Located just off the Andes mountains, Ecuador is a lush tropical delight. Quito, the capital, offers a serene mountainside town with snow-capped volcanoes and museums and churches across town. Cuenca offers classic Spanish architecture and colonial streets while still being close to the Amazonian rainforest. Tourists can also visit the nearby Galapagos Islands, where penguins, sea lions and dolphins are literally within arms reach. read more