Riobamba and the Devil's Nose!
Sultan of the Andes
Riobamba describes itself as the "Sultan of the Andes" - perhaps a slightly grand name for a provincial Ecuadorean city, but it's a pleasant, lively enough sort of a place which straddles the main route south between Quito and Cuenca.
The original settlement at Riobamba was an indigenous Purhuá town which was conquered first by the Incas and then by the Spanish, who founded the original city of Riobamba in 1530 - the first city in Ecuador, as locals are quick to point out!
The first Spanish town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1797, however, and it was rebuilt on its current, more stable site. This complex historical and cultural makeup is still evident today and you are more conscious of being in the Andes, and more likely to hear Quechua spoken here than in probably any other city in Ecuador.
The Devil's Nose
One of the main reasons most people visit Riobamba is that it's the base for the famous Devil's Nose train ride. The Devil's Nose (el Nariz del Diablo in Spanish) is the name given to one particularly vertiginous switchback on what was the main rail line between Quito and Loja. Today, almost all of this railway line has closed apart from the short section between Riobamba and Alausi, which includes this famous descent.
Today you can travel down this section of track, getting some great views along the way, particularly if you opt for the more adventurous option of riding the train on the roof!
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