Highlights of Guatemala
- Browse the market stalls at Chichicastenango
- One of the most popular and colourful market towns in Guatemala, Chichicastenango comes alive on market days with a mix of vendors and shoppers. Well known for textiles, the market also presents an opportunity to try local food.
- Browse the market stalls at Chichicastenango
- 14.942960
- -91.110477
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Cool off in the waters of Semuc Champey
- Difficult to reach and off the beaten track, there's nothing more rewarding than cooling off in the clear turquoise and emerald green pools after the long journey and looking out over the sprawling jungle beyond.
- Cool off in the waters of Semuc Champey
- 15.572195
- -89.974937
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Discover ancient Mayan ruins at Tikal
- Walking through the rainforest in the early morning mist as the jungle comes to life and the ancient temples of Tikal come into sight, rising eerily above the forest canopy, is an experience like no other.
- Discover ancient Mayan ruins at Tikal
- 17.221315
- -89.623203
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Explore the cobbled streets of Antigua
- Antigua is one of the most atmospheric cities in Central America - cobbled streets, colonial houses, colourful Mayan women chatting in the plaza washing their linen, beautiful churches and a view of volcano peaks and azure skies.
- Explore the cobbled streets of Antigua
- 14.555506
- -90.733080
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Take in the views across Lake Atitlan
- There is something very special about looking out across the shores of Lake Atitlan, with its backdrop of volcanoes, as the power of the sun and wind play across its waters creating a mesmerising display of changing colour and light.
- Take in the views across Lake Atitlan
- 14.706818
- -91.189957
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Taste the local tapado at Livingston
- A cultural melting pot, Livingston is home to a mix of Spanish, Mayan and Garifuna cultures. If the boat trip from Rio Dulce to Livingston is not reason enough to visit then the local dish of tapado, a delicious fish stew, is!
- Taste the local tapado at Livingston
- 15.826650
- -88.749275
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Visit Comalapa Market
- If you wish to venture away from the beaten track and visit a market not normally seen by tourists, then the authentic and colourful Comalapa Market comes highly recommended.
- Visit Comalapa Market
- 14.740853
- -90.886974
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Visit the animal market at San Francisco El Alto
- Something not to be missed on a visit to San Francisco El Alto is the animal market. This chaotic gathering of local people and their livestock is a spectacle of bartering and haggling at its best!
- Visit the animal market at San Francisco El Alto
- 14.940307
- -91.447964
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Watch the horse races at Todos Santos
- This small, remote rural town comes alive on the 1st November to celebrate the ‘Day of the Dead’. Local men from surrounding villages compete in a very colourful and lively horse race that lasts throughout of the day.
- Watch the horse races at Todos Santos
- 15.830490
- -91.144037
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
- Watch the sunset at Yaxha
- This little-known site is the perfect place to watch a Mayan crimson sunset from atop a crumbling temple overlooking pristine jungle whilst being serenaded by the howls of monkeys.
- Watch the sunset at Yaxha
- 17.058221
- -89.383478
- Guatemala
- 17.8152236938477
- -88.2231903076172
- 13.7373008728027
- -92.2363052368164
Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Guatemala - here are a few of their favourite things to do
Guatemala, ‘the soul of the earth’ as it is known, is an awe-inspiring country.
Diversity
Despite its compact size it is incredibly diverse, with wonderful cobbled-street towns oozing colonial charm, impressive Mayan ruins hidden deep in lowland jungle and delightful traditional villages with brightly coloured markets.
Natural highlights
You will find natural beauty, with highland lakes ringed by perfect volcanic cones, both Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, a rugged limestone plateau honeycombed with great caves, and miles of jungle teeming with tropical wildlife and beautiful birds.
Cultural highlights
From the mountain cultures bright in traditional dress to the funky Garifuna community along the Caribbean coast, the Guatemalan people are fascinating and friendly. At its heart the beautiful UNESCO protected town of Antigua is a delightful pocket of colonial architecture with flashes of highland culture and clothing, a prime place to learn Spanish or explore cobbled streets.
Authentic experience
The many years of upheaval in the country have protected Guatemala from mass tourism, deflecting visitors into the more stable resorts of Mexico, and the Guatemalan’s spiritual nature and strong sense of tradition have helped them through to the present day: it touches the heart unlike any other country in Central America.
Popular Places to visit in Guatemala
Recognised and protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Antigua is one of the most atmospheric cities in Central America.
View place
The two hour drive heading west from Antigua leads through the central highlands, dotted with colourful traditional villages to the stunning Lake Atitlán.
View place
To really get off the beaten track in Guatemala, travel east to the Rio Dulce, board a boat and head downstream, eventually arriving in Livingston on the shores of the Caribbean.
View place
The north of Guatemala, known as El Petén, is an area of lush lowland jungle whose depths conceal countless Mayan ruins, half-buried and entwined by tree-roots and lianas.
View place
West from Lake Atitlán, a mountainous landscape separates many small market towns and villages, a physical barrier that allows each to develop and maintain its own character and culture.
View place
Practical Info
Flight time from UK
Approx. 13 hours (via the USA or Europe)
When To Go
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Other countries in Central America, Mexico & Cuba:
BelizeCosta RicaCubaHondurasMexicoNicaraguaPanama