tourist information center at the corner of Av. Daniel León Borja and Brasil.
See
thumb|Riobamba Catedral On a clear day don't miss the view of the surrounding mountains. The best views in the city are from Parque 21 de Abril, close to the train station. Museo de la Ciudad is free and has an eclectic mix of art styles and content - paintings, sculpture, photography, furniture, etc. Iglesia San Antonio is next to Parque 21 de Abril. Like many of Riobamba's churches, it seems to open only for services and not for tourism. However, it has glass doors, so you can at least see the inside of the church even though you can't enter. Teatro Leon across from Parque Sucre - notable architecture! La Catedral (the Cathedral), along one side of Parque Maldonado. Appears to only open for services, but also has glass doors so you can see inside without entering. A side chapel to the left of the main door seems to be open more frequently.
Do
Riobamba used to be the terminus for the most famous train route in Ecuador, the Nariz del Diablo (Devil's nose). It now operates from Alausi, a two-hour bus trip from Riobamba, to Sibambe. Riobamba is close to Sangay National Park, which contains several mountains and volcanoes including Tungurahua, Sangay and El Altar. Stroll through the markets. Riobamba has 7 daily markets, 3 of which (San Alfonso, San Francisco, and La Merced) are in the main tourist area. All are authentic local markets, with some mix of vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy, and more. There's also a weekly market on Saturdays in Plaza Roja. Explore the parks. There are at least 6 parks scattered through town (Parque 21 de Abril, Parque Guayaquil, Parque Sucre, Parque Maldonado, Parque La Libertad, Parque La Madre). Some have sculptures, others are notable for the architecture of the buildings surrounding them. And as of Jan 2023, most if not all have free WiFi - connect to RiobambaDigital network to get online.
The official Riobamba tourism website may also give additional ideas, including the Inca trail trek (2-3 days): https://riobamba.com.ec/
~8 min read
Article
16 sectionsContents
- Name
- History
- 20th century to present
- Geography
- Climate
- Economy
- Education
- Cityscape
- Festivals
- Museums
- Sports
- Sightseeing
- Notable people
- Gallery
- References
- External links
Riobamba (, full name San Pedro de Riobamba; Quechua: Rispampa) is the capital of Chimborazo Province in central Ecuador, and is located in the Chambo River Valley of the Andes. It is located south of Ecuador's capital Quito and situated at an elevation of 2,754 m.
The city is an important regional transport center and a stop on the Pan-American Highway, which runs through Ecuador. Riobamba is one of the largest cities in the central portion of Ecuador's Sierra region.
Gallery (18)
On the map
3 mapped locations