Nightlife on La Ronda Street, Quito

La Ronda Street used to have a bad reputation and outdated guidebooks still warn tourists away from the street at night. Unfortunately, this also means they are warning tourists away from the only street in Centro Historico that has some good nightlife. Don't listen to them!




In fact, the best time to go to La Ronda is on Friday and Saturday nights at around 7:00. The pedestrian-only street becomes full of people strolling along listening to live music flooding out of trendy restaurants and bars, eating skewers of chocolate-covered strawberries, and sipping steaming cups of homemade canelazo (sugar cane alcohol) or blackberry wine sold in vats on every block.



The streets are incredibly well-lit, crowded, and have policemen on either end who will help you call a taxi when you want to leave, if you feel the need. We walk home. There are families with little kids, teenagers too cool to walk close behind their parents, kissing young couples, and cute grouchy elderly couples. Street performers pop up in intersections...

...and dancers twirl through the streets. Sometimes there are firecrackers and magicians.

Everywhere you look there is either a musician or a street performer.



All the art galleries and stores are open so be careful...




as the more canelazo you drink...




the more you just have to have one of these bizarre paintings of old people you see everywhere.

Like these.