Beautiful Places in Guatemala
We find ourselves back on the road after a solid 15 months of no travel, unless you count a weekend trip across the Canadian/US border for a wedding in the fall. We’ve made our way to Guatemala to see Brent’s sister. She has lived in San Marcos, La Laguna for over 25 years. We’ve accompanied Brent’s parents, both in their 80s, as travel is getting more difficult for them. Getting around Guatemala is not exactly conducive for the elderly or anyone with physical limitations. Another reminder to travel when you’ve got your health and strong knees.
We had three weeks reprieve from the freezing cold temperatures in Canada and we took advantage of every minute. We flew into Guatemala City late at night from Toronto. We connected in San Salvador, El Salvador, an easier connection than Miami or Houston. If you come to Guatemala, you’ll have to research the best connections from your departure city. As it was late, we stayed overnight at the Barceló, a popular hotel chain, before embarking on the 3 hour drive west to San Marcos.
Following a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we took a shuttle from Guatemala City to our final destination of San Marcos, La Laguna. Getting to San Marcos is not an easy task, so taking a private shuttle is the best bet to beat the traffic of Guatemala City, and navigate the winding roads closer to San Marcos. Alternatively, you can book a shuttle through GuateGo.
San Marcos is a small village located on Lake Atitlán, a very popular tourist destination. Lake Atitlán was formed 84,000 years ago and is the deepest lake in Central America. There are many communities that dot Lake Atitlán so you can make one your home base then take a public boat for day trips. Each village is unique and offers something different than the other.
San Marcos is a small village that sits at 5200 ft in elevation and has a population under 3000 inhabitants with the majority being Kaqchikel-speaking indigenous Mayan. The rest are mainly expats and those that come for the season. San Marcos is interesting. People from across the globe come to San Marcos to seek enlightenment or offer it. There is no shortage of spiritual experiences, yoga or therapeutic massages. Just like any profession, there are varying degrees of talent, skill and legitimacy, so due diligence is required before spending your Queztal.
The path leading from the boat launch to the Main Street in town is referred to as “hippie highway” for very good reason. People of all walks of life descend upon the tiny town of San Marcos, especially during high season, so it would be wise to book your accommodation early. When booking your stay, you might want to stay a little further from “hippie highway” as it can get rather loud at night from two main establishments, Emporium and Eden, and although both offer great local music and closing time is at 10:00 p.m. in San Marcos, it can get rather annoying if you want a quiet night. If you are looking for accommodations on the main path, don’t hesitate to inquire at Casa Ishka - full disclosure - that’s my sister-in-law’s airbnb!
There is no shortage of food establishments and markets in San Marcos both on hippie highway and beyond. The restaurants offer a variety of local food and there is a great selection for gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. You can’t go wrong with any of the following: Circles Café and Bakery ( very busy in the morning), Il Giardino (great vegan/vegetarian), Tul y Sol and Vida Concina Creativa (good food and nice view of Lake Atitlan) and finally Nectar for your smoothie and bowl cravings (organic and locally sourced).
During our stay in San Marcos, we ventured to a couple of the villages by way of the public boats, and we took a private boat tour around the whole of Lake Atitlán for an afternoon getting glimpses of the small villages and wealthy estates. It’s a great way to spend the day as you can stop along the way to shop and grab a nice lunch. San Juan is home to the Tz’utujil people and is known for their colourful art, and shops and cafés along the water. Adjacent to San Juan is San Pedro, a bit more laidback and generally less expensive making it a great place for those on a budget. You’ll also want to come here to hike San Pedro Volcano. The final village that we visited on our day trip was San Antonio Palopó where we toured the ceramic shops and had a fabulous lunch overlooking Lake Atitlán.
The second destination that you have to get to when visiting Guatémala is Antigua. Antiqua is a charming, well-preserved colonial city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walking through Antigua feels like stepping back in time, with it’s cobblestone streets, pastel-coloured buildings and stunning ruins of churches. One of the most iconic spots here is the Santa Catalina Arch. This historic landmark is one of the most photographed places in Guatemala, with the Agua volcano in the backdrop.
The Iconic Santa Catalina Arch
Antigua is a great place to shop for authentic Guatemalan souvenirs from homemade textiles to jade jewelry, and it’s a wonderful place to get a great meal including traditional dishes like Guatemalan stew, tortillas and empanadas. We made our way to the Antigua Brewing Company for a sunset flight of local beers, some great pub food, and “to die for” views of the neighbouring volcanoes.
If you come to Antigua, don’t get caught up on all the blogs (except this one :)) telling you what to do. Wander around the streets, shop, nibble on some food and finish the night in the Parque Central de Antigua with the locals. Most accommodations are within walking distance too. We stayed at the Hotel Boutique Los Pasos and Spa which was just on the outside not to far away. It was really pretty inside, the staff were super friendly and helpful, and the traditional breakfast was very good. The hotel staff even packed up our breakfast, and more importantly - my morning coffee - to go when we had a curffule with our transportation. My mother-in- law also recommends staying in the Casa Santo Domingo - the original Convent of Santo Domingo. The convent was almost destroyed in the 1773 earthquake and has since been restored including the vestiges and Temple. Much of its history can be viewed in hotel museums and art galleries.
Although we didn't hike much in Guatemala as our old bodies were recovering from a few injuries, we did do some reconnaissance for future hikes up Acatenango to view Fuego Volcano. Next time, we’ll make Antigua our base and hire a local operator to take us on the overnight.
If you want more of Guatemala, click here to see our latest Youtube video:
So why should you visit Guatemala? The answer is simple: stunning natural beauty, rich history, warm and welcoming people, and some great food and coffee. Whether you’re an adventure junkie, a history lover, or just looking for a peaceful getaway, Guatemala has something for you.
Join us for our next adventure as we make our way to El Salvador! Cheers and don’t forget to dream big!
Enjoying Life
