Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Totonicapán is especially lively during its annual
Festival Tradicional de Danza,
usu-
ally late in October. It is also kicking during its annual fiesta dedicated to the archangel
Michael from September 24-30. The day marking the apparition of said heavenly figure,
May 8, is also celebrated with dancing and fireworks.
If you need to stay in Totonicapán, a good budget choice is just next door to the
Casa de la Cultura Totonicapense.
Hospedaje San Miguel
(8a Avenida 7-49 Zona 1, tel.
7766-1452,
www.hoteltotonicapan.com
,
$8-16 d) has rooms on the third floor with shared
bath or on the second floor with private bathroom, TV, and slightly more cheerful sur-
roundings. The 23 rooms are clean and have some furniture, including desks. Try to get a
room facing the street. On the pricier side is the nicest place in town,
Hotel Totonicapán
(8a Avenida 8-15 Zona 4, tel. 7766-4458, $28 d), with well-furnished rooms painted in
cheeryyellowpasteltoneshousinghandcraftedwoodenfurniture,cableTV,cityviews,and
private hot-water bathroom. Its pleasant lobby restaurant serves Guatemalan and interna-
tional dishes. Closer to the town center, a decent place to grab a bite to eat is
La Hacienda
(8a Avenida 3-25 Zona 1), a steak house also serving some lighter Guatemalan dishes.
San Francisco El Alto
JustnorthoftheCuatroCaminosJunction,SanFranciscoElAltoisthesiteofthecountry's
largest market, an extremely authentic affair that takes place on Fridays. It is not at all a
tourist market like the one in Chichicastenango and you'd be hard-pressed to find touristy
handicrafts and
típica
here. But, if you're in the mood to see an authentic Indian market,
this is certainly the place. An added bonus is the wonderful view of Xela from here, thanks
toasplendidhilltoplocationoverlookingthelargercity.Thebestviewsarefromthetopof
the town's church. The caretaker should let you up there.
Momostenango
Another few kilometers along a beautifully pine-forested mountain road brings you to the
town of Momostenango, famous for its delightfully warm wool blankets, which you can
shop for at the twice-weekly markets on Wednesday and Sunday. Adherence to the Mayan
calendar and traditional Mayan ceremonies are still very much in evidence here.
Among the attractions here is an interesting geological formation known as
Los Riscos,
essentially like large outdoor stalagmites made of eroded clay and crystalized stone.
They'reworthalook,thoughyoumightfindthelitterinthevicinityoftherockformations
a bit unnerving, as is often the case in rural Guatemala. They're about 500 meters outside
of town. Anyone can point the direction, and there are signs to guide you once you're on
the way.
Momostenango's annual fiesta, the
Octava de Santiago,
takes place July 28-August 2.
There are also dances held a few times a year, most notably on Christmas and New Year's
