I’m really excited to interview Cesar Tanchez of CesarTanchez.com about Guatemala City, Guatemala. Cesar’s tips for the best things to do in Guatemala City are awesome because he was born and raised in Guatemala. He loves everything about his country, especially the weather where it is about 70* all year long.
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Mayan ruins of Tikal in Petén
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala and is the largest city in Central America. It is in a valley surrounded by the central highlands at almost 4,900 feet above sea level. With such a high altitude, the weather is great all year long. This is why they call Guatemala City the home of “Eternal Spring.” The temperatures are usually around 70* degrees throughout the year. Cesar says that the best time to visit is in the Winter and Summer so that you can avoid the rainy season. November has the most beautiful sunsets.
The Spanish tradition of Semana Santa (Holy Week) arrived in Guatemala with the Spaniards in the 1500s. Since then, this has become one of the main attractions for travelers. It is held the last week of Lent before Easter in the local city of Antigua. Plan your trip for March or April to experience the religious ceremonies and processions among the city’s cobblestone streets.
We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Visit Guatemala, the local convention and visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.
If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.
Antigua Guatemala the first University of Central America and Volcán de Agua
Getting around Guatemala City
The local airport is La Aurora International Airport (GUA), which is only about a 20-minute drive to Guatemala City. If you’re looking to visit the Mayan pyramids of Peten, your best option is to take a 30-minute flight to the local airport. Otherwise, it is a 12-14 hour ride along the difficult roads of the countryside. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.
Cesar says that, if you’re staying downtown, it’s best to rent a car. Click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz. There are plenty of parking options when you have your own car.
Uber is an excellent way to get around if you don’t feel comfortable driving in a foreign country. Local tourist agencies can also arrange transportation.
View from a lookout on the road to Lake Atitlán
Places we talked about on the podcast
Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Cesar Tanchez about Guatemala City, Guatemala. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.
- Red dots = best places to eat in Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Green dots = best things to do in Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Yellow dots = best places to stay in Guatemala City, Guatemala
Who is Cesar Tanchez?
Cesar Tanchez is a Spanish radio show for personal finance in Guatemala. He has a 90-minute radio show every week. In addition, he hosts a weekly podcast called Trascendencia Financiera (Financial Significance). His goal is to help people make intelligent personal finance decisions.
Here are a few podcast episodes he’s published:
- Celebracion XI: Surf de episodios
- Peliculas: El luchador / Cinderella Man
- Compra de Apartamentos como inversion: Estrategia
You can connect with Cesar at his website and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Click here to download our one-page guide of Cesar’s tips for Guatemala City.
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Antigua Guatemala El Arco de Santa Catalina with Volcán de Agua
Stay tuned for our next episode
Listen to the next episode when Vanessa Gordon, publisher at East End Taste Magazine, shares the best things to do in The Hamptons, NY. In this episode, Vanessa and I talk about the Sag Harbor Music Festival, the Hamptons International Film Festival, and the region’s incredible culinary scene. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.
What’s your favorite part of Guatemala City? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!
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brteacher
There’s a lot wrong with this post, but start with the fact that Uber is available and cheap, and driving in Guatemala is tricky, and I definitely do not recommend driving in Guatemala City, as signage is poor.
Lee
Ryan, thanks for pointing out the Uber access in Guatemala City. As a local, maybe Cesar never uses them, so didn’t think that Uber was there. I’m updating the show notes to address that.