The largest city of Central America in Guatemala, the locals love to simply call Guaté, and its full name sounds solemn: "The new Guatemala of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary". In this modern city is not too safe, but very exciting. Bright, motley Guatemala absorbed the trends of modern times, mixing them with traditional Latin American color. Slums in Guatate are adjacent to the luxurious mansions, the skyscrapers block ancient temples, and life boiling in the streets is best described by the word chaos.
Original cultures: Costa Rica - Nicaragua - Guatemala - Honduras - Panama
Exclusive of Central America: our experience is
Contents
|
How to get to Guatemala City
International airport La Aurora, 6 km south of the historic center, arrives international flights from many countries. There is no direct communication between Moscow and Guatemala, you will have to travel with a transfer in Europe (Madrid, Frankfurt am Main), in Miami, in Panama or in one of the cities of North America. Travel time 16-17 hours without taking into account the time spent at the airport of transplantation.
From the airport to the city can be reached by taxi. The official airport taxi has a fixed fare (for example, a trip to the 10th zone will cost $ 12), but this is 2-3 times higher than normal taxi drivers take for this same distance. Usually hotels located in the 10th zone, provide a free shuttle service. Up to the 10th zone you can get on the public bus and already there you change to the bus going to the city center.
The intercity bus to Guatemala can be reached from nearby countries: Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The bus also runs to the capital from almost any city in the country.
Search for air tickets to the city of Guatemala (nearest a / p to the City of Guatemala)
A bit of history
Spanish conquistadors founded the city in this place in 1524 and named it Santiago .Less than 20 years, as the eruption of the volcano destroyed the city, covering it with ashes .After in 1773 the earthquake erased the new capital of Antigua from the face of the earth, the Spanish King Charles III decided to build the city on the site of Santiago's ashes + $ .The official proclamation of Guatemala as the capital of the independent Republic of Guatemala occurred in 1839 ., and to this day the city remains the main cultural and administrative center of the country .In 1918, the city was again destroyed - there was a large earthquake .One more thing happened in 1976 .Therefore, it is not surprising that there are practically no historical monuments in Guatemala City..
Climate
Guatemala City is located in the spacious mountain valley of the Hermitage at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level. According to its location, the city belongs to the tropics, but the real climate in the capital ranges from a subtropical marine to a similar climate in the savannah - depending on the height of the location of individual areas. The average annual temperature is +21 ° C, cold winds lower it to + 14 ° C. From May to October - the rainy season.
Partly cloudy, light rain +25 ° С in the afternoon +15 ° С at night ° С water |
Partly cloudy, light rain +25 ° С in the afternoon +15 ° С at night ° С water |
Clearly +25 ° С in the afternoon +15 ° С at night ° С water |
| Weather forecast in Guatemala City for 10 days | ||
Transport
You can travel around the city on city buses. Hiking may seem strange (although it is unlikely to disturb the real traveler who is accustomed to comprehend the terrain "feet"). Buses run until 20.00, travel costs 1 or 1, 10 quetzal and 1, 25 quetzal on Sundays. Usually, the bus is stuffed to the eyeballs by locals, some of whom hunt for wallets of gazed tourists. In the dark, buses are not recommended because they are often attacked.
Taxis, as often happens, take payment either by a counter (minimum 25 quetzales) or a fixed amount by agreement before boarding. The best reputation in terms of safety is the company Taxis Amarillo with yellow cars, call the machine on 1766. White taxis are slightly cheaper if you can bargain, of course, but often these cars do not have a license.
How to navigate in the city
All the old cities of Latin America are built according to a single Spanish plan: the streets intersect at a right angle, and in the center is the main square. Guatemala is no exception - the city is divided into quarters avenida (avenue), stretching from north to south, and kayes (streets) going from west to east. Greater Guatemala is divided into 25 zones, but zones 20, 22 and 23 do not exist.
Zone 1 - the city center, the most amazing part of it is .Dismounted houses, winding sidewalks, small shops adjoin to new buildings and beautifully preserved ancient mansions .The heart of the city is Park Central Square, open to all winds .Here is the zero kilometer Guatemala .At the flagpole with the national flag of Guatemala, an eternal flame burns, dedicated to unknown heroes around the world .On Sundays, the market unfolds on the square - a favorite place for Guatemalans for shopping, meetings with neighbors, idle chatter and just leisurely walks .To be in the thick of the crowd in the square surrounded by musicians and artists - an unforgettable impression of .The rest of the days on Park Central almost no one and you will not meet - peace and quietness .
In the 10th zone, the most high-class hotels, restaurants, shopping centers. A small part of it has its own name - Zona Viva, here the key is beating the night life.
Shopping and shopping
Guatemala is famous for its high quality textiles. In the capital you can buy cotton and wool products made in different parts of the country.
Knowing in alcoholic beverages, people will appreciate as a gift from Guatemala bottle of excellent rum Ron Zacapa Centenario. The cheapest it can buy at the airport in the second duty-free zone, located at the end of the terminal at exit number 11, is about $ 36 per liter.
Book popular Guatemala City hotels at the best prices
| Hotel Clarion Suites Guatemala from 7,075 rubles Guatemala 14 Calle 3-08 Zona 10 | Westin Camino Real Guatemala from 9,098 rubles Guatemala Calle Camino Real 0-20 Zona 10 | Barceló Guatemala City from 7,043 rubles Guatemala 7 avenida 15-45 zona 9 |
| Radisson Hotel & Suites Guatemala City from 4 352 rubles Guatemala 1a Avenida 12-46 Zona 10 | Mercure Hotel Guatemala Casa Veranda from 5 577 rubles Guatemala 12 Calle 1-24 Zona 10 | Suites Reforma from 4 811 rubles Guatemala Avenida Reforma 12-51 Z10 |
| Best Western Stofella from 5 254 rubles Guatemala 2 Avenida 12-28 Zona 10 | La Inmaculada Hotel from 6 382 rubles Guatemala 14 Calle 7-88 Zona 10 | Dai Nonni Hotel from 4 062 rubles Guatemala 15 Avenida "A" 5-30, zona 13 |
| Hotel Panamerican from 2,805 rubles Guatemala 9 calle 5-63 zona1 | Hotel Capri from 1 411 rubles Guatemala Novena Avenida 15-63 Zona 1 | Hotel Estacion Gerona Bed & Breakfast from 645 rubles Guatemala 13 Avenida 19 Calle 19-35 Zona 1 |
Guatemala Entertainment, Guided Tours and Attractions
The main attractions of the capital are, firstly, its historical center, and secondly - churches and cathedrals: the Cathedral of St. James (Catedral Primada Metropolitana de Santiago), the oldest in Guatemala Cerrito del Carmen - the Church in the name of the Virgin Mary of Carmel , the Church of Iglesia de Santo Domingo, and in the third place, museums: Miraflores Museum, Mayan Museum of National Textiles and Clothing (25 quetzales), National Museum of Modern Art and others.
Mandatory to visit the National Palace - every 15 minutes an excursion (40 quetzales) is sent. There is a zoo in the city, and bullfights are often held at the racetrack. In honor of the proclamation of the independence of Central America in the 10th zone, an obelisk rises.
Sights of the New City (southern part of Guatemala): Tower of the Reformer (Torre del Reformador - Guatemalan version of the Eiffel Tower) 75 m high, the neo-Gothic church of Jurrit, the botanical garden, the University of San Carlos and the remarkable Popol Vuh museum (25 quetzales) archaeological finds collected throughout the country.
In the park of Minerva there is a huge relief map of Guatemala, which allows you to appreciate the steepness of the city's hills. Surprisingly, it was created in 1904 - long before the advent of satellite imagery of the Earth. Near the city are the ruins of the ancient city of Kaminalguyu - one of the first Mayan centers. It was here that the traditions of erecting pyramids and sculptures originated.
Cultural life of the capital
In the capital there is a large part of all museums in the country, in more than 30 galleries, photos, paintings and sculptures of Guatemalan artists are on sale .In theaters with great success there are staging plays by national authors .There is a conservatory, art school, Academy of Sciences .For higher education in Guaté, there are 4 universities, the University of San Carlos - one of the oldest in Central America (founded in 1676 .) .The capital library is the largest book depository in the country, and historical documents (almost 200 thousand .all kinds of papers) are stored in the oldest national archive .
All prices are in May 2012.