Welcome to Guatemala City: Your Guide To La Capital, a bustling metropolis that shares similarities with any other city. With its vibrant commerce and diverse neighborhoods, ranging from the poorest to the most upscale, Guatemala City is the first touch point for anyone coming to explore the country of eternal springtime.
My family usually considers this city as a stopover during our travels. We pick up our rental car, grab a meal with family that lives in La Capital, etc. we always manage to carve out a day to explore its unique attractions.
Join me as I show you the must-visit attractions in Guatemala City below:
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Plan Your Visit
 Flight |  Stay |  Do |  Drive |
| WayAway | Hotellook | GetYourGuide | Rentalcars.com |
La Capital – Guatemala City Tips
| Money Accepted: | Credit cards are accepted in most places with many ATMs available if you do need cash for smaller stalls or markets. | ||
| Safety In Guatemala City: | Since Guatemala City have both a mix of poor and upscale neighborhoods, violence tends to be more predominant compared to other parts of Guatemala. As in all major cities, practice caution as a tourists. | ||
| Friendly To Tourists: | While people are friendly in Guatemala, the city tends to have the least friendliest of the bunch. City folks after all, have places to be and things to do just like in cities like New York City, London and Paris. | ||
| Ways To Get To Guatemala City: | Shuttle – I booked GUATEGO shuttle service to/from the airport and they were very reliable and affordable. Car Rental – Depending on the number in your group and what else you plan to see in Guatemala beyond Antigua, renting a car may be a cheaper option. Book your rental HERE Uber – Uber operates in Guatemala, with larger cities like La Capital having a higher chance of securing a ride. | ||
| Length Of Stay: | To explore Guatemala city, I would recommend 1 day or 1/2 day. |
Top Tourist Spots In La Capital
| PASEO CAYALA – Upscale retail promenade. |
| RESTAURANT EL PORTAL – Ever drank in a place that Che Guevara and Fidel Castro drank at outside of Cuba? Look no further. This is the most famous and oldest watering hole in the capital. Famous poets, writers and political figures have drank the holiest of waters can be found in Guatemala City. Your drinks include complimentary Guatemalan finger food and it’s not uncommon to see musicians come and play. |
| NATIONAL PALACE – Gorgeous square in the historic side of the city. Here you will see the National Palace and it’s not far from Restaurante El Portal and Mercado Central. |
| Mercado Central – For an authentic market experience, visit Mercado Central. You will find the best prices for souvenirs. Including fresh fruit, flowers, candy and everything else in between. Just be warned, some food stalls may charge you higher prices as a tourist. This was the case at Rosita’s restaurant stall. (My mom did recommend “Dona Mela”. Unfortunately they were too packed.) Most stalls may not be veggie friendly since this isn’t common in Guatemala. (I did say, “Authentic”, after all.) |
| Zona 10 – This is the district you go for the best nightlife in the city. |
| See more must-visit attractions in Guatemala City HERE |
Guatemala City Accommodation Options
Hostal Guatefriends – Perfect for those people who need a proper place to sleep near the airport. Feels like someone’s home but it’s very clean, provides breakfast and they will drive you to the airport. Complimentary service for staying with them.
La Inmaculada Hotel – Hotel is in a great location. There are many restaurant/bars/shops in walking distance They offer shuttle service to the airport, which makes this very convenient. A great hotel option for those travelling in and out of the country.
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