Towns and Villages

San Pedro de Pelileo has become a hotspot for the production of artisan products as well as being an industrial textile center producing denim clothes. The community of Salasaca, famous for their woolen and sisal rugs and wall hangings, is also a popular tourist destination . Píllaro, to the northeast of the province, is the gateway to the mysterious Llanganates and is famous for its pear, peach, and plum crops. Patate is also a large agricultural center producing delicious avocados, babacos, tree tomatoes, mandarins, limes, and grapes.  San José de Chimbo (20 km from Guaranda) is famous for its skilled craftsmen who handcraft guitars as well as fireworks. Chimbo has a museum dedicated to the story of Christ's shroud and the locals worship the El Guayco Virgin. Near Chillanes (67 km from Guaranda) you can visit the archaeological remains of the Chillanes tribe and in San Miguel, the Guardias Caves (10 minutes from town) and the Virgin of Lourdes Grotto (20 minutes from town) are a must-see for tourists. Guano, ten minutes from Riobamba, is an important handicraft center known its wool and carpet weavings. Guamote, 40 km from Riobamba, has the highest concentration of indigenous population in the country and is also famous for its colonial architecture as well as for its woolen and sisal handicrafts as is bustling Alausí, a two-hour drive from Riobamba. Outdoor sports enthusiasts will enjoy fishing at nearby Lake Ozogoche and trekking in Chunchi, where wildlife abounds in the dense vegetation . Visitors to this region also enjoy visiting churches and early colonial homes in Cajabamba and the church at La Balbanera - the oldest Spanish-built structure in the area.