Quito.

Quito is one of South America's most dramatic capitals, strung along an Andean valley at 2,850 metres with volcanoes on the horizon and a spectacularly preserved colonial old town at its heart. Home to strong universities like the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, it offers affordable living, warm locals and superb Spanish immersion. It's an ideal base for exploring Ecuador's astonishing range, from the Amazon to the Galapagos, on a student budget.

• The Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in the leafy Cumbaya valley, is Ecuador's leading private university.
• At 2,850 metres, Quito is the second-highest capital in the world, so allow a few days to acclimatise.

Student nightlife has long centred on La Mariscal, the bar-and-club district nicknamed Gringolandia, though many students now prefer the more relaxed, bohemian scene of La Floresta, with its cafes, indie cinema and craft beer. Weekends often mean heading out of the city to hike a volcano or soak in hot springs. Because English is patchy, diving into Spanish quickly is the fastest route into local social life.

• La Floresta is the go-to district for cafes, the Ocho y Medio cinema and a laid-back bar scene.
• La Ronda in the old town comes alive at weekends with music, canelazo and traditional food.
• Ask the Quito group on Studcasa which language exchanges and hiking meet-ups are worth joining.

Ecuador uses the US dollar, and Quito is refreshingly cheap by European standards. Budget around $550 to $900 a month all-in, with a set-menu almuerzo lunch costing as little as $3 and rooms in shared flats very affordable. Your biggest variable is how much you travel at weekends, since Ecuador's sights are spread across the country.

• A three-course almuerzo (set lunch) runs $3 to $4 at neighbourhood spots; use it as your main meal.
• Rooms in shared flats in La Floresta or La Carolina typically run $250 to $450 a month.

Students gravitate to La Floresta and La Mariscal for their central, walkable feel, or to Cumbaya if they study at USFQ and want to be near campus, though it's a valley bus ride from the centre. The Gonzalez Suarez and La Carolina areas are safer, more modern and close to the metro. Most rentals are found through word of mouth and local Facebook groups rather than formal agencies.

• La Floresta and La Mariscal for a central base; Cumbaya if you're studying at USFQ.
• Search Facebook groups like Departamentos y Cuartos en Quito and the Quito group on Studcasa.
• Favour flats near a Metro or Ecovia stop to cut down on Quito's long north-south commutes.

Quito stretches long and thin, so getting around means the transit spine: the new Metro Line 1, opened recently, runs the length of the city, complemented by the Trole and Ecovia bus rapid transit corridors and countless buses. Fares are tiny, often around 35 cents. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Cabify are cheap and the safest option after dark, when you should avoid empty buses.

• Metro Line 1 runs north to south for around 45 cents; it's the fastest way across the city.
• Use Uber or Cabify at night; they're cheap and safer than flagging taxis or late buses.
• Top up a transit card for the Trole and Ecovia bus corridors.

Quito's leading universities are the private Universidad San Francisco de Quito, known for its US-style liberal-arts model and Cumbaya campus, and the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador in the centre, both popular with exchange students. The public Universidad Central is the country's largest. Teaching is mostly in Spanish, so a decent level helps, though USFQ offers some courses in English.

• USFQ teaches some courses in English; PUCE and the public universities run mainly in Spanish.
• Enrol through each university's international office, which arranges orientation and Spanish support.

The rules depend on your passport, so check your own foreign ministry. In practice most EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens enter Ecuador visa-free for 90 days, which technically covers a short stay but not a full semester. For a proper exchange you want the temporary residence visa in the student category, which your host university helps arrange.

Start early: you will need an official acceptance letter, proof you can support yourself, a clean criminal record check and health insurance. You can sometimes enter on the tourist stamp and regularise your status once there, but confirm the current process with your university's international office rather than winging it.

• 90 days visa-free for most Western passports
• Student visa needs acceptance letter, funds proof, insurance
• Get the criminal record check apostilled at home

Ecuadorian food is hearty and cheap: locro de papa (potato-cheese soup), hornado (roast pork), llapingachos and, on the coast side, ceviche and encebollado. The Mercado Central and Mercado de La Floresta are the places to eat like a local, and street snacks like empanadas de viento are everywhere. Culture blends Catholic colonial tradition with strong Indigenous Kichwa influences, especially in music and markets.

• Try locro de papa and hornado at a neighbourhood market like Mercado Central for a few dollars.
• Grab an empanada de viento or a bag of chochos con tostado from street vendors as a cheap snack.

The Centro Historico is the UNESCO-listed colonial heart, beautiful but quiet at night. La Mariscal is the tourist-and-nightlife hub, while neighbouring La Floresta is the arts-and-cafe favourite among students. La Carolina and Gonzalez Suarez to the north are modern, safer and greener, and Cumbaya in the valley is the upscale, campus-adjacent choice for USFQ students.

• La Floresta for cafes and student life; La Carolina for parks, safety and the metro.
• Explore the Centro Historico by day for its churches and plazas, then head north or to La Floresta at night.

Ecuador packs astonishing variety into short distances. The Mitad del Mundo equator monument is under an hour away, the famous Otavalo craft market about two hours north, and the Cotopaxi volcano and its national park a similar drive south. The adventure town of Banos and the Mindo cloud forest, both around two to three hours out, make superb weekend escapes, while the Galapagos are a bucket-list flight away.

• Otavalo's Saturday market, two hours north, is one of South America's largest Indigenous craft markets.
• Cotopaxi National Park, two hours south, offers hiking around one of the world's highest active volcanoes.
• Banos, three hours away, is the go-to for waterfalls, hot springs and adventure sports.

Take altitude seriously in your first few days: rest, drink water and go easy on alcohol until you acclimatise. Learn Spanish fast, because English is limited and it transforms both safety and social life. And stay street-smart, keeping valuables out of sight, using ride apps at night and avoiding quiet areas after dark, as opportunistic theft is the main risk.

• Rest and hydrate for your first two or three days; the altitude affects almost everyone at first.
• Keep your phone out of sight on the street and use Uber or Cabify after dark rather than walking.