The coloured houses
Wooden fronts and carved balconies.
Ortalli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ortalli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ortalli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Madamemina — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ortalliarchivo propio — CC BY-SA 4.0
The historic centre of Zaruma is an old mountain town in southern Ecuador, at 1,200 metres in El Oro province. It is known for colourful republican-era wooden houses, gold mines and coffee. Ecuador's heritage institute put it forward as a UNESCO candidate in 1998, and it became a Pueblo Mágico in 2019. The Cañari settled here between 500 and 1400, and the Incas conquered them in the 1480s. The Spanish established the town, and Philip II gave it the title of city of the hill of gold in 1593, with its final founding on 8 December 1595. Research suggests Spain took about 2,700 tonnes of gold from here between 1536 and 1820. An earthquake destroyed the city and most of its mines in 1749, and it declared independence in 1820. You climb steep, narrow streets between yellow, blue and red wooden fronts with carved balconies and slim columns. The central square has a white church with a long stair and tall tower, seen from outside. Tiled roofs look over green hills filled with morning mist. Cafes serve local coffee, and some old mines welcome visitors, so ask about them. The town is 61.6 km in a straight line south-east of Machala and 57.6 km from the Puyango Petrified Forest. British advice is against all but essential travel to El Oro province, so check your government's advice. Wear comfortable shoes for the steep streets. The church is a place of worship, so dress modestly.
Wooden fronts and carved balconies.
A long stair and tall tower.
Green hills and morning mist.
Central Zaruma, El Oro province
Gold mines since Spanish times, and its republican-era wooden houses.
Some old mines welcome visitors, so ask in town about available tours.