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Petén (region) – located 474 km (or 9 hours drive) north of the capital, Petén is considered one of the most important places of the country’s pre-Columbian history. The department includes two reserves of the Mayan biosphere, seven national parks, five wildlife refuges and four protected biotopes, among other diversity of points to explore, so […]

Parque Centro América (4a Calle e/ 11 Avenida y 12 Avenida, Quetzaltenango) – this is the city’s cultural epicenter – located in Guatemala’s second-largest city. The park’s manicured trees, shrubs and walkways help make for a relaxed setting. The area is surrounded by colonial and neoclassical structures (including the Municipal Palace – which dates back […]

Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (6a Calle, Ciudad de Guatemala) – the Presidential Palace sits on the north side of Parque Central, it is certainly worth a couple of hours to explore the ins and outs of this fascinating building. Built between 1936 and 1943 by prisoners on the orders of dictator General Jorge Ubico, […]

Nakum—located near the border with Belize, this is a Mesoamerican archaeological site, and a former ceremonial center and city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the northeastern portion of the Petén Basin region, in the modern-day Guatemalan department of Petén. Nakum boasts the second highest number of restored buildings in the country […]

Museo Popol Vuh (Universidad Francisco Marroquín, 6ª Calle, Zona 10, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this is home to one of the major collections of Maya art in the world, and is known for its extensive collection of pre-Columbian and colonial art of the Maya culture. The Museo Popol Vuh is the most modern of all […]

Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología (6ª Calle y 7ª Avenida, Salón 5 de la finca La Aurora, Zona 13, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this is a national museum of Guatemala, dedicated to the conservation of archaeological and ethnological artifacts and research into Guatemala's history and cultural heritage. This museum is reputed to have the […]

Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena (6A Calle, Zona 10, Centro Cultural UFM, Ciudad de Guatemala) – located on the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquín, this is a non-profit institution that collects, registers, catalogs, conserves, examines, exhibits, and promulgates Guatemalan indigenous dress. Founded in 1973, the museum has a well-documented textile holding built almost exclusively on […]

Mundo Perdido (Tikal) – a.k.a “Lost World”, this is the largest ceremonial complex dating from the pre-classic period at the ancient Maya city of Tikal, in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala (9 hours, or 536 km. north of Guatemala City). This area consists of 38 structures including a huge pyramid (which is 32 meters […]

Iglesia de La Merced (1a Calle Poniente & 6a Avenida Norte, Antigua) – located an hour’s drive west of the country’s capital (34 km), this church and convent were finished in 1767. The church featured priceless works of art and was noted for its architectural beauty. Unfortunately, major earthquakes hit the city in 1773. While […]

Ceibal Archaeological Site — the name Ceibal is due to the presence of large numbers of Ceiba trees in the area. The ancient Mayan city of Ceibal, is located in the municipality of Sayaxché, 413 km (or 8 hour-drive) north of Guatemala City. In this archaeological site, you can see a variety of Mayan columns […]