Guatemala Travel Guide

Mayan temples dripping with vines—sure. But if you’re feeling blasé about archaeological sites, ancient cultures, tropical rainforests and oh, volcano climbing, you don’t have to cross Guatemala off your list. Beach bums can swing in hammocks and swim with sea turtles in coastal paradise Monterrico. Linguists will love the Spanish schools of crisp, clean Antigua. A shopper? Head to traditional town Chichicastenango and cruise for crafts at the biggest and oldest market in Central America. Those in need of a long exhale will find room to breathe in the picture-perfect villages of volcanic Lake Atitlan. Even sprawling and smoggy Guatemala City has something to offer—the country’s best museums, which feature everything from pre-Hispanic artifacts to cutting-edge contemporary art. Want to experience the Guatemala culture of today? Eat fiambre and fly giant kites in Santiago Sacatepequez’s Dia de los Muertos celebrations. And if that gets boring, there’s always the awe-inspiring, dumb-founding, jaw-dropping Mayan ruins. Watch the sun rise over massive Tikal, soak in the imposing sculpture of Quirigua, and relive your favorite moments of the television show Survivor at Yaxha. But only, you know, if you have time.