Located in the old downtown district of Quito, La Ronda was the high class neighborhood of the colonial days. More recently, up until its restoration in 2006 however, it was a dangerous area rarely visited by tourists or locals. Since then it’s become a lively strip where there are modern restaurants, hostels, and shops open well late into the evening. It’s also famous for its ice cream so if you’ve got a late night craving for some you know where to go.
The most striking thing about La Ronda is the police, they are practically everywhere. Literally surrounding La Ronda at the intersection of each side street and at the beginning and end of the strip, it made me wonder what it was like before 2006. That said, you may be wondering is Quito dangerous; La Ronda certainly is not.