❧ Cuenca it’s a colonial city, founded in Holy Week, yes, but take a walk around and you’ll see french balconies, next to clay houses, next to red bare bricks. There’s restaurants and cafes with food and drinks from all over the world; there’s a vibrant, if a bit restrained, cosmopolitan atmosphere.

❧ About the churches: they’re twenty three. They’re magnificent on the inside as well; getting to know them is a bit like time travelling: for their altars, their frescos, their organs and mosaics. The Cathedral, in the Central Park, was meant to be the highest in America; it’s still being built. If you like what you see, we must recommend you to visit Las Conceptas museum, which hosts an impressive, delightful collection of religious art from colonial times.

❧ Our Hotel Victoria will be your headquarters for the upcoming nights. We do take pride in our interiors and our service standards, but the best part about it is the location: la Calle Larga, upstairs, was part of the Incan Trail, and it’s just a couple blocks away from the Central Park. Downstairs, through El Jardín, the Tomebamba River flows beneath willows and bay trees. Please, make yourself at home.