Guatemala Favorites

  Street scene in Antigua
by toonsarah
 
  • Street scene in Antigua
      Street scene in Antigua
    by toonsarah
  • Counting money after a sale
      Counting money after a sale
    by toonsarah
  • In San Antonio Popola
      In San Antonio Popola
    by toonsarah
  • Street scene in Petzun, visited with Xavier
      Street scene in Petzun, visited with...
    by toonsarah
  • Market in Santiago Atitlàn
      Market in Santiago Atitlàn
    by toonsarah
 

Most Viewed Favorites in Guatemala

51.

Shopping   Antigua Guatemala

Shopping, Antigua Guatemala

 3 Reviews  If you go to Antigua, Guatemala, do not hesitate in buying some indian handcrafts. It is amazing how racist mexican population is. Despite our indian roots, we are taught since we are children, to... 

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52.

Cathedrals & Cloisters   Antigua Guatemala

Cathedrals & Cloisters, Antigua Guatemala

 10 Reviews  The cathedral located at the east side of the Parque central dates from 1680 after the first one was demolished a few years before. It's certainly not the most beautifull church in town, but it's... 

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53.

Santiago de Los Caballeros   Antigua Guatemala

Santiago de Los Caballeros, Antigua Guatemala

 3 Reviews   Antigua at its height was a very powerful and important city. Spain divided its conquests in the New World into three sections, and the part we now call Central America was all governed from the... 

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54.

Colonial Architecture   Antigua Guatemala

Colonial Architecture, Antigua Guatemala

 7 Reviews  For a nice walk and look at buildings, wander round the streets behind the cathdral on the main square. This is where the nobility had their houses and although you can't go in many of them (some are... 

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55.

Ruins   Antigua Guatemala

Ruins, Antigua Guatemala

 3 Reviews  There's many ruins to look at in Antigua Guatemala, it's absolutely fantastic to see the contrast of colors and the rustic of 'em next to newly sprout bouganvilia flowers.... very common in Guatemala!... 

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56.

El Parque   Antigua Guatemala

El Parque, Antigua Guatemala

 2 Reviews  Hang out in the central park and just watch the people. The park is full of vendors, locals, daytrippers from Guatamala city and foreigners on weekends. Fooling around with the vendors. Bargaining is... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Important Addresses

by AnnaLupilla

- Dirección General de Migración4 Calle 4-37, Zona 9- Control Migratorio 4 Calle 4-55, Zona 9 (next to Parque Industria)- Policia 11 Av. y 4 Calle, Zone 120 Calle, Zone 10- Ministerio Público 7 Av. 11-20, Zona 1Tel.: 2232 4651/8- Ministerio de Gobernación 6 Av. 4-64, Zona 4Tel.: 2362 00 20- Ministerio de RR.EE. 2 Av. 4-17, Zona 10Tel.: 2348 00 00- Dirección General de la Policia Nacional Civil 6 Av. 13-71, Zona 1Tel.: 2232 0221- Dirección General de Aduanas 10 Calle 13-92, Zona 1Tel.: 2238 0651/3- El Correo Av. Reforma 15-24, Zona 9- Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo7 Av. 1-17, Zona 4Tel.: 2331 3075- Western Union:Zentrale 3 Av. 12-59, Zona 9 Tel.: 2360 1737- im Flughafen (Banquetzal)Unicentro (Wechsel von Euro bei Banco Uno) 19 Calle 5-47, Zona 10American Express 12 Calle 0-93, Zona 9, Local 22 Tel.: 2331-7422Lost cheques: 1-800-999-0158 oder (1) 801-964 6665Master Card & Eurocard 7...

Business Hours

by AnnaLupilla

In general shops in Guatemala are open from 8am to noon and 2pm to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, but there are many variations. The little tiendas in my street for example are open until 8 or 9 pm, so is the Supertienda Paiz, as well on Sundays.Many banks are also open like 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday.Official business with government offices is recommended to be done in the morning hours.Bars close around 1pm in the City of Guatemala, and there cannot be found after-parties like elsewhere in the world, despite you organize one yourself.

Customs in Guatemala

by AnnaLupilla

Crossing the border from Mexico to Guatemala by bus you (usually!!!) don’t get controlled by officials. They won´t look seriously in your luggage if so at all. Prepare, though, that at some border points officers want to get tipped: big tip – no search, little tip – big search. The big your anger about mordida may be getting into Guatemala: do always keep it formal!

Guatemala Money!

by saraheg77

The official money in Guatemala is the Quetzal. Plural is Quetzales. I did find it beneficial to change a few dollars in to quetzales, but you could probably use US dollars in most tourist areas. Everything seemed very inexpensive compared to US dollars and I bought a few souvenirs for good prices. As of today, the currency exchange is $1 = 7.89 quetzales, so this picture of the 5 quetzales below is worth less than a dollar. Due to this, they didn't use coin money very much. Mostly paper money

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READ MIGUEL ASTURIAS BEFORE YOU GO!

by vaticanus

Miguel Asturias won the Nobel Laureate in 1967. His novels, such as El Presidente, will prepare your imagination for Guatemala.See what I mean in the brief excerpt below: "The imagination reels. There are reliefs, pyramids, temples in the extinguished city. The damp murmur of the arroyos, voices, crepitations of the intertangling vines, the sound of flapping wings, trickle into the immense sea of silence. Everything palpitates, breathes, exhausting itself in green above the vast roof of Peten." Miguel Angel Asturias, The Mirror of Lida Sal: Tales Based on Mayan Myths & Guatemalan Legends, p. 13-14.

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Spanish Language School

by Karen10019

Academia De Espanol Guatemala - I went to this school.. the teachers are EXCELLENT! the staff is incredibly professional. the prices are great. And if you do a homestay, ask for your own room and you will be taken very well care of. BUT if you are a blonde Female, beware of the principal. HE LOVES BLONDES. ALL OF THEM!!!!! if you want more details you can contact me directly. If you have a hearty personality and a healthy sense of humor, this will not be an issue for you. he's basically harmless if you do not believe ANYTHING he says......

A MACHO WORLD

by vaticanus

UNLESS PROHIBITED, as it is here, Guatemala's male citizens may use almost any available wall for relief ***. THE BILLBOARD above for Belmont cigarettes is typical of the advertising campaigns that blanket the roads nation-wide with light skinned and scantily clad women with marketing messages aimed at Westernized Ladino men. THE UPPER of the two painted notices (apparently more effective than the prohibition on urinating) prohibits drivers (other than Luciano's) from parking their trucks and buses here.*** I have heard claims that in Mexico this custom is a right written into the Constitution (!) Non-citizens may not have the same freedom as citizens.

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Peace and quite

by La_Canchita

Without a doubt my favorite thing about Guatemala is Panajachel (or rather, San Marcos....see below). It is really like another world when you arrive. The city itself is a fairly busy city with people always moving around, buses roaring past and Mayan women following you trying to sell something. However, even though so much (all) is guatemalan in every aspect, there is something particular about Panajachel. Beyond Panajachel is San Marcos, a small town about 20 min ride from Pana. This place is my most favorite of the entire area. It is so quite and so peaceful, you would think that you were in paradise. The posada I stayed in while in San Marcos creates the greatest memories I have of that place. I stayed there a few times and it was amazing everytime. I guess I would say my fondest memory was when Steve and I sent there for the weekend just to 'get away from it all.' (I was living,at...

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Antigua Guatemala

by a005116

Antigua guatemala is a wonderfull colonial city, now cultural heritage of the Unesco, and the former capital of the country. Buildings are restored by lightspeed. While the tourists colonialize the historical city, the real Guatemaltecos have to move to the favelas around the city. The real Guatemalean athmosphere unfortunately disapeared more than anywhere in Guatemala. Although Antigua is a must when you visit the country!

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Guatemala

by a005116

The cultural beauty of the old mayans wich is being reflected on the life of the 'new' mayans, the natural beauty of the Guatemalean highlands, ... together with many other things made me travel to this country. The diversity of the country is big. As well cultural as natural. In the north you find jungle, jungle and jungle while getting to the south you'll et over the highlands before you come on the tropical coasts on the Pacific coast. In the northwest you find a very small caribbean coast, Guatemala got after peace negotiations to force the peace treaty between Guatemala and Belize. However peace between these two nations is now reality, Guatemaleans still claim Belizean territory as theirs. Every Guatemalan map you will see, will show Belize as a province of Guatemala. But the military conflict is past.There was not only a militar conflict with Belize, but also in the country itself...

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Top 3 Hotels in Guatemala

Palacio de Dona Leonor  Antigua Guatemala

 6 Reviews and 43 Opinions  On a business trip we stayed at the Palace Hotel Dona Leonor. I really liked the decoration of the... 

 Hotels in Antigua Guatemala

Jungle Lodge  Parque Nacional Tikal

 4 Reviews and 154 Opinions  We stayed two nights here, choosing it because of its nearness to the ruins. The plan was to be able... 

 Hotels in Parque Nacional Tikal

Barcelo Premium Guatemala City  Guatemala City

 1 Review and 198 Opinions  Nice hotel in a comfortable safe neighborhood in Zone 9. An easy walk to the Los Procures Mall and... 

 Hotels in Guatemala City

Questions and Answers

escapetolife profile photo

Q:  My husband and I want to go to Guatemala for 5 weeks starting the last week of March 2012. We had planned to travel all over and... 

Agraichen profile photo

A: I have two good friends that travel to Guatemala frequently. One supports an orphanage, the other does general social work with kids in the area. Both find the... 

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