Quetzaltenango Department · Guatemala
Quetzaltenango travel guide
Quetzaltenango is a city in Quetzaltenango Department, Guatemala, home to about 208,000 people.
- Best months
- December to March
- Nearest airport
- RER40 km · Retalhuleu Airport
- Currency
- GTQquetzal
- Time zone
- America/Guatemala
- Language
- Spanish
About
About Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango (Spanish pronunciation: [keˌtsal.teˈnaŋ.ɡo], also known by its Kʼicheʼ Maya name Xelajú [ʃelaˈχu] or Xela [ˈʃela], is a municipality and the capital of the namesake department in western Guatemala.
The city of Quetzaltenango, the capital and largest city of the department of the same name, is situated on an extensive plain and surrounded by hills and volcanoes. The city of Quetzaltenango conserves the old K'iche' Maya traditions and the colonial past, while maintaining the dynamism of modern life. The city's roots go back to the Pre-Columbian Maya era. The Mam authority, called Kulahá, reached its most important expansion. The K'iche' lords later conquered the area, and founded the city of Xelajú here, moving it from a previous location at the base of the volcano Santa Maria.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Quetzaltenango
See
- Market
Do
- Quetzaltenango Municipal Theatre
- Asociación de Mujeres del Altiplano
- El Nahual Community Center
- Entremundos
- La Pedrera Community Project
- Celas Maya Spanish School
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Quetzaltenango to stay in
Quetzaltenango has a variety of accommodations for a variety of budgets, though world travelers will find the prices and facilities in the "high end" accommodations more like that of mid-range places in larger world cities. It is best to always ask to see your room before moving in to it; whether budget or more pricey, some rooms in the same place can often be much better or worse than others. At cheaper places don't expect hot water or heat unless you ask for it; in some the "heat" may be wood to put in a fireplace that you have to order and pay for by the bundle.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Quetzaltenango
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Quetzaltenango are December to March. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; September is the wettest, with about 478 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 Quetzaltenango: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Retalhuleu Airport (RER), about 40 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tapachula International Airport (TAP, 92 km) and La Aurora International Airport (GUA, 110 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Use the Panamerican Highway (CA-1) which crosses the Highlands or the International (CA-2), parallel to the Pacific Coast. As with most cities in the country try to arrange to arrive well before dark since moving around in the city is more complicated and dangerous after dark.
Getting around
For travel around the countryside, the local buses are very reasonable. They can be entertaining and, at times, quite crowded. Do not plan on carrying much luggage with you on these: some buses have backpack storage above the seats, but most of the time you must store bags that do not fit on your lap on the top of the bus. While they are generally safe up there, they are at risk for weather. These second-class buses will leave at regular times, but if you load your things on the bus, do not get off as the driver may leave without warning.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
RER · Retalhuleu Airport
TAP · Tapachula International Airport
GUA · La Aurora International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Quetzaltenango
Drink
Don't drink the tap water. Some hostels will have a water filter, which many drink from, and it seems to be safe. Otherwise, drink purified water (agua pura). Cabro, which some consider one of the best beers in the world, is made locally in Quetzaltenango. Another local beer, Gallo, is more like the Bud Lite of Guatemala -- bland, available everywhere, and sponsoring everything. If you like dark beer, try the Moza, another local beer, it's some people's favorite. Shop at the liquor store and return Moza bottles for credit but not all bottles will receive a 1 Q credit.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Quetzaltenango: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Quetzaltenango?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Quetzaltenango are December to March. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; September is the wettest, with about 478 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Quetzaltenango?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Retalhuleu Airport (RER), about 40 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tapachula International Airport (TAP, 92 km) and La Aurora International Airport (GUA, 110 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Quetzaltenango?
quetzal (GTQ).
Nearby
Destinations near Quetzaltenango
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.