What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
Photo: David Diaz / Pexels
Quetzaltenango is an inland city in Guatemala with about 207,620 people. Most central sights sit around Parque Centroamérica in Zona 1, including the Catedral del Espíritu Santo and the Teatro Municipal. The Centro Histórico suits first-timers and language students. Zona 3 has the Cementerio General and suits budget travellers. Many visitors also use the city as a base for Santa María Volcano, Laguna Chicabal and Fuentes Georginas. January and February are the best months to go.
The central sights fit into about 1 day, as each takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. Santa María Volcano needs a full day, and Laguna Chicabal and Fuentes Georginas need half a day each. Plan a few days to see both.
Zona 1 (city centre)
The main square of Xela, framed by grand neoclassical buildings, banks and the old Pasaje Enríquez arcade. It is the natural starting point for a walk around the historic centre and a good place to watch local life.
Zona 1 (Parque Centroamérica)
The city's cathedral stands on the east side of the central square. The ornate facade of the original colonial church survives in front of a newer building behind it, and that contrast is the main reason to look closely.
Zona 1
A neoclassical theatre a short walk north of the central square, with columns and busts of national figures outside. It is one of the city's finest buildings and still hosts performances.
Zona 3
A large city cemetery full of colourful family tombs, mausoleums and monuments. It gives a quiet look at local history and Guatemalan traditions around death and remembrance.
Edge of the city
A wooded hill and park on the edge of town with walking paths and views over Xela and the surrounding volcanoes. It is an easy outing for a city break without a full hike.
South of the city
The volcano that rises over Xela is the classic local hike, steep but without technical climbing. From the top you can look down on the active Santiaguito dome and across a long chain of volcanoes. Clouds often roll in later in the morning, so most groups start in the dark.
Near San Martín Sacatepéquez
A crater lake inside a volcano, surrounded by cloud forest and often wrapped in mist. It is a sacred site for local Maya communities, and it sometimes closes to visitors for ceremonies. Visitors are expected to be quiet and respectful.
Near Zunil
Natural hot springs fed into pools on a steep, forested mountainside. The air up here is cool and often misty, which makes the warm water especially pleasant.
Zunil (outside the city)
A K'iche' Maya town in a green valley below the road to Fuentes Georginas, with a white colonial church and farm fields all around. Many visitors stop here on the way to the hot springs.
San Andrés Xecul (outside the city)
A small town known for its bright yellow church facade, covered in painted figures, plants and animals. It is one of the most photographed churches in Guatemala and an easy trip from Xela.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 18°C / 8°C | 14 days (43 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 7.2/10 |
| Best month: February | 19°C / 9°C | 14 days (47 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 7.2/10 |
| March | 19°C / 9°C | 23 days (107 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| April | 19°C / 11°C | 26 days (190 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| May | 19°C / 12°C | 30 days (378 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| June | 18°C / 12°C | 28 days (452 mm) | 8.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| July | 19°C / 11°C | 24 days (215 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| August | 19°C / 11°C | 27 days (300 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| September | 18°C / 12°C | 29 days (400 mm) | 8.9 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| October | 18°C / 11°C | 28 days (325 mm) | 8.8 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| November | 18°C / 10°C | 19 days (114 mm) | 9.9 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| December | 18°C / 9°C | 15 days (49 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 7.0/10 |
Dry-season weather: highs near 17.9°C, 13.9 rain days and 43 mm of rain. Nights drop to 8.4°C, so pack layers. Scores 7.2, good.
Highs of 18.6°C, 13.9 rain days and 47 mm of rain. Cool nights at 8.6°C. Joint top score of 7.2, rated good.
Rain picks up to 22.7 days and 107 mm, though sun still averages 11.3 hours a day. Highs 18.8°C. Score 7, good.
Wetter now, with 25.8 rain days and 190 mm. Highs stay at 18.7°C with 11.1 sun hours. Score 7, good.
Tough weather: rain on about 30 days and 378 mm in total as the rainy season sets in. Highs 18.6°C. Still scores 7, good.
The wettest month, with 452 mm over 28.3 rain days and the fewest sun hours, 8.3. Highs 18.1°C. Score 7, good.
A drier spell inside the rainy season: 215 mm over 24.1 rain days and 10.3 sun hours. Highs 18.6°C. Score 7, good.
Rain climbs back to 300 mm across 27 rain days. Highs 18.5°C, lows 11.2°C, 9.8 sun hours. Score 7, good.
Tough weather again: 400 mm of rain over 29.1 days and only 8.9 sun hours. Highs 18.1°C. Score 7, good.
Still very wet, with 325 mm over 27.9 rain days and 8.8 sun hours. Highs 17.9°C. Score 6.9, still good.
Rain eases to 114 mm over 19.2 days as the dry season nears. Highs 17.9°C, lows 10.4°C. Score 6.9, good.
Drier again: 49 mm over 14.5 rain days and 10.5 sun hours. Highs 17.8°C, chilly nights at 8.9°C. Score 7, good.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Guatemala →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, language students, nightlife
Zona 1 is the old stone centre around Parque Centro América. It has most of the language schools, cafés and bars, and you can walk to almost everything. Weekend nights can be loud near the bars, and the old buildings can feel cold and damp inside on chilly evenings.
Good for budget travellers, market lovers, onward travel
A busy commercial district west of the centre with La Democracia market and easy access to the Minerva bus terminal for trips to nearby villages. It feels local and practical rather than pretty. Traffic and bus noise are constant, and some streets feel less comfortable after dark.
Good for longer stays, shopping, quieter nights
This newer area along Avenida Las Américas has wider streets, shopping centres and modern restaurants. It is calmer at night than the centre and good if you want modern comforts. The historic sights and most of the nightlife are a taxi or bus ride away.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guatemala City → Quetzaltenango First-class Pullman buses, about 4 hours. Operators include Transportes Alamo, Línea Dorada, Galgos and Fuente del Norte. Buy tickets at the company's own bus station in Zona 1 or Zona 7 of the capital, or in Xela. Tickets are usually on sale just before departure. Several departures run each day. Check the times with the company, because the published schedules are not recent. | bus | 4 h | 75–100 GTQ ↗ |
Places within 2½ hours by train, bus, ferry or car.
bus · 25–45 USD
Shared shuttle, about 2.5 h, hotel to hotel. Atitrans lists a daily 05:00 departure from USD 45 on its own page. Other sources list Atitrans from USD 30, Adrenalina Tours at USD 25 (minimum 2 people), and Guatemala Transportation and AtitlanTour at about USD 35. Flor del Paisaje runs a cheaper public bus.
Tamales made from mashed potato, usually with a spiced tomato and chilli sauce and a piece of meat inside. Many families and bakeries in Xela sell them on Thursdays.
A dark, dense local bread, often topped with sesame seeds. People buy it at bakeries and markets and eat it with coffee or hot chocolate in the morning or evening.
Quetzaltenango has a long tradition of grinding cacao by hand into tablets. Locals mix the chocolate with water or milk and drink it hot on cool highland mornings and evenings.
Small, firm corn tamales filled with meat or chicken and a red sauce, then wrapped in corn husk. Street stalls and market vendors sell them as a quick snack.
A thick stew of chicken or beef in a sauce of roasted seeds, chillies and tomatoes, served with rice and tortillas. Families often cook it for Sunday lunch and celebrations.
Mashed ripe plantain filled with sweet black beans, sometimes with chocolate, then fried and dusted with sugar. Street stalls sell them in the evening, often near the central park.
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
January and February are the best months to visit Quetzaltenango. They have the highest score of the year, 7.2, and they are the driest months. January gets 43 mm of rain and February 47 mm, both on about 13.9 days. You also get about 11 hours of sun a day. Nights are cool, with lows of about 8.4–8.6°C.
The wettest months in Quetzaltenango are May to October. Rain is heaviest in June at 452 mm, followed by September at 400 mm and May at 378 mm. July is drier at 215 mm. These months have 24–30 rain days, so expect some rain on most days. Sun drops to about 8–10 hours a day, and the hills turn green.
Yes, August is a good month for Quetzaltenango, with a score of 7. It is part of the rainy season. It gets about 300 mm of rain on 27 days, so plan for wet spells. You still get about 9.8 hours of sun a day. Temperatures are mild, with highs of 18.5°C and lows of 11.2°C.
Quetzaltenango is cool all year, with daytime highs of only 17.8–18.8°C in every month. Nights are colder in the dry months. Lows reach 8.4°C in January and 8.6°C in February. In the rainy months the nights are milder, with lows around 11–12°C. Bring warm layers for evenings at any time of year.
Plan several days for Quetzaltenango and the area around it. The Zona 1 sights take 30 minutes–1 hour or 1–2 hours each, so a single day covers the centre. Climbing Santa María Volcano takes a full day, starting before dawn. Laguna Chicabal and Fuentes Georginas each need half a day. Zunil and San Andrés Xecul Church take 1–2 hours each.
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