Portoviejo Seen Again - Touristic Catalog

Tourism Chamber of ManabĂ­

Design, layout and photography:

Marcelo Palacios and Juan Carlos Cedeño Writing:

Marcelo Palacios

© Marcelo Palacios and Juan Carlos Cedeño, 2015 © Tourism Chamber of Manabi, 2015

Thanks to the Central Bank Museum and El Tomate restaurant Provincial Tourism Chamber of Manabi Alejo Lascano 114 and Pedro Gual Phone (593) 52-634-122

Index Map of the Portoviejo canton

4

Beach Zone

6

Urban Zone

10

Rural Zone

14

Gastronomy 18

MaP

Rural Map

N

La Boca E15 a Bahía de Caráquez

O

CRUCITA

S ROCAFUERTE

E 384 a Junín

PUEBLO NUEVO RÍOCHICO

E15 a Jaramijó

CALDERÓN

Bypass E30 a Manta

CHIRIJOS

Ciclovía Bike trail lala Tomatera Tomatera

Picoazá

ALHAJUELA

PORTOVIEJO

SAN PLÁCID

Colón

a Santa Ana

HOTELS: EJECUTIVO CEIBO REAL PRINCIPADO EL MAXIMO SAN MARCOS CABRERA INTERNACIONAL NEW YORK EMPERADOR

RESTAURANTS: 2630840 2630544 2631243 2636521 2650055 2633200 2632395 2638316

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN ZAVALITA LA CARRETA LAURITA EL TOMATE PARRILLADA EL GATO LA FINCA CHE CACTUS CEVICHERIA TUTIVEN

2634440 2652194 2652108 2635606 2638856 2657105 2615301 2638927 2440031

MaP

E

The charm route

The beach route

S

E30 a Quevedo

Crucita Road

DO Bypass Ave. Reales T.

Picoazá Road

H. Reales T.

La Tomatera Trail

R.Tamarindos Stadium H.El gato.

Airport Av. Manabí.

Av. 5 de Junio

H.Ceibo R.

San Plácido Road

H.Ceibo D. H. Maximo.

downtown

Colón Road

H. Ejecutivo.

Emergencias Cuerpo de Bomberos Policia Nacional Radio Taxi Caracol

911 102 101 052654698

Manta Road

Urban map and routes

Section 1

Pag 6

Beach Zone

Crucita “the beautiful one” Sand, sea and fun

Crucita is the preferred beach of the inhabitants of Portoviejo. It has a beautiful 13 Km long beach, composed of various small ones that include sweet and salty water. Here we find a variety of restaurants that offer seafood and delicious cocktails. It is ideal for family or for a night out in the clubs.

Attractions Biking and paragliding There are groups of bikers that ride to Crucita from Portoviejo. In the lookout point La Loma you can enjoy a spectacular air view, have some beers and “spread your wings” with the sea breeze on a paraglide. You can fly with a guide and it costs $25tt for half an hour.

Auto: 20 Min. Biking: 1 and a half hours.

At 27 Km from Portoviejo, you can travel by car or by bike on the cycle lane.

Pag 7

Beach Zone

Attractions La Boca, los Ranchos, las Gilces and los Arenales.

La Boca stands out with the presence of the Portoviejo river and the sea. Here you can find mangroves that host a special ecosystem.

Touristic hostels offer swimming pools and dining opportunities of excellent quality. In Los Arenales, we find an oasis of birds like

frigatebirds, booby birds, herons and others that make the place very special. Los Ranchos is ideal for family resting and for enjoying the huge beaches. Las Gilces is interesting for its fishing attraction and its grain salt production zone.

La Loma Exceptional photographies can be made on the Loma lookout.

Here is a bar from which you can watch the whole beach.

QR Code Scan with your smartphone to get to the map.

How to get there?

Section 1

Beach Zone

Pag 8

Children enjoying the beautiful and serene beach La Boca.

The paragliding flights from La Loma attract tourists from everywhere that seek an adrenalin rush.

Beach Zone

Some establishments in La Boca, like Boca Beach, offer a relaxing and fun experience for families.

The beauty of local women accompany the charm of these beaches.

Pag 9

Section 3

Pag 10

Rural Zone

San Plácido

The charm of nature Aproximately 25 minutes Northeast of Portoviejo, via a perfect road, lies this zone of rich agriculture and tourism, with its peculiar people, that maintain their rusticality as a guide and tradition.

Attractions The bathing points The bathing points in this region are very well-known by the locals, but are unknown to the city people. Their names are Casa Blanca (swimming pool) and Caña Gigante (natural).

There are two types of bathing points in this region: winter/summer pools and winter pools.

Auto: 25 Min.

On the “Charm Route” you can drive through 4 rural counties full of treasures yet to discover. Make sure you go on a personal vehicle.

Rural Zone

Pag 11

Attractions Alhajuela, Chirijos y Calderón In Alhajuela the presence of the river stands out, and it is ideal for camping on its beautiful natural landscapes, made of reedbeds and leafy trees.

Chirijos has many paths that can be walked with a guide or on a horse. Here you can practice mountain climbing. Some of the bathing

The bathing point “La compuerta” of Calderon offers an escape to nature.

The Charm Route

This route is known like this because of its magic natural attraction. It is definitely a natural alternative to the beach.

points are San Antonio, El Tigre and Roncón.

In Calderón we find an excellent variety of food, highlighted by its principal dish “the morcilla”. Here there are various recognized restaurants that offer their morcillas, sausages and “hose” soups.

The “Casa Blanca” hostal offers rest in typical little huts.

QR Code Scan with your smartphone to get to the map.

How to get there?

Section 3

Rural Zone

Pag 12

Rural Zone

Pag 13

The clear waters of the bathing point “la Compuerta de Calderón The typical Morcilla of Calderón, made out of swine vitals.

Coconuts of the region.

Section 2

Pag 14

Urban Zone

Portoviejo

Capital of the Manabita people The City of the Royal Tamarind, is full of culture and tradition. Its central park “Vicente Amador Flor” is a loyal witness of the love of the Portoviejo people for art, culture and traditions. Open-air spectacles take place here every Wednesday night.

The park started as a Weapon´s Square but it has turned into a romantic meeting point for couples and rest point for walkers.

Attractions Land of Mangos Its delicious variety of mangos (mango de Chupo, Chico y Grande y Miguelillo) are typical delicacies of the city. Besides, its fertile soil offers the most diverse fruital flavors like papaya, tamarid, maracuyá, guayaba, lemon, among others.

The Mango Fest is celebrated at the Technical University of Manabi in December.

Portoviejo is cradle to poets and artists like Ivo Uquillas and Horacio Hidrovo, with an intense cultural activity promoted by the Culture House, the UTM and others.

Pag 15

Urban Zone

Attractions The Parque forestal, botanical garden and iconic churches The “parque forestal” is an entertainment place for families, reuniones, friends, couples and for aquatic rides. The botanical garden is a natural place for relaxation that hosts many species of plants and animals; besides that, it has a garden centre and a wildlife rescue sta-

tion. The cathedral with its byzantinian style architecture and wall paintings is a reference point of the city; la Merced (Mercy church) is the traditional church of the city, it serves as home for the Virgin of Mercy, patron of Portoviejo, whose festivities are on Sept. 24th.

La Tomatera For lovers of mountain biking, there is the “Tomatera” trail that starts in the UTM gas station and ends in Riochico. The whole cycle takes 2 hours.

(See map p.4)

QR Code

Scan with your smartphone to get to the map.

How to get there?

Section 2

Urban Zone

The capital has always been proud of its Cathedral, a monumental building, centre of the local religiosity.

The central park, with its classic ambience gives room for resting in the busy downtown.

Pag 16

Urban Zone

The Portoviejo Museum hosts heritage works like those of its exposition Resplandor Aborigen.

The iguanas of the central park contrast with the city life of downtown.

Pag 17

Section 4

GastronomY

Gastronomía

unparalleled exquisiteness Portoviejo´s taste is very demanding. Manabitan food finds its best expression in the “seco de gallina criolla”: a chicken stew with spices such as oregano, cumin, garlic and white onions. Made with free range hen, its flavour is exceptional.

Pag 18

Attractions White whey and chicken stew The white whey, made with cheese curd and served with green platain, is one of those traditional delights that do not go forgotten in Portoviejo and Manabi. You can have it in select restaurants, such as “el Tomate”, on the Crucita road.

Typical delicacies

GastronomY

Pag 19

Attractions The delicious ceviche and mango mousse Thanks to its proximity to the sea, you will always be able to enjoy a good cebiche (marinated fish). Served with platain chips and a beer, it´s a dish for weekends, to enjoy with family and friends. Many restaurants offer variety: shrimp, seashells and mixed.

The people of Portoviejo, also called “mango sippers”, know how to enjoy good stuff. That´s why desserts made out of mango could not go missing here. This mango mousse is a delight.

You can find in internet many recipes for your dessert.

Mango, like many fruit of the region is a seasonal fruit. Ask in your local market which fruit are of the season to get the freshest fruit possible.

Enjoy our delights!

seen again Touristic catalog of the canton

Portoviejo Seen Again is an attractions catalogue of Portoviejo for tourists and Portoviejo people.

Discover our canton.