What To Wear In Cuenca, Ecuador: From Personal Experience!

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ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT TO WEAR IN CUENCA, ECUADOR!?

If you’re headed to Cuenca, Ecuador, and feel like you have no idea what to wear in the city, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! While I have a generalized packing list for Ecuador, Cuenca is a fancier city that requires more thought into your wardrobe. This blog post will cover what to pack for Cuenca, Ecuador, whether you’re going for a week, a month, or any other time frame!

What To Wear in Cuenca, Ecuador: An Overview

Unlike other packing lists, this one focuses solely on what to pack for your wardrobe. I cover all the bases, including tops, bottoms, accessories, and extra items you might want to bring. Each wardrobe will look slightly different based on whether you’re backpacking, bringing a suitcase, or staying for a while. Let’s dive in…

What To Wear in Cuenca, Ecuador

The biggest thing about packing for Cuenca, Ecuador, is making sure that you pack layers. When I visited in November, the weather constantly changed throughout the day. It’d be hot during the afternoon, slightly chilly during the evenings, and occasionally rain at random times. You’ll also want to pack quick-drying and breathable clothing. Now, we can focus on these clothing items more in-depth!

Clothing

What you pack will (of course) be based on your style, length of trip, and luggage preferences, but I will recommend a few packing tips. To keep things functional, try to make sure you can create multiple outfits out of your tops and bottoms.

I recommend choosing two or three colors and adding neutrals! For example, I packed dark blues, muted pinks, and olive greens, then added blacks, creams, and whites! If you’re wondering what to pack for Cuenca, Ecuador, bring enough to wear for (at least) one week!

Tops

Starting strong, we have tops! You’ll want to bring a variety of tops with you, especially considering you’ll want to bring layers. Cuenca is a fancier town where people dress nicely, so remember this as you choose your clothing. I suggest bringing items that are presentable and don’t wrinkle easily! 

You’ll always want to pack base layers to wear individually when it’s warm or underneath clothing when it gets chilly. For a basic t-shirt, I recommend this short-sleeved top SKIMS dupe or these classic tank tops for women. Dylan loves his 32 Degrees Classic Tee that comes in a pack of four. These are perfect for men!

Since Cuenca is a city where people dress a little nicer than other parts of Ecuador, it’s essential to pack a few dressy short sleeves to wear around town. This ribbed knit crew neck would work great for women, and for men, a few linen button-ups are a good place to start.

You’ll want to bring a few long sleeves because it can get slightly chilly at night. This women’s basic long sleeve is perfect for layering, or I always enjoy a nice turtleneck moment. This one-pocket long-sleeve crew neck is another good starting point for men.

It’s always nice to have a lightweight sweater to wear over a tank top or t-shirt on cold or rainy days. I brought a cardigan similar to this one on Amazon and wore it a ton. Dylan opted for a flannel, and this solid-colored one is a good fit for Cuenca vibes.

A fleece or sweater is another item to bring when a flannel or lightweight cardigan isn’t warm enough. This wrangler’s wool quarter-zip is warm and fashionable for men! A cable knit sweater for women is adorable and a great way to look nice around town.

A raincoat might be the most essential clothing item to bring to Cuenca! It rains off and on, especially during the rainy season, but Ecuador is known to have rain showers throughout the year. Check out these Columbia raincoats for women and men on Amazon.

While a rain jacket will keep you warm, I recommend bringing a light jacket for when it’s not raining. While a peacoat is fashionable, I’d recommend a down-jacket. The style is extremely popular in Ecuador, and goosedown packs down nicely and is great for traveling. I brought my Eddie Bauer down jacket. You can find it on Amazon here for women and here for men.

Bottoms

Now that we’ve covered what types of tops to bring, we can move on to bottoms. I beg of you to please leave your athleisure wear at home when visiting Cuenca. Otherwise, you’ll get plenty of weird looks (speaking from experience). However, a pair of jeans and some dressy pants will work fine. Here’s what I recommend:

Everyone wears jeans in Ecuador, so you’ll want to bring at least one pair. They’re perfect for blending in and for casual days on the town. I prefer a high-quality pair of Levi’s, as does Dylan. You can find relaxed straight Levi’s for men here. 

While it’s nice to bring jeans to blend in, sometimes they’re just too uncomfortable. I prefer to pack a pair of comfortable joggers that still look nice, and Dylan will wear his prAna stretch slim-fit pants. These are especially nice for travel days!

One way to dress up an outfit is to bring fashionable pants! I’ve found that a nice pair of pants does an entire outfit justice. There are many ways to do this as a woman, including a classy skirt, dress, dress pants, or flowy linen pants. For men, a nice pair of khakis or linen pants!

It is very uncommon to see anyone in Cuenca sporting shorts, so take this recommendation lightly! If you aren’t too concerned with fitting in, you can bring a nice pair of shorts for warm days. I wore Columbia khakis and linen shorts, which still look nice, but I did get some weird looks. Dylan sported his prAna khakis as well. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Shoes

Now that you’ve got a good base, we can talk about the type of shoes you can wear! You don’t have to go all out for shoes, but you’ll want to ensure that the ones you bring are comfortable and sturdy because of the cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks. Additionally, you might consider bringing hiking boots or shoes if you plan on hiking in Cajas National Park.

Let’s start with comfortable, everyday walking shoes. If you’re looking for something comfortable and a pair that will match everything, these women’s Nike Air Max shoes worked wonders for me in Europe! Dylan wore the Adidas Men’s Daily 2.0 sneakers, though he didn’t find them as comfortable. Everyone wears sports shoes in Ecuador, so you’ll fit right in with Nike, Adidas, Reeboks, or any other brand.

If you plan on hiking at all during your trip, I recommend finding a high-quality pair of hiking shoes that you can double up as your everyday shoes. This has worked brilliantly for Dylan and me. I own the Merrell Speed Solos, and Dylan has the Brooks Divide 4s.

Note: I didn’t include a lot of hiking gear options, but if you do go on a hike around Cuenca, I recommend using the comfortable everyday pants I referenced, a classic t-shirt, and flannel, and bring your rain jacket and lightweight jacket with you! 

Accessories

Now that we’ve covered the essential clothing to pack, we can discuss some of the accessories you might take on your trip! I find that accessorizing can add a lot to an outfit, especially when you’re trying to style simple pieces. Accessorizing can also keep you warm or protected from the sun, so it’s something to consider!

A beautiful scarf can add character to your outfit while keeping you warm! I think this vintage scarf on Amazon is adorable, but you can also find a ton of scarfs in Cuenca while you’re there if you don’t want to pack one in your luggage!

I love having all my earrings, a watch, bracelets, and necklaces on the go. Everybody has different jewelry preferences, so I won’t recommend what jewelry to bring. However, I will say that this travel jewelry binder is perfect for packing all my jewelry with me, even as a backpacker!

During the day, Cuenca gets toasty, and it’s nice to have a hat with you to protect yourself from the sun. If you’re considering bringing a full-brim hat, I really like my Sunday Afternoon Havana Hat (unisex). Otherwise, a nice baseball cap always goes with any outfit, and you can find a few vintage distressed ones here (unisex).

I can’t think of anything worse than forgetting your sunglasses before a sunny day exploring the town! If you end up forgetting to bring your sunglasses, don’t stress! There will be plenty of opportunities to buy some in Cuenca for cheap!

This item is optional because a rain jacket will work completely fine, but if you dislike the rain, you can bring an umbrella (especially during the rainy season). This Gorilla Grip one on Amazon is lightweight and compacts down nicely. Otherwise, you can buy one while there if you think you’ll need one!

If you’re going to be hiking or your ears tend to get chilly in the cold, I recommend bringing a bandana or buff! I like to use my buff as a headband because it is an effective way to stay warm and fashionable simultaneously! I recommend the one I have, this wool Smartwool buff.

Extras

Now we can get into the extras. Some of these are optional, but they are all helpful in their unique ways. Whether or not you bring these items will also depend on the type of traveler you are.

Do you want to visit the hot springs? Will you be staying in hostels? Is your idea of a fun day simply exploring the town? Read on to learn more about why these items are helpful to bring!

I realize I didn’t include packing your underwear (and bras) previously, but I figured it should be a given! However, if you are using this blog post as a checklist, this is your sign to bring seven pairs of undies!

Dylan and I like the brand ExOfficio for travel underwear because they’re super comfortable, odor-repelling, and quick-drying. You can find them on Amazon here (men/women). As for bras, I’d bring one sports bra and two regular bras.

Hear me out when I say this. Socks can make or break your trip! A bad pair of socks could take you out of commission for a few days! We recommend bringing high-quality socks so you can continue exploring without any issues. We like the Merrell Everyday Socks (unisex) and SmartWool socks for going on hikes.

If you plan on taking a day trip from Cuenca to the area’s hot springs, don’t forget to bring a swimsuit! There are many hot springs in the nearby city of Baños de Cuenca. Choose between a spa, thermal pool, or a combination of the two options! One of my biggest regrets from my trip was not going!

I advocate wearing sunscreen daily to protect yourself from the sun, even if it’s cloudy. However, being on the equator, the sun in Ecuador is hot. We highly recommend bringing sunscreen to avoid getting sunburnt. My favorite is the Native unscented (travel size), or if you like higher-end dermatology products, I like this La Roche Posay Anthelios Fluid Sunscreen.

A purse completes the outfit, no? I like the brands Travelon and Bagallini for travel purses. Both brands make purses that are lightweight and anti-theft. Many of their purses have RFID-blocking properties, protecting your IDs on the go. However, if you want something more discrete, I like carrying a coin purse to hold my bills, coins, and cards.

If you’ll be staying in hostels, I recommend buying luggage locks. You can lock your bags in hostel storage or lock your bag zippers while on buses or planes for peace of mind. We like these TSA-approved ones. They have flexible cords to lock up your belongings without the hassle.

Climate in Cuenca, Ecuador

Great! Now that we’ve covered everything you’ll need to figure out what to wear in Cuenca, Ecuador, let’s discuss the climate. After all, the climate impacts what you decide to pack. However, the temperatures stay around the same year-round. You can expect lows in the forties and highs in the sixties. The main difference is the rainy season versus the dry season.

Dry Season: June to December

If you’re wondering what to wear in Cuenca, Ecuador, during the dry season, you’ll experience less rain, but that’s not to say you won’t see any. If you are visiting during the winter (September, October, November, or December), I’d recommend still packing a rain jacket to be safe (but you can probably leave the umbrella at home).

Since these months are a tad chillier, you might want to bring more long sleeves than short sleeves, especially if you run cold. Additionally, you might consider a scarf or bandanna to keep warm! I even packed some lightweight gloves and wore them around town when we roamed the streets at night, scoping out a spot for dinner!

Rainy Season: January to May

If you are wondering what to wear in Cuenca, Ecuador, during the wet season (like March), continue to focus on packing layers, but don’t forget to bring your rain jacket. This packing list still applies, but since it’s the rainy season, it’s the warmer part of the year. You might consider bringing an umbrella, sunhat, and sunscreen for extra protection against the elements!

From personal experience, traveling during the rainy season doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll rain all day. Usually, it means that it’ll rain for short bursts throughout the day or in the evening, so it never hindered our plans too much. As long as you prepare, traveling to Cuenca during the rainy season shouldn’t be a problem!

Note: The only trouble we had during Ecuador’s rainy season was when we took buses from city to city through mountainous regions. Ecuador is prone to landslides during the rainy season, so if you plan on traveling to different places by bus, check the weather and try to travel during the day if possible!

Wrapping Up: What To Wear in Cuenca, Ecuador

There you have it! An all-comprehensive guide on what to wear in Cuenca, Ecuador. This blog post covered everything to pack, from tops, bottoms, accessories, and extras based on your length of trip, luggage type, and type of travel. Don’t forget your undergarments, sunglasses, sunscreen, and rain jacket!

If you’re traveling during the rainy season (from January to May), bring your raincoat and umbrella if you want extra protection. Despite being rainy, it is the warmer part of the year, and you might opt for lighter clothing, sunglasses, a sunhat, and sunscreen, but don’t forget to pack layers!

If you’re going during the dry season, pack warmer items since it is the chillier part of the year. You might bring a scarf, bandanna, or lightweight gloves to stay warm during the evenings. No matter when you go, try to pack a few of your most-worn wardrobe colors and add neutrals so your tops will match all your bottoms!

We hope you have a fantastic time exploring Cuenca. It was a city we enjoyed getting to know, and we hope you enjoy it just as much (if not more) than we did. Happy travels!