Many cities in the world are described in superlatives with the intention of being grandiose, until they seem almost inaccessible: the tallest building, the largest stadium, the largest statue, the most extensive museum ... highlights that astound and overwhelm us, make us feel small. Fortunately, however, there are other cities where those superlatives are cozier, more welcoming, make life easier for us and make us yet another citizen. One of these cities is Quito.

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For example, do you know that Quito has the most pleasant temperature in the world? With an average of 20ºC during the year, it has earned the nickname "city of eternal spring".

This temperature invites you to go for a walk ... and why not do it in the best preserved historic center of America? And that’s according to UNESCO.

In addition, to reinforce this idea of cozy grandeur, we must tell you that you will find low, multicolored houses, wide and shady streets, refreshing and charming gardens ... The only building that dares to defy the sky is the neo-Gothic Basilica of The National Vow; and does it with humility, at only 115 tall.

Quito is the second most populated city in Ecuador, with 2,671,191 inhabitants. Think of other cities like Mexico City or Bogota that have more than 8 million. So you will find the dynamism of a great capital without the agglomerations of a megalopolis.

But Quito has that flavor of the big cities, especially at night. It’s a festive city, full of places to have a good time, of joyful hubbub, of a great diversity in which we find venues specializing in Latin rhythms next to others where rock is a religion, restaurants that range from traditional Ecuadorian cuisine to that of Mongolia... a tapestry that filters the many vivid colors of light and delicately illuminates the monuments we pass.

Quito is at the center of the world, and knows it. Maybe that's why it does not make the fuss that other so-called "world" cities do. It does not need skyscrapers or disproportionate monuments ... only a road that leads precisely to the center of the world.

We have talked about Quito as the center of the world and so we would have to talk about what the true center of Quito is, and perhaps of all Latin America, its Independence square. The place to see and to be seen, the place of the cry that gave provenance to independence... was a square in which there was a humble fountain. It’s food for thought, a David and Goliath, but a David faithful to his roots, a square in which the Goddess of Freedom is always close, and accessible.

As you can see everything in Quito is pure simplicity, hospitality, warmth ... a place where a Spanish class is as close as a chat between friends.

Legend has it, that since 1894, a mouse runs through the streets of Madrid every night. This legend also tells us that it is not just any mouse, but one with gold rimmed glasses and a red purse on his back. Every night since then, all children who have had a tooth fall out place it under their pillow to receive a visit from the elegant Perez the Little Mouse (Ratoncito Pérez).

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And so, for the children of Madrid it’s a cause for joy to lose a tooth, because they know they will receive a little treasure. They themselves clean it and leave it under their pillow, so that when night falls, Ratoncito Pérez will pay a visit and leave coins, or a small toy. This half legend, half story, has been passed down through many generations and is, today, one of the most widespread traditions throughout Spain.

It all began when King Alfonso XIII as a child lost his first tooth. So that he wouldn’t be sad, his mother, the queen, had Father Luis Coloma write a story about the tooth. And he, without knowing the tale would live on in history, invented Ratoncito Pérez, the story of a mouse that collects fallen childrens’ teeth and lived in 8 Arenal Street, Madrid. So next time you’re walking through the center of Madrid, remember to go to the house and discover this great tale.

When leaving the Ratoncito Pérez house/museum, take a walk to Álvarez Gato Street. You may not recognize the name, but if I tell you that it’s where one of the most important works of Spanish literature was born, surely that will intrigue you. Better known as “The Cat’s Alley” (el Callejón del Gato), this is where the famous Spanish writer Valle-Inclán had the protagonist of his renowned book “Bohemian Lights” (Luces de Bohemia) stroll. And this alley is not just any alley. Everyone who passes through will stop before reaching the end. Why? It’s because of a series of curved mirrors that deforms the image of those who look into them. These mirrors are precisely those responsible for Valle Inclán's invention of Esperpento, a literary style in which reality is deformed. A style that was born in Madrid and extended to the rest of the world.

And after all this walking around the city, so enchanting with its culture, literature… why not stop and have something to eat? Without needing to leave the center, you could stop at the Guiness Book of Records’ oldest restaurant in the world. Restaurante Botín, at 17 Cuchilleros Street, was founded in 1725. It’s the perfect place to discover the true flavor of Madrid, and enjoy the typical recipes and the people who gather at the tables. The importance of this place was not lost on authors such as Serna and Benito Pérez Galdós who included it in their works. Even Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Dos Passos, to name just a few, came to enjoy these delicacies of Madrid first hand.

Now you know. Madrid is a city to discover. A city in which, while learning Spanish, you will live one of the most important experiences of your life. Or as Hemingway said, “It is the most Spanish of all cities.”