Guatemala Department · Guatemala
Where to stay in Guatemala City
Guatemala City is a city in Guatemala Department, Guatemala, home to about 995,000 people. This guide covers 1 hotel in Guatemala City.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 1
- Best months
- November to April
- Nearest airport
- GUA7 km · La Aurora International Airport
- Currency
- GTQquetzal
- Time zone
- America/Guatemala
- Language
- Spanish
About
About Guatemala City
Guatemala City, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate, is the national capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala. It serves as the municipal capital of the surrounding Guatemala Department.
Guatemala City is in the department (territorial division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All the main highways start at Kilómetro 0, inside Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic Center). Guatemala City became the capital after Antigua Guatemala had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1773.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Guatemala City
See
Antique churches provide the capital city with a very special historic and architectural touch, such as Cerrito del Carmen, Catedral Metropolitana, Calvario, Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Iglesia de Yurrita, and Iglesia de la Merced. The archaeological site of Kaminal Juyú is in this capital city, which according to specialists, is a city buried under one of the most commercial areas of the city, comprising Zona 7 and Zona 11.
- National Palace of Culture
- Mapa en Relieve
- La Aurora Zoo
- Kaminal Juyu Parque Arqueologico
- Parque Central (Plaza de la Constitucion)
- Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Guatemala
- Jardines Botánico
- Cayalá City
- National History Museum
- National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
- Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Textiles and Clothing
- Popol Vuh Museum
Do
Recreational activities can be done as well, from climbing volcanoes (Agua and Pacaya), to swimming in several recreational facilities, as well as water sports in Lago de Atitlán (lake). For recreation, you can visit 4 Grados Norte: pedestrian roads that offer great entertainment, commerce and cultural activities, and Zona Viva, an area of Zona 10 that has become the main center for nightlife. Guatemala City is an urban center with cultural diversity, cosmopolitan as well as traditional, in which traditional and folkloric abundance stands out, with legends such as El Cadejo or La Llorona.
- Guatemala National Football Team
- Authentic Guatemala
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Guatemala City
1 place to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay |
|---|
| Barceló Guatemala City hotel |
Schematic: the city centre in orange, each place to stay as a dot, distance rings in kilometres.
Where to stay
Which part of Guatemala City to stay in
Most accommodations in the Zona Viva are within a few blocks making location less important than amenities like airport transfers or breakfast. Check for hidden costs and taxes (22%) before booking.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Guatemala City
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Guatemala City are November to April. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C; June is the wettest, with about 273 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Guatemala City: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is La Aurora International Airport (GUA), about 6.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Retalhuleu Airport (RER, 128 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
The city is divided into 21 zones (zonas). Zona 1 is the old historic center. Here are the national palace, the presidential palace, the cathedral, the main plaza, and the Central Market. South of Zona 1 is Zona 4, with many of the official buildings like the national bank, the national theatre, and the tourist board (INGUAT). Farther south is Zona 10 and Zona 9, divided by Avenida La Reforma. Zona 10 hosts most of the high class hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping facilities. A small part of Zona 10 is called Zona Viva (the lively zone) because of its nightlife.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
GUA · La Aurora International Airport
RER · Retalhuleu Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Guatemala City
Eat
You can find quite an array of American fast food restaurants (McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Wendy's, etc.) as well as Pollo Campero which is the most popular Guatemalan fast food chain. Fast food restaurants in Guatemala are very clean and accessible. Though a little risky, there are great street vendors that offer a variety of good local foods. Just remember to scope out the one with the best hygiene. This is the most more local.
Stay safe
Guatemala City has a high level of crime. Crimes include carjackings on the road from the airport, robberies and assaults of tourist vans, ordinary buses and cars. Even though it has a lot of crime, if you stay alert and follow good travel safety practices, you likely won't be exposed to any of it. Make sure you sharpen your street smarts and stay aware of your surroundings at all times. If you experience a robbery, give away anything the robbers want. Though some would suggest to just stay inside in most places after sunset, at night you can have fun safely in Zona Viva (Zona 10), Zona 14, or 4 Grados Norte.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Guatemala City: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Guatemala City?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Guatemala City are November to April. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C; June is the wettest, with about 273 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Guatemala City?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is La Aurora International Airport (GUA), about 6.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Retalhuleu Airport (RER, 128 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Guatemala City?
quetzal (GTQ).
Nearby
Destinations near Guatemala City
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.