Las Peñas Neighborhood, Guayaquil, Ecuador Postcard

Workers carry crates full of champagne bottles up the steps of the Las Peñas neighborhood, the birthplace of Guayaquil. Charming and colorful restored historic homes, shops and cafes line the steps up to the Santa Ana chapel and lighthouse with views along the way. There are 444 steps, plus fifty more in the lighthouse. You'll want that champagne to celebrate reaching the top. Guayaquil, officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest and most populous city in Ecuador, with around 2.69 million people in the metropolitan area. The city is also Ecuador’s main port. The city is the capital of the Ecuadorian province of Guayas and the seat of the namesake canton. Guayaquil is located on the western bank of the Guayas River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean.