Ibarra is a town in northern Ecuador and the capital of the Imbabura province. It lies at the foot of the Imbabura volcano and on the left bank of the Tahuando river. It is about 70km north-east of Ecuador's capital Quito. Nowadays, Ibarra is a market town popular with tourists. It is blessed with fine weather, colonial white-washed houses, giving it the nickname “The White City”, and cobbled streets.

History and Culture
Helados de paila (handmade ice-cream / sorbet) was first made in Ibarra during Inca times, using snow/ice from the nearby Imbabura Volcano (which is no longer snow bound). Using a large bronze pan surrounded by ice shavings, the juices of various fruits are stirred into the pan to freeze.

Tourist Offices
There is a tourist information office at Sucre and Oveido, which is open from 8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, closing for lunch from 1 to 2pm.

Sightseeing
Markets are on Saturdays, and the main festival is the Fiesta de los Lagos held on the last weekend of September. Also, two colourful parades known as El Pregón and Virgen del Carmen are held on the 16th July every year. Other town attractions are the many restaurants specialising in local cuisine, along with the clubs, discos and a well known paragliding club.

Getting there
There are regular buses from Quito,Guayaquil, Esmeraldas, Atacames, Tulcán, Ambato and San Lorenzo.