Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
creationalopportunitiesintheseparts—enjoytheregion'snaturalbackdrop,surroundedby
coffee farms and even a winery.
Jocotenango lies just 3.5 kilometers northwest of Antigua. A pretty, pink stucco church
adorns the main square. In colonial times, the town served as the official entry point into
neighboring Antigua.
Centro Cultural La Azotea
Thetown'smain attraction isLaAzotea Cultural Center (Calle delCementerio, Final, 8:30
A.M.-4 P.M. Mon.-Fri., 8:30 A.M.-2 P.M. Sat., $4 adults, $0.85 children), which functions
as a three-in-one coffee, costume, and music museum. The music museum,
Casa K'ojom
(
www.kojom.org
)
features a wonderful assortment of traditional Mayan musical instru-
ments, including
marimbas,
drums, a diatomic harp, and flutes in addition to masks and
paintings collected by its dedicated administrator, Samuel Franco. There is also an audi-
ovisual room where you can watch a video on traditional music as it would be played in
Mayan villages. Traditional costumes and crafts of the Antigua Valley are exhibited in a
separate room dedicated to Sacatepéquez department.
Theadjoining
Museo del Café
coversthehistoryandevolutionofcoffeecultivationand
is available as a self-guided or guided tour. You can see coffee beans in varying stages of
production from recently harvested to fully roasted. The well-illustrated displays include
information on wet and dry mills, some old roasters, and machinery. You can then tour an
actual plantation on-site. There is also a shop where you can buy CDs, DVDs, handicrafts,
and of course, coffee.
Also found here is the
Establo La Ronda
(tel. 7831-1120,
www.centroazotea.com
)
,
whereyoucanridearoundthegroundsonhorsebackforanhourinthemornings($3).Call
ahead.
You can get to Jocotenango by taking any Chimaltenango-bound bus leaving from An-
tigua's bus terminal. Buses leave every 20 minutes; you can also take a
tuk-tuk
or taxi.
Although this town itself is unremarkable, it bears mentioning for the impressive
Palacio
del Obispo,
theoriginalhomeofBishopFranciscoMarroquín,whichwasrestoredin1939.
Though it's now used as a place for spiritual retreats, the nuns living there are happy to
show you around if you ring the bell at a reasonable hour. The entrance is on the street be-
