If you're in the market for an excellently crafted and unique hat, you should visit the town of Azogues. The capital of the Cañar province is easily reached by buses from Cuenca, Quito and Guyanquil, although the journey is long. The city's financial success comes from the production and sales of Panama hats—mostly sold in Cuenca. You'll also find the Church of San Francisco—a half-hour climb up a steep hill overlooking the entire city, along with excellent hotels—that all have hot showers and are rather inexpensive overall—and restaurants serving Ecuadorian food.