New bike tours on the Barranco announced

A 13-kilometer bicycle tour is one of Cuenca’s newest tourist attractions, according to the city’s tourism foundation.

The tour begins beside the Tomebamba River, on Paseo Tres de Noviembre in the El Vado area of the historic district, and concludes in Parque Paraiso. The average tour time will be four hours, the foundation says.

The foundation is working with local tour agencies to develop guided tours, with early morning rides to include stops for bird-watching. One agency, Terra Diversa on Calle Larga, is already offering a riverside tour for $49, which includes bicycle and helmet.

The city has increased the presence of the citizen guard along the route to provide tourist information and security, according to plans.

The tour route includes the area recently awarded the international Jean-Paul L’Allier prize given by the Organization of World Heritage Cities for conservation of historic areas.