Mitad del Mundo — At the Equator
About 25 km north of Quito lies the famous Mitad del Mundo — the "Middle of the World." Here runs the equator, the invisible line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In fact, there are two attractions competing for visitors' favor:
Mitad del Mundo Monument (the official one)
The 30-meter-high monument with the globe on top marks the equator — although it is about 240 meters off (a measurement error by the French geodesy expedition of 1736). Nevertheless: The monument is impressive, the museum park well-designed, and the obligatory photo with one foot on each hemisphere is a must-do. Entrance: 5 USD.
Museo Intiñan (the "real" one)
A few hundred meters away lies the private Museo Intiñan, which claims to stand on the true equator line (GPS measurements are inconclusive). Here, the famous "experiments" are conducted: water that doesn't swirl on the equator, eggs balancing on a nail, and strength tests that are supposedly more difficult on the line. Scientifically questionable, but entertaining and great fun. Entrance: 5 USD.
Getting there from Quito is easy: Metrobús to the Ofelia terminal, then a local bus to Mitad del Mundo (about 1.5 hours, under 1 USD). Or taxi/Uber (about 15–20 USD one-way). Alternatively, as an organized tour with hotel pickup (25–40 USD).
