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Petén

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 to know it is ideal to plan a visit lasting several days.
The legends of the Mayan culture are born here, one of the most surprising in the world.
On arrival you will find fascinating archeological sites that are surrounded by rainforest
that has kept them well guarded (including Tikal National Park, that was declared a
Natural and Cultural heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1979).

Parque Centro América

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 to 1812, and La Iglesia del Espiritu Santo – which dates back
hundreds of years). The park also has a pillar dedicated to 19 th century president Justo
Rufino Barrios (whose “reforms” transferred land ownership from Mayan peasants to
coffee plantation owners).

Palacio Nacional de la Cultura

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, today the palace is a museum and cultural center. This palatial building has
dozens of interesting quirks; ironically the stately banquet hall, with its intricate stained-
glass panels, is meant to signify the virtues of good government. Those passing
through the Palace’s western courtyard will come across the Patio de la Paz, a
monument depicting two hands. This was where Guatemala's Peace Accords were
signed in 1996 (which ended the country’s 30-year civil war). Admission: Q40
(foreigners), free for locals. Hours: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
(weekdays only). Guided tours are available.

Nakum

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 after Tikal. Archaeologists have been excavating the
site year-round for more than fourteen years. Tourists who have gone through this area
agree that this merits a day trip, due to the vastness of this historic site.

Museo Popol Vuh

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 the museums in Central America, in
terms of physical facilities and in terms of interest in learning about advanced
technology of display. Although the museum is best known for its funerary ceramics,
the collection includes a variety of portable stone sculptures, especially from the Pre
classic period and from the coast and adjacent highlands. The exhibit of Quiche
funerary urns is the best of any museum in the world. The section on Maya pottery
includes some of the great Maya vases and bowls, many of which are frequently
pictured in coffee table art books. Admission: Q45 (adults), Q25 (students), Q15
(children ages 2-12 years). Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (weekdays), 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
(Saturdays), closed on Sundays.

Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología

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 country’s largest collection of Mayan artifacts (with research still being
conducted on their relevance to the Mayan culture. A large-sale model of Tikal is also
located here. The ethnology section has info on the languages, costumes, dances,
masks and homes of Guatemala's indigenous peoples.
Admission: Q60 (foreigners), Q5 (locals), free for children under 9 years. Hours: 9:00
am – 4:00 pm (Tuesday – Friday), 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
(weekends), closed on Mondays.

Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena

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 textile donations from
Guatemalan collectors. See more about its current and upcoming exhibits on their
website: https://museoixchel.org/
Admission: Q45 (adult), Q25 (university students), Q15 (children). Hours: 9:00 am –
5:00 pm (weekdays), 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (Saturdays).

Mundo Perdido (Tikal)

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 high and 80
meters along its base – surrounded by four worn-out stairways, and large masks
flanking each one). It is thought that this site was once built for astronomical purposes
(the Mayans’ observation of the stars for religious purposes).
Located just toward the east is a long terrace that includes three temples that were
formerly used to observe the stars and mark the time for visual observations throughout
the year. Inside the three temples were six tombs for the royal members of Jaguar Paw,
who ruled in the 4th century but lost their power after an internal (and violent) dispute in
A.D. 378. Another remarkable attraction is the structure 5C-49 (built in A.D. 250). It was
constructed in talud-tablero style, which is an architectural style often used in pre-
Columbian pyramid construction. It consists of a platform structure (the tablero) on top
of an inward-sloping surface (the talud). Since this site was considered sacred to the
Mayan people, it was fortunately preserved in its original form and remained
unchanged, even though the majority of other structures were being repurposed.

Iglesia de La Merced

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 the structure
resisted the earthquakes, the convent’s walls were weakened, later falling during
subsequent earthquakes that year. Due to circumstance, this site wasn’t rebuilt until
1853.
Among the art seen inside this church is the image of Jesus Nazareno, an antique
baroque piece that’s showcased throughout Antigua during Palm Sunday and Good
Friday processions. The image of Virgen de Dolores, by sculptor Pedro de Mendoza, is
worth seeing, as is the gold-leaf retablo. Take note of the Mercedarian shield. Once
you learn to recognize it, you’ll spot it not only inside the church but in a lot more places
throughout the city. Admission (convent tour): Q15 (foreigners), Q7 (locals). Hours:
9:00 am – 6:00 pm (daily).

Sitio arqueológico de Ceibal

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 and two structures
that are already restored. One of them is a pyramidal temple, in which 5 columns
placed according to the Cardinal points are located. In Stela 10, south Side shows the

Lord of Ceibal taking possession in the presence of rulers of large Mayan cities, such as
Tikal, Calakmul and Ucanal.
The columns are one of the main attractions, as they are the finest and best preserved
of the late Classic period in the Department of Petén in the Mayan lowlands. Taking
into account the surprising collection of sculpted monuments and the decipherment of
their present texts and iconographic elements, it can be said that Ceibal constitutes a
“meeting point among the rulers”, given that in one of the columns, they are the
emblems of cities such as Tikal, Calakmul (Mexico), Ucanal and Ceibal itself are
present. In 1985, this site was declared by the Ministry of Culture and Sports as an
archaeological park, and in 1995 it was declared as a protected area.