According to calculatorinc, Guatemala City, the capital of the Republic, is already an attraction in itself. What is the original contrast of futuristic skyscrapers made of glass and concrete and cute colonial buildings on narrow streets, chic mansions and remote slums. The National Museum of Archeology and Anthropology keeps a lot of interesting artifacts of the Mayan civilization, there is something to see here! Also noteworthy are the National Palace, the neo-Gothic church of Yurrita, the Reformer’s Tower, the botanical garden and the Popol Vuh museum. You can see the living descendants of the Maya, the Tsotsili and Kaqchikel peoples and get to know their culture closer at the ancient Lake Atitlan, the deepest in all of Central America, its depth is as much as 340 meters! Surrounded by three volcanoes Atitlan, Toliman and San Pedro, the lake is considered one of the most beautiful places in the country. Incredible views open during a helicopter flight over it and the tops of volcanoes. Tikal is the most famous city in Guatemala with the heritage of the Mayan civilization, during its heyday it was one of the largest. Since 1979, the historical park, which makes up almost the entire territory of the city, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Many monuments of the ancient people have been preserved here. The Museum City of Antigua also deserves attention; there are a huge number of monuments of the colonial era, preserved in very good condition. Antagua is the main tourist center of all of Guatemala and its unofficial cultural capital. In 1979, like Tikal, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ceibal, one of the most mysterious ancient Mayan cities, today is a major archaeological site in Guatemala. Despite the fact that many interesting objects have already been discovered here, archaeological work in Seibal continues. In addition, in Guatemala there are such ancient Mayan cities as Dos Pilas, Yaxxa, El Mirador and Aguateca. Having got acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of Guatemala, it is worth enjoying its magnificent nature, there are 11 national parks in the country and each one is more beautiful than the previous one!
National cuisine of Guatemala
In many ways, the traditional cuisine of Guatemala is similar to Mexican and Salvadoran, it also has influences from Italy and Spain. Maize, rice, beans and corn, as well as poultry meat, remain its unchanged basis. Almost no dish goes to the table without a generous pinch of spices and fresh herbs. In some remote areas of the country, the Mayan ancestors keep ancient recipes for Indian dishes, characterized by the use of meat from wild animals and a number of other original ingredients. Of the leading dishes of Guatemalan cuisine, it is worth highlighting chicken meat baked in an escabeche pot, fajitas – fish or meat stewed in spices with vegetables, meat with potatoes baked in tamale banana leaves, chicken and vegetable soup “chos -caldo-cash” according to ancient Mayan recipes and, of course, all kinds of cakes made from corn or other flour with various fillings – “nacho”, “chimichangi”, “quesadillas”, “tostado” and others. Desserts include burrito with sweet filling, toasted dumplings with bunuelos honey, ice cream and fresh fruit. The most favorite drink of the locals is, of course, coffee! They drink it all the time and everywhere. Tourists especially love the original Champurrado chocolate coffee. If tea is drunk in Guatemala, then it will definitely be the herbal drink “mate”. Of the traditional local alcohol, it is worth highlighting rum, the local Quetzalteca beer and Rompopo with milk, egg and, of course, rum. toasted dumplings with bunuelos honey, ice cream and fresh fruit. The most favorite drink of the locals is, of course, coffee! They drink it all the time and everywhere. Tourists especially love the original Champurrado chocolate coffee. If tea is drunk in Guatemala, then it will definitely be the herbal drink “mate”. Of the traditional local alcohol, it is worth highlighting rum, the local Quetzalteca beer and Rompopo with milk, egg and, of course, rum. toasted dumplings with bunuelos honey, ice cream and fresh fruit. The most favorite drink of the locals is, of course, coffee! They drink it all the time and everywhere. Tourists especially love the original Champurrado chocolate coffee. If tea is drunk in Guatemala, then it will definitely be a herbal drink “mate”. Of the traditional local alcohol, it is worth highlighting rum, the local Quetzalteca beer and Rompopo with milk, egg and, of course, rum.
Transport
Guatemala has two international airports: Mundo Maya International Airport in Flores and Guatemala La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guardalavaca, 6 kilometers from the central city of Guatemala City. Most flights from abroad arrive on the second one. You can get to Guatemala from Russia with one or two transfers, but the travel time, taking into account transfers, will inevitably be about a day. The most popular routes are Moscow – Madrid – Guatemala (Iberia airline) and Moscow – Frankfurt – Guatemala (Lufthansa), as well as Moscow – Amsterdam\Panama – Guatemala (KLM and Aeroflot). It is not uncommon to find flights to Guatemala via Miami (USA). A more economical option, but requiring more effort and time, can be a combined route: by plane to Mexico (Cancun or Mexico City), and then by domestic airlines or by bus / train to Guatemala. The most original option is a trip to Guatemala by sea from Belize. Ground communication has been established between the countries neighboring Guatemala: with Belize, El Salvador and Honduras – by bus, and with Mexico also by rail. There is a railway in Guatemala, the main line connects the capital, the city of Guatemala, the Pacific coast and the cities of Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomas de Castilla on the Caribbean coast. Minor railway lines go to the northern and southern parts of the country. Major cities in Guatemala are equipped with airports served by local airlines. Domestic air traffic in the country is well developed and quite affordable. The main public transport in Guatemala is old buses called “camioneta”, but tourists rarely use them, despite the low cost. These often unair-conditioned buses are crowded with people, including pickpockets, and drive quite aggressively, stopping abruptly in the middle of the road to pick up or drop off a passenger. Tourist shuttle buses look much more attractive, they have several classes, are equipped with air conditioning and are ready to pick you up directly from the hotel. They run between all major cities in Guatemala. For short distances you can travel by taxi, but you should check the fare before you get into the car. In Guatemala, you can also rent vehicles, for this you will need to pay a deposit and provide international rights. However, this entertainment is quite risky: the country cannot boast of good roads, and theft and robbery on the road are in the order of things. It is safer to rent a car with a driver. In Guatemala City, the capital of the republic, special Trans-Metro buses run, they differ from the usual ones in higher quality, a dedicated lane and payment not inside the bus, but at the bus stop. All this ensures a higher speed of Trans-Metro and ease of use even by foreigners.