Easter is more than a holiday in Ecuador. It is a spectacle not soon to be forgotten – at least until they top it the following year. See what Easter Week 2013 has to behold at Casa Gangotena in the vibrant heart of Old Town Quito. A historic boutique hotel set overlooking Plaza San Francisco, Casa Gangotena offers unmatched views of the ceremonial pageantry of Easter and convenient proximity to related events throughout the UNESCO World Heritage Site city.

Easter is highly regarded in the Ecuadorian capital, where beautiful religious artworks are displayed across the city and local Catholics turn out in huge numbers for spectacular events and traditional rituals. The top floor terrace of Casa Gangotena provides an angel’s-eye perspective on the Procession of Jesús del Gran Poder, which starts mid-day on Good Friday at Plaza San Francisco till late afternoon.

The devotion of city’s faithful completely transforms the historic center of Old Town, as tens of thousands mark the reenactment of Christ bearing the cross with spirited passion. The hotel’s private terrace will be styled for comfortable viewing with chairs and tables set beneath parasols to protect from the Equatorial sun.

There is more to experience during Easter Week in Old Town Quito. Local events include:

– Palm Sunday – Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, with religious ceremonies and cultural events at squares and churches in the city’s Historic Center.
– Holy Wednesday – The Dragging of the Robe procession with communal prayer and the blessing of the True Cross at The Cathedral of Quito at La Plaza Grande.

– Holy Thursday – See seven churches, many of which are usually closed, and altars arrayed in splendor through Old Town Quito as well as the Pontifical Chrismal Mass of Oils at the Municipal Cathedral.
– Good Friday – Procession of Jesús del Gran Poder starting at the Plaza San Francisco.

– Holy Saturday – Paschal Vigil, a ceremony for the Solitude of Mary at the Temple of San Francisco.
– Holy Sunday – Resurrection with a Solemn Pontifical Mass presided over by the Archbishop of Quito at the Municipal Cathedral.

Easter Week rates at Casa Gangotena start at 9 including buffet breakfast and Quito-style afternoon coffee snack, but excluding taxes.

Casa Gangotena, info@casagangotena.com, www.casagangotena.com