There are so many things to do in Xela, Guatemala – aka Quetzaltenango. From attractions & day trips txeo accommodation & transport, find out all the essentials in our Xela travel guide.
There are many places to visit in Guatemala but some of them have their disadvantages:
- Guatemala City is large, noisy, dirty and dangerous
- Nearby, Antigua is overly touristy
- And a lot of other cities spread around the country have no attractions, or no infrastructure for tourists.
But you won’t find any of these issues in Xela, Guatemala – note that it is also commonly referred to as Quetzaltenango.
Due to its medium size, Xela has the right combination of authentic Guatemalan lifestyle mixed with tourist infrastructure.
Find more inspiration in one of the Guatemala guide books below!
You can also walk the streets in relative safety. Nevertheless, always be aware of pickpockets. We recommend wearing a money belt with RFID blocking and traveling with an anti-theft daypack.
It’s also essential to purchase travel insurance before any trip to Guatemala. We’ve been using World Nomads in our travels through 80+ countries over the past 12 years.
It’s the best-value provider we’ve found in terms of price and coverage and we haven’t had any issues when we’ve had to make (fortunately) minor claims. For more details check out our World Nomads review here.
Markets span the whole of Xela, Guatemala making food and other items cheap.
Transportation to nearby destinations is straightforward.
There are enough things to do in Quetzaltenango to warrant accommodation for tourists, but you can still avoid foreigners altogether if you wish.
Keep reading our Xela travel guide for information on what to see & do in the city!
- Things to do in Xela, Guatemala
- Best Day Trips from Xela
- Best Xela Hikes
- Volunteering in Xela
- Learning Spanish in Xela
- Street Food in Xela
- Xela Accommodation
- Xela Transportation
Contents
Things to do in Xela, Guatemala
Xela is not a large city but inside it you can find many things to do. The main attractions can be found within these 4 main areas:
- Parque Centro America
- Mercado La Democracia
- Parque El Calvario
- Mercado La Terminal
We’ll explore these areas and the attractions in them in more detail. You can see it all in half a day or take you time in Xela over several days of sightseeing.
1. Parque Centro America
Most of the attractions in Xela are located along the perimeter of Parque Centro America, where you will find the city’s most striking architecture.
The park itself occupies two city blocks, and is lined with Roman columns on both ends. The interior is filled with benches, shrubs, statues, and a rotunda.
2. Museo de Historia Natural
On the south side of Parque Centro America is Museo de Historia Natural.
Both the building and interior exhibits are rather plain. Only go inside if you are really fascinated by Mayan culture, indigenous weavings, or the Central American political uprising.
3. Iglesia del Espiritu
SantoIglesia del Espiritu Santo stands out on the southeast side of Parque Centro America.
The façade was recently rebuilt, but the new cathedral located directly behind is the current place of worship.
4. Municipalidad
Located one block north of Iglesia del Espiritu Santo is Municipalidad. This government building has a splendid exterior, and pleasant grounds that you can wander inside.
Expect to see many lines outside offices formed by typical government bureaucracy.
5. Pasaje Enriquez
Pasaje Enriquez gives the impression of a grand arcade, but don’t let appearances fool you.
Instead of boutique shops, there are tourist related offices and a few drink establishments.
6. Teatro Municipal
You will discover Teatro Municipal a few blocks northwest of Parque Centro America.
The front and side facades could not be any different.
7. Mercado La Democracia
Mercado La Democracia is the main hub for discounted food and goods.
Nearby is Parque Benito Juarez and a few churches.
8. Mercado La Democracia
You name it, they sell it. Although technically an inside market, the whole section of Xela has been taken over by the market.
Each street seems to specialize in different items. For example, the east side of 16 Avenida is full of fruit while the west side sell predominantly vegetables.
9. Parque Benito Juarez
This small park engulfed in the frenzy of Mercado La Democracia offers a small respite from the hustle. Grab some street food and relax on a park bench.
The two attractions are a face infused Mayan calendar, and a gazebo at the center. Many city buses also originate here.
10. San Nicolas Church
On the east side of Parque Benito Juarez is the gothic San Nicolas Church.
The interior is even more striking as the darkness adds a feeling of doom-and-gloom.
What really caught our attention was the globe at the altar with Jesus. It reminded us of Cristo Rei in East Timor.
11. Parque El Calvario
On the western half of Xela, Guatemala is Parque El Calvario.
The park is little more than a basketball court, but the adjacent church and cemetery are personal favorites. Street food is also on offer at all hours of the day.
12. Iglesia El Calvario
Iglesia El Calvario is a small yellow church that is frequented by school kids before and after classes.
You can also catch a bus to Volcan Santa Maria here.
13. El Calvario Cemetery
Of more interest surrounding the park is the Calvario Cemetery. The narrow alleys are so colorful and vibrant. In a strange way it makes death less scary.
Despite occupying a large section, the graves are stacked very tightly. They literally form the perimeter walls. It is a sight to behold.
14. Mercado La Terminal
Mercado La Terminal is a nightmare that you will have to visit at least once during your stay in Xela, Guatemala.
Besides the market, you can also find Templo de Minerva and Minerva Bus Terminal.
15. Templo de Minerva
Sticking out like a sore thumb, Templo de Minerva is another Roman inspired structure.
It was built to motivate Guatemalans to attain further education, but is currently fenced off. I’m not sure what signal the government is trying to send with the mixed message.
16. Mercado La Terminal
This market is jam-packed! There is virtually no movement as people haphazardly stop and start, while others head in the opposite direction doing the same thing.
The best advice for navigating this stretch is to follow a truck or someone with a cart that has already cleared the way verbally.
You are probably wondering why you would bother to visit if you can get the same items at Mercado La Democracia. Well, this is the path you must take to get to Minerva Terminal.
17. Terminal Minerva
The bus terminal is just as crazy as the market. Food vendors line the side, while line after line of ‘chicken’ buses form half a dozen lines.
Buses progress as the front ones fill-up and depart. Most driver assistants will push the bus forward instead of starting the engine.
Best Day Trips from Xela
Consider exploring the things to do in Xela in combination with day trips to the surrounding towns, markets and villages.
Xela is the center of the highlands in Guatemala. As such, there are a number of excellent weekly markets in villages nearby.
Follow this itinerary if you would like to hit market days in the surrounding villages:
Friday: San Francisco El Alto and San Andres Xecul
Saturday: Laguna Chicabal and Xela
Sunday: Momostenango and Los Riscos
Monday: Volcan Santa Maria
Tuesday: Zunil, Fuentes Georginas, and finding San Simon (Maximon)
1. San Francisco de Alto Friday Market
San Francisco El Alto is the most authentic, large Guatemala market. The highlight is the animal market.
If you are in Xela on a Friday, get up early and make your way to San Francisco El Alto. You won’t regret going.
In fact, we were so amazed by both the quantity and variety of animals available for purchase at the animal market that we made two laps to make sure we saw everything.
2. Momostenango
Momostenango hosts their weekly market on Sunday, and can be combined with a visit to Los Riscos – if you can time it correctly as a day trip from Xela, Guatemala.
Momostenango’s Sunday market seems very tame, and village oriented compared to the larger San Francisco de Alto Friday market. The streets were less jammed, alive band performed in the gazebo, and people were able to chat.
If you plan on coming to Momostenango for the Sunday market anyhow, then Los Riscos are an added bonus.
A short 5 minute walk uphill, and you are there. These pillars were created by wind and water, as rain helped erode away the lose sediment surrounding the sandstone.
3. Zunil
Zunil recently converted to a daily market making it ok to visit any day of the week. You won’t be missing anything as many locals and vendors still wear traditional garments in their daily lives.
The most popular attraction around Zunil is Fuentes Georginas (Q50 / $6.85). The private hot springs have a series of pools with different temperatures, and are surrounded by walls filled with lush vegetation.
Plan to visit the day after hiking Volcan Santa Maria to help your body recover.
You can also try to find San Simon, a revered god to Guatemalans in the highlands. He is part Mayan gods, Jesus, and even the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvaradoall rolled into one.
Most importantly, he is a bad-ass who likes offerings of tobacco, alcohol, and of course money.
There are better Guatemala markets than Zunil but combined with the other attractions, it makes a decent day trip from Xela.
4. San Andres Xecul
Unless you are desperate for an excursion from Quetzaltenango/Xela, we don’t recommend visiting San Andres Xecul.
The town is famous for their church’s childish façade. There’s a daily market but it’s nothing special in terms of Guatemala markets.
Best Xela Hikes
The Guatemalan Highlands are home to a plethora of volcanoes nearby. Some you can climb as a day trip, others require overnights, and a few that could be done either way.
The day hikes from Xela include Volcan Santa Maria and Laguna Chicabal.
If you are keen on hiking then look into these multi-day treks from Xela:
- 2 day Volcan Tajumulco
- 3 day Xela to Lake Atitlan
- 5 day Nebaj to Todos Santos Cuchumatan
1. Volcan Santa Maria
If you start very early you can climb Volcan Santa Maria, and still have a nice view before the clouds roll-in around 9:30 am.
If you like to sleep in, or are a slow hiker, then consider sleeping on top for excellent views.
The goal is to catch Volcan Santiaguito erupting while still clear. Expect the trip to take 9 hours door-to-door.
2. Laguna Chicabal
Laguna Chicabal is an easy climb for a volcano, and can definitely be done as a day trip.
The highlight is enjoying the tranquil crater lake, and possibly witnessing Mayan faithful.
Volunteering in Xela
If you have a month to spare and love hiking, then consider volunteering with Quetzaltrekkers.
The proceeds from this organization go towards a school for kids from low-income families. The hikes are almost exclusively led by foreigners. It is the only way to make the school sustainable.
If you would like to volunteer to be a guide, then here are a few things we learned from someone just starting.
Compared to other volunteer opportunities where you pay a large amount to donate time, Quetzaltrekkers makes it affordable. Accommodation in a less than desirable house is Q300 / $41.15 per month, and you provide your own food. Meals are provided if guiding multi-day hikes.
As you can imagine, there is little time to get acquainted with hikes if you are there for only a month. Typically you tag along at least once for the main hike you will be leading. However, you may be asked to guide other trails without any experience.
This is a great way to give back to the world for cheap, and enjoy some of the hikes you would have done regardless.
Learning Spanish in Xela
We decided to learn Spanish at San Pedro de Laguna but if you’re looking for a more authentic Guatemalan city, then Xela may be your best choice.
It is affordable, there are creature comforts, and a lot of schools to choose from. In your down time, take advantage of the local markets and hikes to practice your Spanish.
Street Food in Xela
Street food can be found around Mercado La Democracia, Parque El Calvario, and south of Parque Centro America.
Options include:
- Tacos – 3 for Q10 / $1.35
- Hotdogs – Q5 / $0.70 with drink
- Pupusas – Q5 / $0.70 and up
- Fried chicken with fries – Q10 / $1.35
- Ceviche – Q15 / $2.05 and up
Our favorite restaurant for ‘menu del dia’ is located on 8a Calle near Parque El Calvario.
There are a few nearby, but this is identifiable by their sign outside indicating almuerzo. A drink comes with a plate of meat, rice, and salad for Q15 / $2.05.
Farther from the park, but on the same street, we tried the traditional Guatemalan food restaurant. In our opinion the restaurant had a nice ambiance, but the portions (Q25 / $3.45) were small for the price.
Another option for local dishes is the comedor a few buildings down selling pepian for Q15 / $2.06.
Regardless where you find traditional dishes, you should try pepian and jocon – we even learnt how to cook these dishes at Ixiim Cooking School in San Pedro de Laguna and El Frijol Feliz in Antigua!
There are very few identifiable dishes in Guatemala, but these are two:
- Pepian is your typical set meal, but with a spicy sesame seed sauce
- The jocon we tried was similar, but with a vegetable and herb puree as sauce
Xela Accomodation
There is a wide range of accommodation options in Xela / Quetzaltenango.
The cheapest we found was Casa Argentina, and at the same location as Quetzaltrekkers. Dorms are Q30 / $4.10, and rooms are Q40 / $5.50 per person.
Most of the rooms have shared baths, but they are plentiful. Long term stays can be negotiated.
When picking a room, test the Wi-Fi first to make sure you can access it in your room. There is also a kitchen in the rear you can use, but kitchenware is in short supply.
Another debatable aspect to Casa Argentina is their security. Barbwire lines the outside, and the door is always locked. For this reason, the place is generally safe. However, this also means you have to knock for a LONG time to get in at night, and if leaving early in the morning.
Overall, Casa Argentina is rough around the edges, but acceptable for most backpackers.
Xela Transportation
The Rotunda on the east side of the city is handy for ‘chicken’ buses to San Francisco de Alto and Zunil.
Meanwhile, microbuses depart from 15a Avenida and 6a Calle for Laguna Chicabal.
Buses to Volcan Santa Maria pass Iglesia El Calvario.
1. Terminal Minerva
Most long distance destinations from Xela departs from Minerva Bus Terminal.
When trying to find your ‘chicken’ bus, make sure you have the correct lane and walk from front to back as they depart in this order.
Momostenango, San Andres Xecul, and Chichicastenango all depart from the second lane from the left.
*** The Final Word – When traveling for a long time, sometimes you need to base yourself somewhere to recharge your batteries. Xela is that kind of place! ***
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Visited in August 2016
Updated in February 2020
Comments
I enjoyed this immensely. Lake in the crater, colorful market people selling their vegetables and fruits, unusual Church facade, magnificent buildings, and even colorful tombs. This was an interesting place for sure. I enjoyed reading it all and seeing every picture. Thanks.
We are glad you enjoyed reading it. There is a lot to do near Xela, and we’re glad it is finally all published!
I’m grefatul you made the post. It’s cleared the air for me.
Happy to have helped! Let us know if you have any questions.