Editor’s note: Guatemala is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I’ve been to Tikal twice - once in each of my trips to the country. I’d happily go again. (You can read my latest article about the place here.) Like writer Sam Spector, I am always amazed visiting ruins of the great…
After two trips to Guatemala totaling nearly six weeks, and time spent in four major areas of the country, I feel like I’ve gotten the hang of this place a bit. It is a country that offers something for everyone: history, natural beauty, good food, wonderful people, and so much more! But as with any…
“Guatemala City can largely be ignored other than as a transit hub. Many areas are not safe, traffic is terrible, and unless you love urban jungles, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.” That is how my Ultimate Guide to Guatemala described the country’s capital following my first trip here. Now, a mere 24 hours…
Before this, my second trip to Guatemala, I didn’t even know that there were highland Mayan kingdoms. I had believed that to see remnants of the Mayan people, one had to journey to the jungles in Guatemala’s north, to the lowland cities of Tikal, Yaxha, and the other classical Mayan city-states in the region. But…
Guatemala is a small country, but one with a mighty culinary footprint. However, despite the terrific cuisine here, few Americans know much - if anything - about Guatemalan food, rather confusing it with regional Mexican dishes. Part of this is understandable. Guatemalan food has a degree of overlap with Mexican cuisine. There are grilled meats…
Aldous Huxley once said, “Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlan is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.” Sitting on a bench overlooking the lake in the town of Panajachel, I take a sip of water…
For those who come to Guatemala to see some Mayan ruins, that experience typically starts and ends at the largest and best excavated of the Mayan cities: Tikal. That is how I spent my first trip to this part of Guatemala back in 2019. And while those prioritizing Tikal are entirely correct to do so…
“Look down, and don’t look up until I tell you,” Erdo says to us. Our small group of six obediently follows the instructions of Erdozain López, our guide, shuffling slowly along the uneven limestone ledge, eyes on our feet. “Ok,” he says. “Look up now.” I know what to expect, having been here once before.…
For many, if not most, visitors to Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala (literally Old Guatemala) is their first stop. The former colonial capital is a touristic center, boasting cool history and architecture, access to stunning natural beauty, and a ton of great shops and restaurants. Many spend just a day or two here, but I’ve now spent…
In 1524, fresh off his victory over the Kaqchikel Maya of the Guatemalan highlands, Pedro de Alvarado established his first colonial capital on top of theirs, Iximche. Uprisings by the conquered population forced a move in 1527, and a new capital was built at the base of Volcan de Agua. That city was destroyed by…