Panajachel
A former coffee plantation being reclaimed by natural vegetation, this reserve is 200m past the Hotel Atitlán on the northern outskirts of town. It makes…
Must-see attractions in The Highlands
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Chichicastenango
Some villagers still walk for hours carrying their wares to reach Chichi's market, one of Guatemala's largest and a highlight of many people's trips to…
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Panajachel
Overflowing with art by Guatemalan painters and sculptors, this gallery functions as both an exhibit space and cultural center, hosting lectures, films…
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Chichicastenango
This church on the plaza's east side dates from 1540 and is often the scene of rituals that are more distinctly Maya than Catholic. Inside, the floor of…
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Chichicastenango
On a hilltop south of town, Pascual Abaj (Sacrifice Stone) is a shrine to the Maya earth god Huyup Tak'ah (Mountain Plain). A stone-faced idol stands amid…
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Centro Intercultural de Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango's railroad station, 1km east of the Templo de Minerva along 4a Calle, lay dormant for many years until the city converted it into this…
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Quetzaltenango
Most of Xela's sights crowd in and around the broad central plaza. It's a great place for a stroll or to sit and people-watch. It was originally two…
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Chichicastenango
Be sure to admire the mural that runs alongside the wall of the town hall on the east side of the plaza – it’s dedicated to the victims of the civil war…
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Chichicastenango
On the way down the hill to the shrine at Pascual Abaj, you might stop into this interesting gallery. Developed as an art institute for local children…
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Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango's enormous cemetery is a pleasant and fascinating green space for a walk. To the left of the main entrance, visit the grave of the gypsy…
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Lago de Atitlán
The remnants of the Kaqchiquels’ 15th-century capital stand some 15km due east of Lago de Atitlán. The ‘palaces’ and temples uncovered here are modest in…
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Quetzaltenango
This wooded hill is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers, for its wonderful views across Xela's broad plain and to the volcanos that fringe it…
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Quetzaltenango
An interesting if chaotic collection of some 400 paintings by Guatemala's leading modernists is exhibited here, including works by Efraín Recinos, Jorge…
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San Marcos La Laguna
This nature reserve is on a sacred hill west of San Marcos village. Well-maintained pebbly trails lead to swimming areas with shelters by the bank and a…
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Chichicastenango
On the west side of the plaza, this whitewashed church is similar in form and function to Santo Tomás, but smaller. Ceremonies go on continually in front…
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Quetzaltenango
This museum is devoted to Maya weaving, with traditional outfits arranged by region. Director Raquel García is an expert on the symbols and meanings of…
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Panajachel
Pana's cultural center started life as one of the first hotels on the lake, built by a Swedish countess in 1948. Now it holds a radio station, Japanese…
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Quetzaltenango
Rising incongruously from an island in the middle of traffic-choked 4a Calle, this temple was erected by dictator Estrada Cabrera to honor the Roman…
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Panajachel
The colonial-era church is the heart of old Panajachel. Its extremely broad stone facade, with four tiers of windows between double columns, resembles a…
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Quetzaltenango
The church that lends its name to the neighborhood west of the center was built four centuries ago on a rise to avoid Xela's periodic flooding. Check out…
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Quetzaltenango
The ornately carved facade of the Iglesia del Espíritu Santo marks the site of the original 1532 construction, which was pulverized by the quakes of 1853…
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Chichicastenango
Even on non-market days, the covered market on the north side of the square buzzes with activity. The fresh produce on display is a reflection of…
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Quetzaltenango
This monumental arch that greets all visitors on the road into Xela commemorates the 1897 Quetzalteca Revolution, a short-lived uprising in the city…
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Quetzaltenango
The natural history museum holds a hodgepodge of Maya artifacts, vintage photos, dried leaves, old coins, marimbas, sports trophies, stuffed mammals and…
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Chichicastenango
Chichi's archaeology museum holds the collection of Hugo Rossbach, a German who served as the town's Catholic priest until his death in 1944. It includes…
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Panajachel
Inside the Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo, this museum has displays on the history of the Atitlán region and the volcanic eruptions that created its…
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San Pedro La Laguna
This museum focuses on the history of the Tz'utujil people and geology of the region, with a film on the formation of the lake and an interesting gallery…
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Quetzaltenango
The Municipalidad, at the northeastern end of the park, was rebuilt after the 1902 earthquake in the grandiose neoclassical style so favored as a symbol…
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Lago de Atitlán
Housed atop the elaborate Swiss-built clock tower that fronts the city hall, the museum is devoted to photograph exhibits and the clock mechanism itself,…
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Museo del Ferrocarril de los Altos
Quetzaltenango
This museum covers the ambitious rail project that connected Quetzaltenango to the Pacific coast but operated for just three years, from 1930 to 1933…
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Panajachel
The Town Hall (Municipalidad), which stands behind the church in the center of town, is Panajachel's seat of government and handles administrative…
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Quetzaltenango
A neoclassical structure near the northeast corner of Parque Centro América, the Edificio Rivera has been handsomely renovated (complete with fast-food…
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Quetzaltenango
The Altiplano's signature instrument is given pride of place at the center of this iconic traffic circle on the east end of town.
