El Petén
The most significant temple in Grupo E, Templo E-VII-Sub is among the earliest intact temples excavated at the site, with foundations going back perhaps…
Must-see attractions in Guatemala
Guatemala
This space is like a museum, market and workshop all rolled into one, with exhibits on regional outfits and daily demonstrations of backstrap weaving…
Tikal
Templo VI is one of the few temples at Tikal to bear written records. On the rear of its 12m-high roofcomb is a long inscription – though it will take…
Chichicastenango
Be sure to admire the mural that runs alongside the wall of the town hall on the east side of the plaza – it’s dedicated to the victims of the civil war…
Guatemala City
Inside Museo Popol Vuh you'll find well-displayed pre-Hispanic figurines, incense burners and burial urns, plus carved wooden masks and traditional…
Chichicastenango
On the way down the hill to the shrine at Pascual Abaj, you might stop into this interesting gallery. Developed as an art institute for local children…
Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango's enormous cemetery is a pleasant and fascinating green space for a walk. To the left of the main entrance, visit the grave of the gypsy…
Tikal
Templo V is a remarkably steep structure (57m high) that was built sometime between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. It consists of seven stepped platforms…
Lago de Atitlán
The remnants of the Kaqchiquels’ 15th-century capital stand some 15km due east of Lago de Atitlán. The ‘palaces’ and temples uncovered here are modest in…
Guatemala
Perched on a hillside overlooking the Panchoy valley, this is a well-managed organic farm that's packed with small pleasures. Tours are given of a…
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
Antigua
Dating from 1549, the palace was colonial headquarters for all of Central America, from Chiapas to Costa Rica, until the capital was relocated in 1776…
Quetzaltenango
This wooded hill is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers, for its wonderful views across Xela's broad plain and to the volcanos that fringe it…
Tikal
To the west of the Acrópolis del Sur is this broad grassy plaza, reached via a path to its southern edge. Built in the Late Classic Period, the seven…
Quetzaltenango
An interesting if chaotic collection of some 400 paintings by Guatemala's leading modernists is exhibited here, including works by Efraín Recinos, Jorge…
Antigua
The fascinating Museo del Libro Antiguo showcases the greatest hits of the early days of Guatemalan printing, plus a replica of Guatemala's first printing…
San Marcos La Laguna
This nature reserve is on a sacred hill west of San Marcos village. Well-maintained pebbly trails lead to swimming areas with shelters by the bank and a…
El Petén
The trio of pyramidal temples at the North Acropolis are built atop older structures dating back to 100 BC. Comprising of seven platforms, the…
Antigua
Well worth the ascent, Cerro de la Cruz provides fine views looking south over town toward Volcán Agua. The prominent cross at the head of the lookout…
Chichicastenango
On the west side of the plaza, this whitewashed church is similar in form and function to Santo Tomás, but smaller. Ceremonies go on continually in front…
Tikal
Templo II, also known as the Temple of the Masks, was at one time almost as high as Templo I, but it now measures only 38m without its roofcomb. It's best…
Quetzaltenango
This museum is devoted to Maya weaving, with traditional outfits arranged by region. Director Raquel García is an expert on the symbols and meanings of…
Antigua
Displaying works by more than 70 Guatemalan artists in the halls and patio of a colonial mansion, Antigua's premier art gallery merits an extended visit…
El Petén
This impressive sight is also impressively hard to get to, requiring 4x4-only driving or horses. Nakum was a significant port on the Holmul river, a…
Guatemala City
North of Zona 1, Zona 2 is mostly a middle-class residential district, but it's worth venturing along to Parque Minerva to see this huge open-air map of…
Central & Eastern Guatemala
A massive structure that has resisted the power of earthquakes for almost 250 years, the basilica is approached through a pretty park and up a wide flight…
Central & Eastern Guatemala
Despite the sticky heat and (sometimes) bothersome mosquitoes, Quiriguá is a wonderful place. The giant stelae on the Gran Plaza (Great Plaza) are all…
Antigua
Antigua's municipal cemetery, southwest of the market and bus terminal, is a conglomeration of tombs and mausoleums decked with wreaths, exotic flowers…
El Petén
When they were discovered in 1979, these caves created a stir in the archaeological world. Measuring 3km long, they're packed with hieroglyphic texts and…
Parque Ecoturístico Cascadas de Tatasirire
Central & Eastern Guatemala
Set on 15 hectares of heavily forested valley overlooking Jalapa, this private reserve features 6km of well-signposted walking trails, taking in the small…
El Petén
This ruin, deep in the jungles of Laguna del Tigre, has several important Classic-period structures and stelae. Carvings here have led archaeologists to…
Caribbean Coast
On the north side of the lake, between Río Dulce and El Estor, this tourist spot is in an incredibly beautiful jungle setting. Here, a wide, hot waterfall…
Antigua
This church is imbued with the spirit of Hermano Pedro de San José de Bethancourt, a Franciscan monk who founded a hospital for the poor in Antigua and…
Central & Eastern Guatemala
The 1650m Volcán de Ipala is notable for its especially beautiful clear crater-lake measuring nearly 1km around and nestled below the summit at 1493m. The…
Central & Eastern Guatemala
About 10km east of the village of Quetzaltepeque, this volcano tops out at 1900m. The walk to the top is tough going – through thick subtropical pine…
Cobán
Orchid lovers and even the orchid-curious should not miss the wonderfully informative guided tour of this orchid sanctuary just off the highway to Cobán…
Guatemala City
This is one of the city's more intriguing museums, with lots of photos and interesting memorabilia from the train days of old. Documented here are the…
El Petén
The second-largest stela in the Maya world can be viewed amid a protected jungle zone at the remains of a Late Classic Maya kingdom, an hour's walk (7km)…
Colección Dr Juan Antonio Valdés
El Petén
The collection on display here, on the north side of the airstrip, holds a remarkable wealth of Maya pottery from Uaxactún, Yaxhá and as far away as…
Caribbean Coast
This beautiful, lushly vegetated canyon abutting the tiny Maya settlement of the same name is about 6km east of El Estor. Pay your Q10 entry fee, and for…
Cobán
You can get a fine view over the town from this church atop a long flight of stairs at the north end of 7a Av. Indigenous people leave offerings at…
