Trip to Guatemala

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Guatemala is one of the most fascinating countries in the Central America if you are fascinated by Mayan culture, you like mountains, craft markets and uncontaminated nature then this is the country you are looking for.

People come to Guatemala and stay…or return because Guatemala never ceases to amaze. You can pass between different landscapes in the space of a few hours, from the sea to the mountains, from hot to cool, from multicultural cities (like Antigua) to villages where the only language spoken is ancient Mayan, barely Spanish.

Do you want to surf in the morning and take Spanish lessons in the afternoon? No problem. Want to climb a volcano during the day and eat sushi in the evening? Antigua is the right city!

As regards the security issue, it must be said that Guatemala has had its problems and is still considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world but I believe that everything can be limited to drug trafficking and gang wars, things that travelers don’t see. not even remotely (unless you decide to wander around the ghettos at night… but I doubt you have these places in your travel itineraries).
10 years after the end of the civil war this is not the dangerous and terrible place that people believe, in fact I believe it is a poor but fascinating country, with dignified and generous people. A country that will not disappoint your expectations.

Traveling from one place to another is simple and economical, you can take shuttles organized by hostels that reach all the main destinations. Guatemala is a country where you should go to travel rather than for holidays and spend some time there to get to the heart of one of the oldest cultures in the world which is still alive today and can be discovered. If you are looking for Caribbean beaches then this is not the right place but if you are looking for an intense experience in a country where time seems to have stopped…then it is absolutely worth considering.

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Read also: Documents to go to Guatemala – Guide 2024

Travel itinerary in Guatemala: what not to miss

From Guatemala City which is actually just called Guatemala you can take a shuttle that costs $10 to reach the beautiful colonial city of Antigua. Antigua is famous for Spanish schools low cost and excellent quality (a 20 hour one to one class course costs just over $100), if you don’t want to take Spanish lessons you can just enjoy the beautiful town, drink cocktails in one of the numerous bars and meet people who come here from all over the world to study Spanish.
From Antigua go to Lake Atitlana lake surrounded by volcanoes, a peaceful place where you can visit numerous Mayan villages and do great local shopping.
From Lake Atitlan return to Antigua and from there head towards Flores from where you can organize tours to the Mayan ruins of Tikal and to Mirador (5 days of walking, about $200).
From Flores go to Lanquin where a cave tour and swimming in the waters of the natural pools of Semuc Champey is a must.
From Lanqui go to sweet River and take a boat tour in the middle of the jungle. From Rio Dulce if you have time you can go to Livingstonthe only country on the Caribbean sea in Guatemala and then return to Guatemala and get back on the plane.

As for transport, Guatemala offers an excellent shuttle service between one hostel and another, prices are low and the effort will definitely be minimal. Guatemala is the only country where people travel mainly with organized shuttles rather than public transport.

General information on Guatemala

Daily budget: $15 – 20
Hostel: 35 – 50 quetzales (circa 5 euro)
Spoken languages: Spanish and Mayan
Money and exchange: Quetzale, 1 euro = 11 quetzales
Jet lag: – 6 hours compared to Italy
Documents and Visas to go to Guatemala: a passport with at least 6 months of validity is sufficient. No entry visa is required. With a valid passport you can stay in Guatemala for 3 months from the day of entry. You do not pay entry taxes but you do pay exit taxes, to be paid at the border. The exit tax is 20 quetzales ($3).

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