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With so many things to do and see in Quito’s historic city center, it was hard to choose, much less squeeze as much as we could into one day!
Trying to maintain a balance of churches, convents and monasteries was the challenge as there are so many to visit.
The Monasterio Museo del Carmen Alto was one of the monasteries that I was interested in for its rich history. Built in 1653, it is still home to twenty Carmelite nuns and houses an fascinating museum.
The whitewashed, two-story building was the former home of Quito’s patron saint, Mariana de Jesus (1618-1645). Today, thousands of pilgrims make their way to the monastery to pay their respects to this Ecuadorian saint. Thousands more come to tour the exhibits which explore the daily routines of the cloistered nuns who have made their lives here, the religious art and artifacts from the monastery’s prestigious history and to purchase some of the nuns traditional sweets.
The cloistered nuns at Carmen Alto stay busy by producing limones desamargados, hollowed out tiny lemons filled with a sweet creamy center. After your visit, make sure to stop by the gift shop near the exit where you can stock up on these sweet treats as well as traditional baked goods, aromatic waters for nerves and insomnia, bee pollen, honey and bottles of mistela (anise-flavored liqueur).
The Museo del Carmen Alto is a great place to soak up some of Quito’s religious history as well as gather some unique souvenirs!
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Museo del Carmen Alto
- http://www.museocarmenalto.gob.ec/
- Address: Garcia Moreno y Rocafuerte, Junto al Arco de la Reina, Quito, Pinchincha 17015
- Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 0930-1700
- Admission: Adults, $3.00, Students (with I.D.), $2.00, Children, $1.50, Seniors over 65 years and those with disabilities, free. Spanish tours, free. English tours, $4.00.
- Getting There: Located in the Historic Center of Quito on García Moreno and Rocafuerte streets, next to the Arco de la Reina. By Trolebus, stop at the station of the Plaza de Santo Domingo. By car, parking available on La Ronda, Guayaquil Street, in Cadisan, Calle Mejía and García Moreno.