If your tastes run to museums, festivals, and things antique, you’ve come to the right place. Ecuador is full of vibrant indigenous cultures and remnants of a history that spans thousands of years. Time your visit right and you can catch an outstanding local fiesta or two, such as Latacunga’s Mama Negra (early November) or San Lorenzo’s Santos Reyes and Santos Innocentes (early January).

DAYS 1–2
Fly to Quito and whet your appetite at some of the city’s world-class museums, churches, convents, and cultural centers, including the new Itchimbia Cultural Center, the preserved colonial home of María Auguita Urrutia, and the Centro Cultural Metropolitano in Old Town.

DAYS 3–5
The area near Otavalo, two hours north of Quito by bus, is rich with indigenous culture. Visit crafts villages such as Ilumán and Peguche, bargain in markets like the famous one in Otavalo’s Plaza de Ponchos, and sample a traditional plate of cuy (guinea pig) up near Ibarra. To complete the experience, stay in a centuries-old homestead such as the Hacienda Cusín near Laguna San Pablo.

DAYS 6–8
Head south past Quito to Latacunga, the starting point for the Latacunga Loop into the Andean hinterlands. Catch the bus in Latacunga (or drive yourself), spending two nights at the Black Sheep Inn in Chugchilán. Don’t miss the hike to the Laguna Quilotoa, where indigenous artists sell hide paintings on the breezy rim. Finish up at windswept Zumbahua, whose Sunday market is among the most authentic in the country. Head south to Cuenca on the last day.

DAYS 9–12
Four days in Cuenca should satisfy any lingering urges for the historical. Ecuador’s third-largest city is near the top in terms of cultural offerings, from the ruins of an Inca palace to the outstanding blue-domed Catedral Nueva. At least a day or two should be spent beyond the city limits, taking in the well-preserved Inca ruins at Ingapirca and the indigenous villages of Gualaceo, Chordeleg, and Cañar. Spend the night in a restored colonial mansion, such as the Hotel Santa Lucía or the Mansion Alcazar.

DAYS 13–14
One option for the last two days of your trip is to head to the coast, where lively Guayaquil boasts culture of a slightly different sort. (Although with the anthropology museum of the Banco Central and the nearby Amantes de Sumpa museum, the city is no slouch in the ancient-history department, either.) Otherwise, keep going south from Cuenca through Loja to Vilcabamba, whose tranquil pace of life and way-out-in-the-country flavor are timeless. Either way, fly back to Quito.