Guatemala City is the perfect place to do all three. Divided into 22 distinct zones Guatemala City, like all major metropolises, has areas that are safe and vibrant and areas that are more isolated and less secure. If you’ve read older advice you have probably been advised to “skip” Guatemala City and go straight to Antigua. This advice is straight up wrong.
We recommend starting your visit in Zone 4. Vibrant, stylish and lively, Zone 4 is home to a wide variety of top tier restaurants on streets decorated with funky murals. Enter into a collection of the coolest spots through the long narrow “Flores Secretas” coffee shop. Rickety back stairs lead up to a rooftop bar with an eclectic mix of food, including a quinoa salad and a juicy hamburger. If you’d rather, take the stairs down to a secret garden strung with paper umbrellas and pixie lights and featuring a picture perfect center fountain. In this same block is Casa Del Águila, a gorgeous old building repurposed into a hub of restaurants and coffee shops separated by tiled hallways and plant covered patios. LimaLIMA, a busy Peruvian restaurant serves perfectly sauced tuna and well marinated steak. For a solid night’s sleep and the added bonus of doing a little good, check-in to The Good Hotel. Founded by philanthropists, the hotel donates 100% of its profits to charitable activities in Guatemala. While there are tourists wandering Zone 4, the majority of the people in the shops and restaurants were young Guatemaltecos. Zone 4 is totally “chilero”, (slang for cool), but completely lacking in a stuffy pretension.
Take the time to head to Zone 10 and visit the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquin. Give yourself at least a half day. The University is expensive and private and not an option for most Guatemalans, but like similar US liberal arts colleges it sure is pretty. The Museo Popol Vuh is one of two museums located on the campus and both are worth a visit. It focuses on the rich history of the Mayan people, with exhibits on pottery, art and textiles. The Mayan tradition of head shaping is just one of the many things you probably haven’t heard about anywhere else. The second museum, Museo Ixchel del Traje Indigena, is a jumping off point to begin your education on the extensive textile traditions of the Mayan people that have carried through to modern Guatemala. As you travel through the county and see the women and men in their traditional Traje, the information gleaned from a visit to Mueseo Ixchel will serve you well in understanding and respecting the textile arts.
Zone 1 is the center of Guatemala City and home to the most significant historic buildings, which surround the Plaza Mayor. The National Palace is an impressive green building that is home to Zone Zero, the emotional center of Guatemala City. The Palace has a hard history; it was headquarters to the Guatemalan’s government though violent eras. Guatemala’s current president, sworn in January 2024, Bernardo Arévalo, has vowed to end corruption and acknowledge the historical wrongs committed against the indigenous people. He has opened the Palace to visitors, providing a special opportunity for tourists to participate in the contemporary movement of Guatemala toward a more just a democratic nation. Entry is free for Guatemalans and foreign tourists pay only a nominal fee. The tickets to the Palace are embossed with the slogan, “No podemos cambiar su pasado; adueñémonos de su futuro,” which translates to “We can’t change its past; let’s own its future.” Guatemala City, in keeping with the Palace slogan, invites visitors to put aside any prior negative assumptions, be part of its present and help build its future.
