ten days in guatemala
…where do I begin? Most greatly known for its volcanic landscapes, colorful colonial city of Antigua, and Mayan culture, Guatemala is truly the perfect destination for every travel personality. I first visited back in 2019 for my best friend’s wedding. It was during a time where the fascination of the country was growing rapidly but still felt unsure. Was it safe? Do people often travel there? What is there to do? Rest assured - Guatemala is easy to navigate and offers plenty to do!
✨ I’d like to take this moment to give a special thank you to Gladys (@gladyoumetme) and Ileana (@wheres.ileana) for their helpful guidance when planning this trip! ✨
Let’s start with a few housekeeping rules (as per usual):
Travel to Guatemala is currently allowed ✅ Please check the CDC website (click here) when planning your trip
While Guatemala is fairly safe, there are some travel advisories in certain zones due to crime. Please check the Travel State Government site (click here) when planning your trip
If possible, I highly recommend booking the same transportation when traveling within the country. I explain more about this below.
Many in Guatemala still practice social distancing and wear masks. It is not mandatory but respected.
Weather: We planned our trip for February to avoid Guatemala’s extra hot and wet season. But… plot twist, it rained 7/10 days we were there haha 🥴 The weather was in the low 70’s during the day and mid 50’s when the sun sets (chilly!). I would highly recommend packing a few sweaters or light jackets that can easily be carried
Currency: $1 USD = Q7.70 (Quetzal). For perspective, a bottle of water is approximately Q5 (reported as of 2/21/22). However, most restaurants though very affordable are not as inexpensive as surrounding Latin American Countries e.g. Mexico
Flight: We flew Jetblue direct to Guatemala City which was fantastic. We typically always fly Jetblue as we get more space and the Flight Attendants are always super kind. Our flight was early - 5am which got us to Guatemala City at 9am - perfect timing! A typical flight is around $350 - $500 but can vary greatly due to the timing and season
Antigua
Decoratively beautiful and socially conscious, the Good Hotel was by far, one of our favorite stays. 100% of the profits they make supports the local community helping disadvantaged children go to school as well as retraining locals to give them jobs in hospitality. They currently have four locations: London, Antigua, Guatemala City, and Amsterdam.
Each room is named after a child that you are supporting. Our room supported Misael, a six year old who’s favorite subject is computing class 🤎
Transportation: We booked through Viator - one of the best sites to book unique experiences and transportation! For just $19 pp. we booked a private car from Guatemala City to Antigua (about an hour to two hours depending on traffic). We loved our driver, Marlon, so much, that we booked our round trip transport from Antigua to Lake Atitlan and airport transfer. (Click Here) to book your transportation with them! - Rate (15/10)
Excursions: With flexible booking policies - reserve now & pay later - and world-wide offerings, it was easy to book our experiences through Viator #sponsored
Carve Your Own Jade - Did you know that the most rarest form of Jade (jadeite) is found in Guatemala? This form of Jade comes in a spectrum of colors and finishes which the Mayans found to have spiritual significance. We learned this and so much more during our guided tour with Viator. This experience included a workshop where we had the opportunity to carve our own Jade! - Rate (15/10)
Pacaya Volcano Hike - We hiked Pacaya, one of Guatemala’s active volcanos (last eruption was in 2021) and took in all the beautiful scenery. It’s a bit of a rough hike up and approximately 2 hours but it’s sooo worth it… especially because we treated ourselves to Volcano Pizza! David, (@pizzadepacayadedavid), makes all of his ingredients fresh and uses the Volcano’s natural heat to cook the pizza. It’s honestly such a dope experience. As New Yorkers we always have high expectations and trust me when I say, David’s pizza is A1! - Rate (15/10)
The Antigua Foodie Tour - LET ME TELL YA’LL SOMETHING! The culinary scene in Guatemala is NOT one to be missed. PUH-LEASE do yourself a service and experience all of the delicious food options that Guatemala has to offer! This food tour was approximately 5 hours long and had about 11 stops including bars, restaurants, secret hide outs, and rooftops. I always opt in for a food tour wherever I go because it truly is the best way to submerge yourself into the culture, explore the lesser known parts of the city, and just eat great freaking food! - Rate (10/10)
Things to Do:
Explore the 30+ churches, covenants, and monasteries! Many were destroyed in the earthquakes that ravaged Antigua in the 1770’s. However, even though they’re no longer full structures, they are still incredibly beautiful to experience. Some of the churches we visited and those we missed (but plan to return to see) are listed below:
Support the local community and go shopping! There are two markets we explored:
Mercado de El Carmen - indoor market with so many great finds! The main items you can find here are: Jade jewelry, clothing, trinkets, unique artwork, table runners and other beautiful fabrics
Mercado de Artesanías - indoor/outdoor market that offers soooo many things including leather goods, traditional Guatemalan clothing, and unique artwork. We came late in the evening so a lot of the shops were closing up but we were told this was the main place to shop!
Check out the great culinary scene! As I mentioned above… and will continue to mention haha… the food in Guatemala SLAPS. However, there were some very special places that we’ll forever dream about returning to! They are listed below:
27 Adentro - This place issssss, chefs kiss* We tried a sample platter during our foodie tour and loved the Tuna Croquettes so much we returned and ordered one serving EACH haha. Not to mention, the owner is super sweet and was thrilled to see us again
Epicure Antigua - Located right across the street from Mercado de El Carmen, this restaurant has a deli right up front that makes the BEST sandwiches! We loved it so much we returned on our last day… I would highly recommend their prosciutto sandwich with every topping!
Por Que No? - Such a cute & tiny little spot. It probably fits 18 people at the most which gives a very intimate experience. You may even meet some people from Germany and befriend them on Pokemon 😉 The highlight of this place was definitely the burrito. We LOVE Mexican food and were thoroughly impressed with theirs. Enjoy the food, vibe out to jazz, and leave your mark! At the end of your dinner, request a marker and find a place to tag up
Saúl Bistro Antigua - This hotel is directly connected to the Good Hotel. We tried their breakfast which was super good and the location was convenient. What I like most about this place is the ambiance and privacy. I was able to work remotely for hours just ordering food/drinks here & there for a decent price. I will say though, their pizza… major miss and would deff recommend passing on that
Rincon Tipico - This place has 2,000+ reviews FOR GOOD REASON 👏🏽 I first visited this place in 2019 and we were shocked at how good and how incredibly affordable this place was. When I returned this time around I expected the price to go up due to COVID & Inflation. I am happy to report, this place is still SLAMMING and affordable AF. I purchased a lunch plate - 1/2 grilled chicken breast, baked potatoes, and salad all for just $5
Cafe Condesa - Located right in the center of town (across the park from San José Catedral), this place is well-known for its breakfast and deserts. Not to mention, it has a super beautiful outdoor seating area which I recommend you try out!
Posada Don Rodrigo - Our hotel concierge recommended this place for authentic Guatemalan food so we stopped by for breakfast. Not only was the breakfast a MAJOR hit and very affordable (approximately $20 for two), it also was so beautiful. We were seated by the outdoor garden and the sun kissed our skin as we blissfully ate breakfast to live music… I can still remember everything so clearly!
Sobremesa - Another gem that I returned to after 3 years. Their Pumpkin Cheesecake was and still is so damn memorable! They have a great dessert menu but also serves up so delicious lunch and dinner options!
Grab a drink and vibe out at these fun places:
Antigua Brewing Company - A very cool brewery that serves local & foreign craft beers. We stopped by and split a decent sized flight of beer for just $13. This place also has a rooftop and a downstairs speakeasy that’s accessible by a London phone booth! We sadly didn’t experience this part and can’t give further reviews but we’ve been told it’s a great little cocktail bar
Cafe Sky - I strictly recommend coming here just for drinks during sunset. The food is decent but far too pricey (we paid NYC prices for nachos and quesadillas). The drinks are good but the views are what makes this place extra special. It is also conveniently located a few minute walk from the Good Hotel
Aqua Antigua - We explored this place during our foodie tour and I LOVED IT. I only wish I had more time here! This place has great aesthetics, has a full service bar, restaurant, and even a pool you can enjoy! I can totally see myself working remotely right by the pool with a fresh juice in hand
Angie Angie Cafearte - Live music, Argentinian food, and decently priced, this place should be added to your list!
Lake Atitlan
An eco-friendly hotel built on a mountain side, overlooking Lake Atitlan, covered in lush greenery… this hotel was truly the highlight of San Marcos. The core values of this hotel are guided by the four agreements: Always do your best, Never make assumptions, Be impeccable with your word, and Don’t take things personally (I am personally still working on this 🥲)
We booked the Mirador Room aka the Honeymoon Suit - a two floor room which offered one of the most amazing views of the lake. Every sunrise and sunset was breathtaking. We’d highly recommend this place for nature lovers who like a bit of lux (like us). It’s above the average cost of hotels in the area but it was certainly worth it!
Things to Know:
There are several towns that line the lake. I would highly suggest doing your research and understanding what vibe each town provides. We stayed at San Marcos - a hippy little town that’s superrrr laid back. What we didn’t know is that San Marcos is primarily vegetarian. It was nice to try new dishes but after a few days we really craved something different.
To get to the lake, you’ll need transportation from Antigua. The ride is about 2-3 hours depending on traffic. Note, the drive is through mountains and narrow roads. I suggest traveling during the day for safety reasons.
The main town is called Panajachel (or Pana for short). This is where all of the boats meet to take you to different parts of the Lake. While you can drive directly to your town, it is a lot cheaper and faster taking a boat from Pana. You can take a private or shared transportation - I recommend shared as it’s WAY cheaper. For shared transport to San Marcos we paid Q25 pp. A private boat was being offered for Q300 which equates to $45 pp.
Note, some airbnbs and hotels are not located in a main town and will require private transportation
Things to Do in San Marcos:
Watch the sunrise/sunset from the dock - while our hotel room had incredible views, being so close to the lake during these times reallyyy hit different. In February, the sunrise starts at 6am & the sunset starts at 6pm
Check out the town and buy from the many locals who line the street with their work - in comparison to Antigua, we found some quality blankets to be more affordable. We also found that a lot of the artwork and jewelry here were a lot more unique.
Grab a bite and have a drink! Note, San Marcos is one of the smaller towns with limited options of places to eat. Below were some of our fav places:
Dragon Hotel - The food was great, the drinks were hitting, and the staff was super nice. To top it off, one of the best views of the sunset too! Deff a must visit but just know, it’s not a straight walk from the town with paved roads and lights. At night it’s a bit dark to walk alone so we decided to walk up the beach back to our hotel
La Casa Zapote - For a popping charcuterie experience, deff check this place out. It felt like a tiny little community right outside of San Marcos. To get here, you’ll need a to take a TukTuk from town for about Q10 pp. The ride is super quick - maybe 10 minutes - but once you get dropped off, you need to walk through unpaved roads and a steep walk downward. I thought we were lost as it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. However, once we entered, a whole new world was presented to us. The cheeseboard had 30+ cheeses all made in Guatemala. The honey, chilly marmalade, and fruits are all sourced right from their garden 🌱
Il Giardino - Another place that completely took us by surprise. From the outside it looks like this will be a cozy place and it totally was! But it had this charm and warmth that made us feel welcomed as soon as we got there. The food has large portions (everything is shareable) but the real winner of the night was the Mushroom Risotto. PS - I just started liking Risotto…. the texture just didn’t sit right with me. Nowadays, I am willing to try it as I am growing to love it and this dish was my fav so far!
Tul Y Sol - San Marcos has two, maybe even three, restaurants that include meat and fish dishes. For the most part, every business is vegetarian. So when we saw that this place has seafood we 100% had to try it! The MVP was the fish sandwich * drools * that with the beautiful front view of the lake, it provided the perfect lunch vibe
Get adventurous and do some water sports or hiking! Full transparency, we didn’t do either as we really wanted this part of our trip to be relaxing AND it was high key chilly #sonah. But if you’re visiting during warmer temps - you can check out this place (click here). They had promotional flyers all over the town and have pretty good reviews online.
Note, you can easily ping them on WhatsApp if you have any questions at all
Practice gratitude. This lake is one of the earth’s natural wonders. It’s a crater lake formed by a volcano eruption thousands of years ago, surrounded by 3 active Volcanos, and the water level continues to rise with no passage out. Marlon, our fantastic driver, shared the Mayan folklore of why the Lake is sealed from the rest of the world. It was my favorite tale he told and it made staying at the lake even more special.
The Xocomil Legend: According to legend, before the lake was formed there where three rivers that merged at the center of the three volcanoes. Every morning the daughter of the ruler, bathed there in view of the beautiful volcanoes. The princess’ name was Citlazin, which means little star. She was very beautiful and had a sweet singing voice so the rivers fell in love with her and each day they’d wait for her to return. One day Citlazin fell in love with a commoner with whom she’d sneak away to meet with to avoid being discovered. She’d bathe quickly and her singing stopped. The rivers felt indifferent and jealously grew. They asked the wind why the change and they discovered Citlazin was in love. The rivers, enraged and jealous, asked the wind to push her lover into the water to drown him. When Citlazin discovered this plot she took her lovers hand and together they sank into the depths of the rivers. Heart broken, the rivers formed deep currents which covered the region and created Lake Atitlan.
IG Q&A
Question: Would you recommend as a solo trip for a Latina?
Answer: Absolutely! With any solo trip, I always recommend being vigilant, but Guatemala is generally safe. Bonus points if you speak Spanish! You’ll find that many people understand basic English in most touristy locations but when you step outside of those places (emphasizing Lake Atitlan), many do not. I would also stress that knowing some basic Spanish will take you a long way when traveling between towns. For this reason, I highly recommend booking one transportation service you trust and sticking with them.
Question: Good for kids or leave ‘em at home? lol
Answer: Love this question as many people were wondering the same! I actually think Guatemala is a GREAT place for children though full transparency, I did not see annnyyyy tourists with children. I think it’s a major miss because Antigua is filled with so much beauty and history that can be shared with young ones. BUT Antigua also doubles as a place where many Guatemalans from surrounding communities visit on the weekends to party it up. The culinary and night scene is vibrant so it primarily attracts young adults.
The Lake is tricky as it requires a long travel - from door to door our trip took about 5 hours including transportation and stops. This can be a bit exhausting for the little ones.
Question: What was your budget for the trip for whatever length of time?
Answer: Guatemala is pretty affordable but it can be pricey depending on your needs for accommodations. I chose to splurge a bit when choosing to stay at Lush Atitlan’s Mirador room (which was so worth it) so I bumped my budget up. The below estimates are based on ten days with a partner and not splurging on stays:
Flight: $350 - $500 pp.
Private accommodation: $400 - $500 pp.
Shared accommodation (hostels): $200 - $300 pp.
Food and transportation: $300 pp.
Experiences via Viator: $150 pp. for about 3-4 tours
Question: Would you suggest a car to get around?
Answer: I would recommend hiring a driver vs. renting a car yourself. While the roads are great - I think the narrowness of them are tricky and drivers who’ve done this a hundred times are the best to go with.
Another fun fact we learned from our driver, there was a Guatemalan President who loved to bike. During his term in office, he fixed many of the main roads that connect large communities so that he could enjoy biking. The roads to Lake Atitlan were mainly smooth though very narrow.
Question: How did you go about planning your trip?
Answer: I had visited Guatemala in the past so a lot of what I included in my itinerary were things I had done or missed. I also connected with Ileana (@wheres.ileana) who offers curated itineraries! Make sure to check her out! But most importantly, I always asked locals what their favorite places were - these were always some of our best experiences.
Question: Were there any moments you felt unsafe?
Answer: There was one evening we were stranded in the mountains sitting in a golf cart waiting for our Uber lol I felt more unsafe that I had zero clue where I was with no service more than someone threatening me and my space. Uber is available in Antigua BUT after the sun goes down it is quite difficult to get one especially in the mountains. We later found out that many drivers avoid driving in the mountains due to the narrow roads
