Unlike many capital cities, Guatemala City—or Guate, as it is locally known—is not a city renowned for its beauty. As the second-best option for the colonial capital, chosen only after earthquakes ravaged nearby Antigua, it has often been a second-best choice for travelers too, especially given its slightly shady safety reputation. But, after years of being side-stepped by most tourists, the biggest city in Central America has been on a mission for redemption, transforming crime-riddled suburbs into buzzing social hubs with plenty of things to do, a place where glassy skyscrapers meet cosmopolitan streets and modern museums shine a light on the secrets of the past.
Although you can visit Guatemala City all year round, the best time to visit is during Guatemala’s dry season (November–April) when the days are warm and sunny. The beginning of the tourist season, November is a great time to take a day trip from Guatemala City out to the nearby towns of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez for their All Saints’ Day celebrations. June to October is the wet season in Guatemala City, but the city gets a bit of an easy run compared to other parts of the country, with just one or two short downpours in the afternoon.
The streets of Guatemala City juxtapose colorful old buses, flash European sports cars, and bumper-to-bumper traffic. While the city has a public transport system, most travelers use taxis or rideshares (one of the few places in the country you can), as they’re readily available and affordable. The Transmetro is also a great—and relatively safe—way of traveling around the city while avoiding those pesky traffic jams, with the bright-green rapid transit buses running around the city in dedicated lanes. For safety reasons, travelers are usually advised to avoid walking in certain parts of the city, especially alone or after dark.
While many visitors bypass Guatemala City, the capital is still worth visiting, even for the museums alone. While other parts of Guatemala may feel like an open-air museum, the city's museums allow you to piece it all together and walk away with a deeper understanding of Maya culture—past, present, and future. Guatemala City has three main museums: the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología, the Museo Ixchel, and the Museo Popol Vuh.
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Yes, Guatemala City is an interesting place to visit, with plenty of historical attractions, museums, and a buzzing social scene unlike anywhere else in the country. The biggest city in Central America, it’s also a fascinating place to people-watch, even if you just swing by for a night on your way to or from the airport.
...MoreThere are plenty of things to see in Guatemala City, from museums to markets and street-food stalls to some of the best restaurants in the country. The historic center is also home to some interesting architecture and colonial buildings, while the origins of the city can be found in the ruins of an ancient Maya city in the western suburbs.
...MoreThere are plenty of different ways to spend a day in Guatemala City, but the museums are a good place to start. There’s also the central market, the Palacio Nacional and the Parque Central, and La Aurora Zoo, one of the best things to do in Guatemala City with children.
...MoreA few days is long enough for most travelers to take in the main sights in Guatemala City. A full-day city tour is an excellent way for most visitors to get their bearings and squeeze in most sights without worrying about taking taxis and buses, and then a second day exploring the museums. Adventurous travelers might also like to spend half a day hiking nearby Pacaya Volcano.
...MoreYes—and no. Some areas of Guatemala City are best avoided on foot, while the pedestrianized areas can’t be visited in any other way. The best way to walk around the city is to join a walking tour, where your guides will be able to keep you on the straight and narrow path—and stop you from straying too far afield into the lesser-desirable parts of the city.
...MoreGuatemala City doesn’t have the best reputation. Still, for the most part, it isn’t any more unsafe than the rest of the country—as long as you stay away from the dodgier parts of the city and take the usual precautions to avoid opportunistic crime like petty theft. Generally, zones 1, 3, 6, 8, and 12 are best avoided unless you’re traveling with a guide. Zones 9 and 10 are the safest and most affluent parts of the city and where you’ll find most tourist accommodation.
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