Easy and Free Physical Activities in Quito for Beginners

These are free physical activities that people can enjoy right in the city. Keep in mind these are for beginners and for those who want to enjoy such activities without having to leave the city. For more adventurous locations for hiking there's Pululahua which is nearby and the for cycling there are also more adventurous routes.


Hiking

One of the easiest places for a short hike is at Parque Metroplitiano. It's in right smack in the middle of the city and you can easily get there by walking up the hill from the stadium on 6 de diciembre. The streets are winding after you reach Eloy Elfaro but you can take a short cut through a small park (stairs) and which will take you right to the main entrance of the park. There are a few trails there and if you go on a weekday you'll encounter few if any people. If you want to see lovely views try to exit on the south end in the Bella Vista barrio. 

Cycling 

Of course there is ciclopaseo which is held every Sunday in which a long stretch of city streets is closed to traffic from around 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, and considering that Quito is narrow getting there should be easy no matter where you live. The most interesting stretch is from Amazonas ( Tomás de Berlanga) straight down to Parque Ejido, is practically flat so nothing it's not challenging at all. Sometimes they have live music just before the Hilton. 

Jogging

Carolina Park is perfect for a morning or evening run. If it's during the morning anytime after 9 a.m. is preferable as traffic lessens afterwards, and if it's in the evening then any time after 8 p.m is good for the same reason. If you are alone or easily intimidated the simply jog on the periphery of the park, and one round around the park is about 2.5 miles to give you an idea. The sign might state that the park closes at 6:30 pm but it's open after that and the lights remain on. Alternatively you can also use the track and 1 lap is 800 meters.