Antigua Guatemala

Chichicastenango

Cobán

Dulce River

Flores

Livingston

Panajachel

Puerto Barrios

Semuc Champey

Tikal

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What to see in Guatemala

The city of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, whose official and historical name is the Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, commonly referred to simply as Antigua Guatemala, is located in the Sacatepéquez department. It was the capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, between 1541 and 1776, the year in which the capital was moved to Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, or Guatemala City, following the Santa Marta earthquakes which devastated the city for the third time in the century. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. Today it is an important tourist destination for its well preserved Spanish architecture with Baroque facades, as well as a great many ruins of catholic churches. It is also known for its Easter processions which have taken place ever since the city became capital.

The Dulce River is situated in the Izabal department, between Lake Izabal and Amatique Bay, some 42 kilometres in length. It is, since 1955, one of the first protected areas of Guatemala. It covers 7,200 hectares and is home to the manatee, an endangered mammal, along with crocodiles. The rivers creek offers a unique beauty due to its vegetation and the fact that it is a refuge for many sea birds. The largest bridge in Guatemala is located over the river, which is 45 metres in height and 1563 metres in length.

Flores is a city on the shore of Lake Petén Itzá and partially occupies a small island of the same name in its old town. Flores is one of the richest towns in natural resources in Petén, not to mention its economic and cultural offer. The island is the meeting point for special events, be they cultural, social, economic or tourist-focused.

Livingston is a town in the Izabal department, located 65 kilometres from Puerto Barrios. The city is mainly populated by the Garifuna people, who settled there in the 18th century, and is one of the main tourist attractions of the country, with a unique gastronomy in the region.

Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Mayan civilisation. It is located in the town of Flores, in the Pet&eacute;n department, and forms part of the Tikal National Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. According to the glyphs found at the site, it was once named Yax Mutul. Tikal was the capital of a belligerent state, which was converted into one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Mayans. Although the monumental architecture of the site dates back to the 4th century BC. Tikal was at its peak during the Mesoamerican Classic Period, between 200-900 AD. During this time, the city dominatad a large part of the Mayan region, in the political, economic and military arenas and maintained links with other regions, throughout Mesoamerica, including the then metropolis of Teotihuacan, in the distant Valley of Mexico.

Essence of Central America

Located next to the border with Guatemala, Cop&aacute;n is known to be an important archaeological center of the ancient Mayan civilization. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1982, the site is considered by archaeologists to be the Mayan Athens since it is one of the most important enclaves of the culture in the country.
During the classical period, Cop&aacute;n was a ceremonial center and an astronomical observatory. From this era of splendor the Acropolis is conserved, where the rulers resided as well as the altar, the most important monument of the enclosure.
One of the monuments of Copan houses the longest Mayan inscription in Mesoamerica. Other places that should be visited are the Great Plaza, where rituals of life and death were held; and the Plaza Mayor, used for the observation of the stars.
The Cop&aacute;n Archaeological Park also has several museums where you can learn about the culture of this ancient civilization, as well as the Archeology Museum, where the relics found during the excavations can be found.

Copan

A town in the El Quich&eacute; department famous for its market which attracts a great many tourists throughout the year; it is a cultural and historical centre. The majority of the population are of the native K&rsquo;iche&rsquo; ethnicity.

Cob&aacute;n is a city in the Alta Verapaz department. Since 1980 it had been part of the Northern Transversal Strip region. Cob&aacute;n, the &laquo;, imperial city of Carlos V&raquo;, is considered to be one of the cleanest, most attractive and calm cities in Guatemala, as well as having a low crime rate, boasts a series of caves that descend hundreds of metres underground, grottos with underground rivers and a town centre with many hotels, hostels, restaurants, caf&eacute;s and a lively night life.

Panajachel is a town in the department of Solola. Its full name is San Francisco Panajachel and it is located in the Guatemalan highlands on the shore of Lake Atitlán, some 1,500 metres above sea level.

Chichicastenango

Tourist attractions Chichicastenango

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