Guatemala Itinerary 7 Days

If we have a week to visit Guatemala, as soon as we arrive at the international airport of Guatemala City, the gateway to the country, it is convenient to take a shared bus or vanet directly to Antigua, one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Guatemala. All of Latin America strolls through the center to finish dinner at one of the typical Guatemalan food stalls that are installed every afternoon in the Plaza de la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced.

The next day, with tranquility, the best thing is to walk through the cobbled streets of Antigua, visiting the famous Santa Catalina Arch, the Union Tank, the Capuchinas Convent or the Central Plaza, without forgetting to climb the Cerro de la Cruz from where we will depart. have the best views of the city and the volcanoes that surround it. We can also buy some local handicrafts in the famous Mercadito de Antigua next to the ruins of the church and convent of Carmen.

With gigantic volcanic peaks and coffee-covered hillsides as a backdrop to the scattered remains of the Spanish occupation, the former capital of Guatemala is an attractive place to learn Spanish, and a population from around the world comes to Antigua to study in one of the many quality institutes. . Nowhere else in the country is there a great nightlife and culinary scene, along with fabulous souvenir shopping at the markets, a sweet little central square filled with bubbling fountains, and picture-postcard views on every corner.

There are tours that take us to the Pacaya Volcano, suitable for all audiences and hopefully see burning lava. From there or from Antigua we will head to Panajachel, the most touristic town that surrounds Lake Atitlan, to relax in one of its cafes and bars.

Choose to go explore what for many is the most beautiful lake in the world: Lake Atitlán surrounded by three impressive volcanoes, for this we can base ourselves in the town of Panajachel, which has the largest tourist offer in the area. It is best to take early one of the many shared boats that cross the lake connecting the different towns, stopping to visit some of them such as San Pedro de la laguna, one of the most traditional Mayan or San Marcos de la. Laguna, turned into a paradise for backpackers and hippies from all over the world. Don't forget to go to the Panajachel pier to enjoy the sunset. Lake Atitlán offers activities for all types of travelers, from kayaking through its waters to doing one of the most spectacular canopy tours in the world, although the star attraction is the ascent to the San Pedro volcano, which despite its hardness rewards us with breathtaking views. . that we can hardly forget.

The volcanoes of Guatemala, sacred to the Mayans and integral to the country's history, dominate the western horizons of the country and are one of its emblematic features. You can gaze at its vaulted beauty from the comfort of a café in Antigua or on Lake Atitlán, or get up close and climb (at least) one. Favorites include Pacaya, which spews lava, Tajumulco, the highest point in Central America, and San Pedro, with its panoramic views over picturesque Lake Atitlán.

Chichicastenango, or “Chichi” for friends, is the most famous market in Guatemala and is located about two hours away from Panajachel. The big market days are Thursdays and Sundays, although in Guatemala there are really markets always in every city, haha. You can go to Chichi by local transport (the famous chicken bus) or by a shuttle, which is the option that almost everyone usually chooses for the convenience that they take you to and pick you up from Pana for a very reasonable price. We hired a shuttle at one of the local Pana agencies for 75 Q each (about 10 usd) that would take us in the morning and pick us up at noon, more than enough time to tour the market and town from top to bottom.

The Chichi market extends from the central square through all the surrounding streets. In this market, in addition to local products, you can find a lot of crafts and souvenirs (of course, if it is so crowded with tourists that it even loses its charm a bit). In the central square, there are also two very important religious buildings: the church of Santo Tomás and the chapel of Calvary. In both, religious rites of Mayan tradition are performed, which are interesting to see. It reminded us quite of the church of San Juan Chamula in Mexico. You cannot take photos, or try it because you can look for a problem, but you can enter without problem as long as you are respectful.

Another essential place in Chichicastenango is its cemetery, very colorful and nothing like European cemeteries, so it is worth taking a tour of this place, which more than a cemetery evokes a small neighborhood of multicolored houses.

And so far our trip through Guatemala, brief but intense. And we return to Antigua to take the flight to Mexico, beautiful and dear, very dear to us travelers.