Most travelers to Guatemala don’t spend much time in Guatemala City. Yet this metropolis of about three million people, known as the “Cultural Capital of Guatemala,” is both cosmopolitan and colonial, and a good place to indulge in modern luxury after traveling in the provinces. It’s also a great place to experience the country’s culture, with outstanding architecture, textile markets, and Maya artifacts on display in three superb museums.
Both ancient and modern
Guatemala City
Affectionately referred to as “Guate,” Guatemala City was established by settlers hoping they’d found a place amid the surrounding mountains where the shock of earthquakes wouldn’t touch them. Unfortunately, they hadn’t — earthquakes from as early as 1773 up through the 20th century have destroyed much of the colonial architecture that once enhanced the city.
The history of this area goes back long before colonial times, however. Modern Guatemala City sits on top of the 2,000 year-old remains of Kaminaljuyú, once a dominant Maya city state occupied from the pre-classic to the late classic period by groups who controlled the commercial routes of the highlands.
Many believe Kaminaljuyú was one of the first centers where writing was developed. Now all that remains of this ancient city are a few preserved grassy mounds, but you can view fine examples of Maya pottery, stone carvings and other artifacts in Guatemala City’s outstanding museums.
Getting around
We drove into the city through patchwork landscapes of vegetable plantations which gave way to barrio shantytowns that have sprung up along the highway. On the city’s outskirts, we encountered friendly costumed street festival performers who gave us directions.
Driving through middle class neighborhoods, we noticed houses draped in pink bougainvillea flowers entwined with barbed wire, a reminder of Guatemala City’s questionable reputation. We kept our valuables hidden, took taxis at night and had no problems.
The city is divided into 21 zones; everything of interest to visitors can be found in five of them. All distances here are measured from the sizeable Parque Central, also known as Plaza Mayor de la Constitucion. On Sundays this expanse becomes the site of a huge indigenous textile market.
Zona Viva
Zona Viva. Photo credit: Elder99 via Wikimedia Commons.
We spent most of our time in Zone 10, a quieter, more refined area known as Zona Viva, or the “lively zone.” Home to Guatemala City’s elite, Zone 10 is the center of Guatemala City’s nightlife and the arts, and brims with boutiques selling designer fashions, antiques and fine art. It’s also where you’ll find upscale hotels such as the Otelito, the Real Intercontinental, and the Westin Camino Real.
From our mid-priced hotel, the Best Western Stofella, we explored the six or so clubs at Edificio Paseo Plaza, an easy place to club-hop since all the venues are located within one building.
Zona Viva holds the country’s largest concentration of fine restaurants, too, many serving exceptional international and fusion cuisine. Jake’s, for example, is known for its steaks, served by white-jacketed waiters in several dining rooms, and Pecorino serves very good Italian dishes in a pretty outdoor courtyard.
In Zone 10, nature-lovers will enjoy Guatemala City’s Botanical Garden, Jardin Botánico, which has thousands of different species of plants on display, and the city’s La Aurora National Zoo, which includes African savanna, Mesoamerican tropic and Asian subcontinent exhibits, among others.
While Zona Viva is great for a taste of cosmopolitan luxury, you’ll want to venture further to explore markets brimming with Maya handicrafts from all over the country, as well as see some of the city’s colonial architecture.
Guatemalan culture
Map of Guatemala
The 320-room greenish-gray stone National Palace of Culture (Palacio Nacional de la Cultura), for example, located on the northern side of Parque Central, is an ornate National Palace built between 1937 and 1943 for President Jorge Ubico Castañeda. A guided highlights tour allows you to admire the Moorish and neo-classical interior, studded with impressive paintings and sculptures by well-known Guatemalan artists. Especially impressive are the giant stairwell murals by Alfredo Gálvez Suárez that illustrate Guatemalan history.
Also noteworthy is the baroque and neo-classical Cathedral, Catedral Santiago de Guatemala, which stands on the eastern side of Parque Central. It’s a fine example of enduring colonial architecture that has survived the country’s many 20th century earthquakes.
In Zone 4, the blue and white Teatro Nacional, built on the remains of the old Spanish fortress of San José, is worth a visit. With its porthole-like windows, the building resembles an ocean liner, and contains a Greek-style outdoor theater, a small chamber music auditorium and a tiny armament museum.
To shop for Guatemalan handicrafts such as textiles, silver and jade jewelry, and baskets, there is an Artisan Market in Zone 13 with fifty-one vendors selling their wares. And Guatemala City’s Central Market, located in Zone 1 behind the Metropolitan Cathedral, is another place where visitors can buy art and handicrafts such as leather, wood, silver, ceramics and textiles.
For something more unusual, see the one-of-a-kind raised-relief map of the Republic of Guatemala, constructed in 1904 by lieutenant-colonel and engineer Francisco Vela Irrisari. It shows details of the country’s elevation, and a special hydraulic system simulates the currents and distribution of water in Guatemala.
Top museums
The best place to view Guatemalan handicrafts and archaeological artifacts in Guatemala City is in three of its top museums. Two stand inside the verdant grounds of the Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
The Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena, devoted to Maya culture, has a special focus on textiles, and contains a superb collection of huipiles, traditional woman’s loose-fitting tunics, along with details about the weaving process used to make them. The adjacent Museo Popol Vuh de Arqueología features a range of archaeological artifacts including a replica of the Dresden Codex.
Another museum worth visiting is the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, located to the south in Zone 13 in the Parque Aurora, for its impressive collection of Maya art, costumes and jade artifacts.
Day trips from Guatemala City
Lake Atitlan
If you have time for some day trips outside of the city, one of the most popular places to visit is the enchanting colonial city of Antigua. Set amid volcanic peaks covered with pine trees and coffee plantations, Antigua, the country’s formal capital, is as serene as it is beautiful.
Antigua is only a 50-minute ride from Guatemala City, but it deserves a longer visit if possible. If time is short, consider making Antigua your destination and visiting Guatemala City as a day trip instead.
The Azotea Coffee Plantation, located in the town of Jocotenango, is a short distance from Antigua, and a good place to learn the history of coffee and the growing and processing of this favored bean.
And while scenic Lake Atitlán is about an hour and forty-five minute drive from Guatemala City, consider a visit — the lake is so picturesque it’s been called “the closest thing to heaven on earth.” You can find exquisite examples of Maya handiwork at its lakeside village markets. Especially fascinating is a visit to the village of San Antonio Palopo, where you can learn the art of weaving while watching Indians in traditional dress work intricate patterns on Maya looms.
With its combination of contemporary buildings and modern business centers, ancient buildings rooted in customs and traditions, superb museums, bustling shopping and nightlife venues, and central location, Guatemala City is a unique Central American capital well-worth exploring.
Browse day trips from Guatemala City
For more information visit VisitGuatemala.com
- Melody Moser
Exploring Guatemala City by Melody Moser from Viator Travel Blog