Santa Ana Chapel, Guayaquil, Ecuador Postcard

To reach the Chapel of Santa Ana, you need to climb 444 steps up Santa Ana Hill in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Each step is thoughtfully marked with its number so you know how much farther you must climb to reach the top. To get this view of the chapel and the colorful houses on the hill beyond, climb another fifty steps in the lighthouse. Charming and colorful restored historic homes, shops and cafes line the steps up to the lighthouse with views along the way. Guayaquil, officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest and the 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 at the Gulf of Guayaquil.