Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Regions at a Glance
The six regions that make up this topic could just as easily be six separate coun-
tries. Travel a hundred kilometers or so and everything changes - the food, the
clothes, the way people talk and, of course, the scenery. The capital is all big-city
buzz, while it's hard to imagine things getting any more laid-back than they do in
the little beach towns down on the coast. Antigua is the epitome of stately coloni-
al charm whereas the temple-laden jungles and small towns of El Petén have a
very rough-and-ready frontier atmosphere. The highlands of the center and west
are probably the most similar, but where the volcano-studded west gets chilly
and sometimes bleak, the cloud forest-covered center is much milder and more
lush.
Guatemala City
Museums & Galleries
You might be tempted to dodge the capital, but if you're at all interested in art and archae-
ology, you need to spend some time here. All the best pieces end up here, often in world-
class, superbly curated spaces.
