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Despite being the largest Central American country, Guatemala somehow flies under the radar. Which is astonishing when you start to itemise its attractions: thrilling Maya pyramids, charming colonial architecture, towering volcanoes, black sand beaches, and incredible food. All of this is packed into a compact country with Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, which is easy to navigate and exceptionally welcoming.
Antigua Guatemala: Colonial charm and cobblestone streets
Start your trip in Antigua Guatemala, the most beautiful colonial city in the Americas, located an easy hour-or-so drive from Guatemala City’s international airport. UNESCO-listed since the 1970s, Antigua Guatemala’s historic centre is a riot of colour: powder-blue and terracotta houses, lemon-yellow churches, and the deep, glorious greens of the Mesoamerican Jade Museum.
Bustling and close-quartered, it is a place to explore on foot. You can spend days wandering down its cobblestone streets, ducking into beautiful stores selling fabrics woven by local indigenous women, or exploring the temples of once-mighty Dominican monasteries destroyed by the Santa Marta earthquake in 1773.
Lake Atitlán: Volcanic vistas and Maya heritage
From Antigua Guatemala, head west to Lake Atitlán, which, with its volcano-ringed waters, is thought by many to be the most magnificent lake in the world. It’s a brilliant setting for hiking and sunrise kayaking, but it’s also somewhere to immerse yourself in local culture. Options range from taking part in weaving workshops with Tz’utujil and Kaqchikel Maya artisans to heading out with a herbalist for a plant-identification lesson, or learning how to roast and grind cacao beans.
Chichicastenango: Vibrant markets and artisan crafts
Those on the hunt for unique, handcrafted objects to take home should head next to Chichicastenango, a vibrant town in the country’s highlands. On Thursdays and Sundays, the town hosts a huge open-air indigenous market where local artisans gather from surrounding villages to sell handcrafted masks, incense, intricate woodcarvings, and huipiles – the traditional embroidered blouses worn by Maya women.
Petén and Tikal: Jungle biospheres and ancient Maya wonders
From there, head back to Guatemala City and take a short domestic flight to Flores airport in the northernmost region of Petén. As the heartland of the ancient Maya civilization, northern Petén is a vast biosphere reserve – home to jaguars, pumas, and more than 200 species of trees – where the dense jungle is studded with magnificent temples.
The most dramatic of these are the temples at Tikal, a major pre-Columbian metropolis and ceremonial centre that could have housed up to 100,000 people at its peak in the 7th century. Superbly well-preserved, the vast site offers an unparalleled insight into the sophistication of Maya culture and stands as one of the world’s great archaeological treasures.
Flores: Island dining and sunset views
The historic town of Flores is much more than simply a gateway to the jungle. A dense island town surrounded by the beautiful Lake Petén Itzá, its narrow streets are filled with colourful buildings and plant-filled restaurants offering stunning views of the water for spectacular sunset dinners.
Flores is just one of many brilliant places to eat in Guatemala, where the local cuisine combines Spanish, Caribbean, and indigenous influences to create something entirely its own. The diverse and dynamic food scene includes everything from hole-in-the-wall joints serving stuffed pimiento peppers and pepián – the national dish of a thick, spiced meat stew served with rice and warm maize tortillas – to modern fine dining in Guatemala City, featuring epic tasting menus that celebrate regional cooking.
And of course, Guatemala is the birthplace of chocolate, and there are plenty of boutique places in which to sample authentic taste of single-origin artisanal chocolate.
Getting there
Expanding flight connections mean Guatemala is increasingly accessible from the UK, with simple, short-layover routes to Guatemala City available via Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Montreal and Toronto.
To find out more and start planning your perfect Guatemala holiday, discover some amazing tours with Journey Latin America and Much Better Adventures