Guatemala Travel Guide

General Information

• Weather Guide - Offers daily high and lows for popular destinations in the country....just click scroll down on the left hand side and click on "Guatemala."

• CIA Fact Book - The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's Fact Book on Guatemala.

• Passport Info. - A helpful "how to" site for American citizens interested in applying for a passport.

• Country Map - A large (348K) map of Guatemala.

• Guatemala City Map - A large (348K) map of Guatemala City.

• Travel Advisory - Guatemala - This site provides updated consular information from Guatemala, including travel warnings about dangerous regions, reports about recent unsafe activity or political instability and general travel advisories related to ongoing health hazards or tourist safety. Please check this site before you travel to help ensure secure travel.

Getting There & Around

• Sanborn's Insurance - The authorities on getting you from the USA/Canada to México and Central America via car. Auto insurance, excellent road maps, tips and other must-have resources for those who prefer to leave the flying to the birds.

Hotels & Restaurants

• Hotels & Travel in Guatemala - List of hotels broken down by region and price.

• Guatemala Web - Hotel Guide - Offers a wide range of hotels listed for locations throughout the country.

Language Related

• AmeriSpan Unlimited - AmeriSpan specializes in Spanish Immersion, Volunteer & Internship programs in Latin America and Spain for travelers and businesspeople. Currently, there are 40 programs available in 15 different countries.

• Languages of Guatemala - The awesome Ethnologue Database. Includes entries on Guatemala's many indigenous languages and Spanish.

• Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition - This medical Spanish book is pocket-sized and includes vocabulary for dental and vision care as well as many specialized areas such as obstetrics and cardiology.

News & Culture

• Arte Maya T'zutuhil Gallery - An on-line museum featuring painters and paintings from the Highlands of Guatemala.

• Art Classes in Antigua, Guatemala - A series of seminars running from October through April and featuring classes in watercolor, folk art, needlepoint, and backstrap weaving.

• Prensa Libre - Spanish language newspaper on-line.

Staff Picks

• Gordita! - By: Artis H. - Guestblogger from Antigua

• First Week in Antigua, Guatemala - By: Artis H. - Guestblogger from Antigua

• Surfing Lesson - By: Artis H. - Guestblogger from Antigua

• A Weekend Adventure in Guatemala - By: Artis H. - Guestblogger from Antigua

• El Lago de Atitlan - By: Artis H. - Guestblogger from Antigua

• Learn Spanish in Antigua - Videos - Watch two videos touring Antigua and nearby points of interest.

• Participant Insight: Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala - Guest blogger Sarina R. describes her experiences in Antigua.

Travel & Tourism

• Sierramar Adventures - One of Amerispan's favorites. Unique cultural-historical tours to Copán Ruins, Río Dulce, the Garífuna town of Livingston, and meetings with real-life Mayan shamans.

• Destination Guatemala - From the famous Lonely Planet guidebook folks

• Merging of Beliefs: Maximon (Cultural) - In Guatemala, Maximon dressed in a fancy trousers and coat, leather shoes, Stetson hat and silk scarves, is thought to be part Mayan God (Mam) and part Catholic Saint.

• Visit Lake Atitlan while Studying Abroad in Guatemala (Articles/Travelogues) - It's worth the trip to take an excursion to see the most beautiful lake in the world.

• Maximon, Guatemala's Evil Saint (Cultural) - No trip to Guatemala could possibly be complete without a visit to see Maximon!

• Study Abroad Break: Shopaholics Delight in Chichi (Articles/Travelogues) - Practice your Spanish and shop till you drop at this famous market in the Guatemalan highlands!

• Favorite Foods in Guatemala (Cultural) - In a country where the word for “fat” is not considered an insult, people spend a lot of time eating!

• Participant Insight: Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala (Articles/Travelogues) - Guest blogger Sarina R. describes her experiences in Antigua.

• Learn Spanish in Antigua - Videos (Articles/Travelogues) - Watch two videos touring Antigua and nearby points of interest.

• Cusco, Peru (Budget-Friendly) Spanish School Movie (Articles/Travelogues) - Watch a movie about the Cusco Budget-Friendly Spanish school.

• Participant Insight: Spanish in Antigua (Articles/Travelogues) - Hear all about Guest Blogger Lynne R.'s adventures in Antigua!

• 11 Reasons to Visit Guatemala (Articles/Travelogues) - The title says it all

• Bus travel in the Andes (Articles/Travelogues) - The "ins and outs" of bus travel in some parts of Latin America

• Favorite Place On Earth #1 (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - AmeriSpan's staff list some of their favorite places on earth

• Volunteering Abroad - The Next Step in Helping (Articles/Travelogues) - In light of recent events, a new focus has been placed on helping others in need. While it is a wonderful opportunity to help out in your home country, the rewards of volunteering in countries overseas are limitless.

• Eco-Tourism: Rethinking the Benefits (Articles/Travelogues) - Eco-Travel The Benefits vs The Costs

• Is there a Witchdoctor in the house? (Cultural) - Article about how many Latinamericans prefer traditional medicine to the science of today.

• Gazpacho (Recipes) - Cold tomato-cucumber soup popular in Mexico & Spain.

• El Ciberspanglish (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish about how Spanish is adopting English words, especially related to technology.

• José Donoso y su historia personal del (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish

• Berenjena Gisada (Recipes) - A vegetable dish.

• La Eva de las plantas (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish

• SAP on the news- How do they do it? (Learning A language) -

• La Oreja de Van Gogh (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews La Oreja de Van Gogh.

• The Adventures of Don Quixote (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller gives us her two cents on Cervante's Don Quixote

• Before Night Falls (Movie Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Before Night Falls.

• The Feast of the Goat (Book Reviews) - Karli Goldman reviews "The Feast of the Goat"

• The Food and Wines of Spain (A cookbook) (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Beth Klemick reviews this great cookbook.

• The Art of Flamenco Dance (Cultural) - Former AmeriSpanista Anne-Marie recalls learning about Flamenco while visiting Granada.

• One Hundred Years of Solitude (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Beth Klemick reviews this classic.

• Spanish Tortilla (Recipes) - For a little taste of Spain in your own kitchen, try this delicious dish.

• Interview: Ecuador Volunteer Placement (Articles/Travelogues) - Sue Lavene, from our Volunteer Department, interviewed one of our past volunteers, Gabriel Gonzales, who participated in our 8-week Volunteer Program in Quito, Ecuador.

• Paella (Recipes) - A typical Spanish dish.

• Flan de Queso (Recipes) - A yummy, creamy dessert.

• Historia del tenis (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish on the history of tennis

• Jugo Especial (Cultural) - Lara Naaman Cooks up a Peruvian Recipe for Revenge

• Isabelle Allende (An interview) (Cultural) - AmeriSpan's Jim Kane interviews Isabel Allende

• Shakira en el mercado inglés (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish about Shakira, one of the most popular female pop stars.

• Los oficios de Nueva York (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish

• Nasdaq: una historia de altibajos (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish

• To abuela's house we go... (Cultural) - Ricardo Gonzales, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America, writes a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother

• Tres Leches (Recipes) - Tres Leches means 3 milks and gets its name from the 3 different kinds of milk added to make the cake. It is a popular dessert in many Latin American countries.

• Empanadas Cordobesas (Recipes) - Empanadas Cordobesas (from the Marianacci Kitchen in Córdoba, Argentina)

• Churros (Recipes) - Churros (traditional snack)

• Hunger of Memory (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Liz Cleveland reviews Richard Rodriguez’s autobiography.

• Plato Pescado Carribiano (Recipes) - A traditional Caribbean dish.

• Peep, peep, peep (Cultural) - Set within the fabric of a personal cultural experience, this article is a provocative and thoughtful reminder of the fragility of life; both in Latin America and in the United States. A must read for thoughtful people!

• The Obnoxious Tourist - Are You One? (Articles/Travelogues) - Helpful hints to avoid this being labeled as obnoxious.

• ¡Yo! (Book Reviews) - Liz Cleveland of AmeriSpan reviews this book.

• Arroz con Leche (Recipes) - A typical dessert of Spain

• Aterciopelados (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Carol LaMastra reviews Pipa de la Paz, an album by Aterciopelados

• Ricky Martin (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Vuelve, an album by Ricky Martin

• Noticia de un secuestro (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Liz Cleveland reviews this book.

• Maria, Full of Grace (Movie Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Sue Lavene reviews this movie.

• Demographics, Hispanics and... YOUR Life! (Learning A language) - Find out how the recent BOOM! in the Hispanic population affects you and your life on a practical level. Get the facts and what they really mean to you.

• Hispanics and Terrorism (Learning A language) -

• ¿Cuánto debemos saber? (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish.

• ¿Los españoles descubrieron Brasil? (Learning A language) - Article in Spanish asking did the Spanish discover Brazil?

• Ceviche (Recipes) - A traditional fish dish.

• Ozomatli (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller reviews Ozomatli

• Spanish at Home (Learning A language) - Bilingual America is the best option for those who can't study abroad to learn Spanish

• Top 5 Medical Spanish Programs (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - Looking for a medical Spanish course. Too many to choose from. Here are AmeriSpan's Top 5 SALUD Medical Spanish programs based on popularity and past participants' comments.

• AmeriSpan Contest: Tips and Best Practices (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - It is not too late to win the race for one of the Kindles or to have a very good chance in the grand prize drawing. This article will show you what to do to take become a lead in 1 week. which includes an iPod Touch, Flip Video camera, study abroad programs, language learning aids and travel gear.

• Medical Spanish in Latin America and Costa Rica (Press Releases) - More and more medical students have been finding AmeriSpan's SALUD Medical Spanish programs beneficial.

• Spanish...The NEW Language of Commerce (Learning A language) - Spanish has become the NEW Language of Commerce and I’ll show you how and why in this article.

• The Changing Face of Latin America (Learning A language) - Latin America is changing…well, let me rephrase that…Latin America is changing too fast!

• El Amor En Los Tiempos de Cólera (Book Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Suzanne Keller gives us her two cents on El Amor En Los Tiempos de Cólera by Gabriel García Marquez

• Cesaria Evora (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Carol LaMastra reviews Cesaria Evora: Café Atlantico and lists a couple of runner-ups.

• Before You Go, You Need To Know (Learning A language) - Before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America offers a list of what you need to know.

• The Power of Patterns (Learning A language) - Forget about "tenses" and "conjugations!" - Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America tells us about a better way.

• The Fruit and the Root (Learning A language) - Is the life of a tree in the fruit or in the root? What does this have to do with learning Spanish? A LOT! If you want to understand "the root" of the issue, this article is a must read.

• The Four Secrets to Long Term Retention... (Learning A language) - What you learn here has the potential to completely change your life! I have specifically applied these four secrets to the development of all Bilingual America Learning Courses. and have found over and over that students who follow these "Four Secrets To Long Term Retention" achieve outstanding results.

• Are Language Skills Enough? (Learning A language) - Article on the importance of cross-cultural communication

• Tips for Traveling Inexpensively (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - These days, from the weak dollar to the outrageous airfares, traveling abroad may seem out of the question. We beg to differ! There are many ways you can travel that are budget-friendly. We’ve gathered together some of our favorite cheap travel tips to help you make your trip a reality!

• Save Money by Volunteering Abroad (Learning A language) - Volunteer abroad to save money over traditional language programs and get an incredible immersion experience.

• Get an Edge in the Job Market (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - AmeriSpan's Business and Professional language programs can give you an edge in the job market and make your resume stand out.

• Learning a Language? Add Some Fun! (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - Discover AmeriSpan's 'Language and Fun' programs

• La Manzanilla Junior Immersion Homestay Movie (Articles/Travelogues) - Watch a movie of a teen participant in La Manzanilla with his homestay family.

• Don't Forget about Departure Tax when Studying Abroad! (Articles/Travelogues) - When your study abroad trip is over, be prepared to pay a departure tax at the airport in certain countries.

• Study Abroad Money: How Much Cash to Carry (Articles/Travelogues) - Our expert tips on how much cash to carry with you on your study abroad trip.

• Don't Forget Passports When Studying Abroad (Articles/Travelogues) - Locating your birth certificate and getting your passport in order is a very important step in preparing to study abroad.

• Money Matters for Teenager Study Abroad (Articles/Travelogues) - AmeriSpan's tips on what type of money your child should bring on their teenager study abroad trip.

• Language Travel Magazine Star Awards (Press Releases) - For the 2nd year in a row, AmeriSpan Study Abroad was voted BEST AGENCY in NORTH AMERICA by language schools throughout the world.

• AmeriSpan Study Abroad Named LTM's 2011 Best Agency in North America (Press Releases) - AmeriSpan awarded LTM's Best Agency in North America for the third year in a row.