San Miguel de Ibarra is usually referred to as just Ibarra and it is also known by its Quechua name as Impapura. The city was founded in 1606, on the Tahuando river at the foot the the Imbabura Volcano. It was named after Miguel de Ibarra, who was the President of the Royal Audience of Quito at that time.

The city developed rapidly, but much of it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1868.

Ibarra is famous for its helados de paila, which are handmade ice creams. It was first made during Inca times using snow or ice from the nearby Imbabura Volcano. Because of climate change, the volcano no longer has a snow cover and the ice creams are made in freezers. The juices of various fruits are stirred and left to freeze.

Because of Ibarra's elevation of (7,300 ft) in the Ecuadorian Andes, it has a cool and refreshing climate. As a result Ibarra was popular with Europeans during colonial times. In the center of town you'll find cobbled streets, lined with whitewashed colonial buildings, earning it the nickname of the 'White City'.

The church of Iglesia de Santo Dominggo houses a museum with paintings by local artists.

Saturday is market day. Several festivals are held throughout the year, the most important one of which is the Fiesta de los Lagos, which is held during the last weekend of September. On 16 July, the parades of El Pregón and Virgen del Carmen are organized.

There are many hotels in Ibarra, as well as countless clubs, bars and restaurants that are specialized in the local cuisine.

Ibarra is 70 km (43 mi) northeast of Quito. It has railway connections with Otavalo and by means of the Ibarra-San Lorenzo Railway to San Lorenzo on the coast.