Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you like to bowl and booze (or just bowl), head to
Boliche's Fun Plaza
(Blvd. Los
Próceres 26-55 Zona 10, tel. 2366-3956). Boliche's also sometimes hosts live DJ events.
Like other Latin Americans, Guatemalans are crazy about
fútbol.
The two most popular
teams in the country's four-team national soccer league, denoted by the colors of their jer-
seys, are the Rojos (Municipales) and Cremas (Comunicaciones), who usually end up bat-
tlingitoutattheendoftheseasonforthechampionshiptitle.Internationalgamesarealsoa
bigevent,asGuatemalahasneverbeentoaWorldCup.Inrecentyears,ithasgottencloser
than it's ever been, and the postgame celebrations have spilled into the streets and lasted
intotheweehoursofthemorning.Unfortunately,theirhighhopeshaveendedinbitterdis-
appointment. Games can be seen at the
Estadio Mateo Flores
(10a Avenida, Zona 5), but
beadviseditcangetquiterowdy.In1996,thingsgotsooutofhandthatastampedeensued
when stands collapsed, killing 100 people. The soccer stadium has been remodeled in the
aftermath. If you've always wanted to see a Latin American soccer match, you might want
to check it out.
You can see baseball games at Parque Minerva's ballpark (Zona 2).
An excellent way to take in the downtown sites is on a narrated trolley tour offered by
Antigua-based
Chiltepe Tours
(7a Calle Poniente #15, tel. 5907-0913 or 5709-2232, $25
on arrival, $22 with prior booking). The three-hour tours (in English and Spanish) cover
more than 30 sights in the historic downtown area and leave twice a day from the Zona
9 and 10 hotels Tuesday through Sunday. It's affiliated with Gray Line Tours. Traditional
city tours can be arranged through any of the larger hotels or via
Clark Tours
(7a Aven-
ida 14-76, Plaza Clark, Zona 9, tel. 2412-4700,
www.clarktours.com
). It has offices in the
Westin Camino Real, Holiday Inn, and Marriott.
Guatemala City has a wide variety of accommodations for all budgets. The major U.S.
hotel chains have properties in Zonas 10, 11, and 13—close to the airport. Downtown is
home to most of the city's budget accommodations.
