Luxury holidays honeymoons and weddings abroad

Guatemala is one of the most striking countries in Latin America, with a rich heritage of Mayan and colonial history and offering some spectacular natural scenery. Surrounded by impressive volcanic peaks and clear lakes in its central highlands, dense jungle and Mayan ruins in the north and Caribbean culture and music to the east, a holiday to Guatemala is a real celebration for the senses.

The city of Antigua retains the beauty of its colonial heritage and has a unique atmosphere, while Lake Atitlan and the villages surrounding it seem lost in time with locals wearing distinctive hand-woven costumes in vivid colours.  Chichicastenango with its famous markets and Iglesia de Santo Tomas (a unique church with its own style of worship blended from pre-Colombian and Catholic practices) is definitely worth a visit. Another highlight of any Guatemala holiday must surely be Tikal, with probably the best setting of all the Mayan ruins - surrounded by undisturbed rain forest and home to howler monkeys and toucans. Or step off the beaten track to float down the Rio Dulce towards the Caribbean coast at Livingston and where you may be lucky enough to spot the elusive manatee.

Whatever part of this beautiful country appeals to you, South American Experience at W&O Travel would be delighted to tailor- make your perfect Central American tour. Guatemala combines very well with neighbouring Belize and its delightful offshore islands. Alternatively take a side trip from Guatemala into Honduras to visit the well-preserved stelae carvings at the Mayan site of Copan. You can even venture into southern Mexico from the Tikal area towards Yaxchilan and Palenque if you have a keen interest in Mayan culture.

Antigua:

Antigua in Guatemala is a haven of tranquility, only a short drive from the airport in Guatemala City and the perfect place to begin your journey through Guatemala as well as being one of the most charming of all of Central America's colonial cities.
Once considered the capital of the whole of Cental America, the city today retains the beauty of its colonial heritage in its buildings and cobbled streets, together with a relaxed atmosphere and lively cafe life. It is also the cultural and artistic centre of Guatemala and has an incomparable natural setting in the highlands with its year round pleasant climate and framed by three nearby volcanoes.

Stroll through its cobbled streets marvelling at the painstakingly restored Spanish colonial architecture, beautifully manicured parks and gardens, and wonderful churches, museums, markets and art galleries. There is a great selection of small boutique properties in the city, staying in old colonial houses beautifully converted into luxurious and stylish hotels. Discover the beauty of Guatemala in this delightful setting.

Antigua is famous for its Catholic celebrations in Easter Holy Week or 'Semana Santa'. The whole week is filled with processions consisting of large floats or 'andas' bearing ornate sculptures of Christ, the Virgin Mary and other holy figures. Temporary 'alfombras' (coloured sawdust and floral carpets) are meticulously created hours in advance and erased as the processions pass by. Semana Santa is hugely popular with hotels being booked out months in advance, so early booking is essential.

We can arrange a specialist guide if you wish to explore the many textiles markets and boutiques with an expert. For the more active, you can climb the exhilarating Pacaya Volcano (subject to volcanic activity of course) or you can explore local coffee plantations. However you spend your time, you are sure to be enchanted by this wonderful UNESCO World Heritage site that is a must on any trip to Guatemala.

Tikal:

Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, the Maya created one of the greatest civilisations in the Western Hemisphere. Mayan astronomers recorded precise tables of positions for Mars and Venus and predicted solar eclipses. They constructed great stone buildings and pyramid temples, devised intricate ball games, used hieroglyphic characters to keep written records, worked with gold and copper and developed advanced techniques of irrigation and terracing for the cultivation of crops.

Shrouded in dense tropical jungle in northern Guatemala, Tikal is probably the most extraordinary of all the Mayan sites of this once great civilisation. The buildings date back some 2500 years and the site is so vast, many are still hidden by the rainforest. Howler monkeys deafen you as you walk early morning through the thick vegetation to come across steep stepped pyramids and enormous temples. The main plaza has been carefully cleared from the jungle, so you can appreciate the sheer size of some of these constructions. The brave can climb some of the pyramids to gain incredible views over the canopy and spy the tops of the other pyramids of this incredible site.

Tikal may be the best known of the Mayan cities but the El Peten area is considered the heartland of the Mayan cities. It has an incredible number of other sites to be explored for those who are keen to discover more of Mayan history. The site of Yaxha is wonderful at sunset with breathtaking views out to the green lake below and also excellent for bird-spotting. The largest site but also the most inaccessible is the recently discovered El Mirador, reached by helicopter or a 5 day hike only, whose pyramids are said to be the largest in the world. More remote sites near Sayaxche include Ceibal and Aguateca and you can even cross into southern Mexico towards Yaxchilan, Bonampak and Palenque or east towards Belize to visit Caracol - the list of Mayan sites in this region is endless.

Lake Atitlan:

Lake Atitlan is one of the most stunning of Guatemala's natural wonders, with 50 square miles of deep, crystal blue water surrounded by three lofty volcanoes and numerous local villages. Aldous Huxley once called it "the most beautiful lake in the world" with which few, we are sure, would disagree.

Formed by volcanic activity, the lake shimmers in a mountain valley, overlooked by a dozen quaint villages whose residents proudly wear traditional dress in vivid reds, greens and blues and which differs from one community to the next to distinguish where they come from. With its backdrop of volcanoes, this is one of the most stunning lakes on the continent and forms the perfect tranquil setting for a number of luxurious properties where you can relax, be pampered and enjoy gourmet cuisine in an impossibly beautiful setting.

You can take boat trips out on the lake to explore some of the local villages, discover more about the strong ancient Mayan traditions and beliefs that still prevail in this area, browse the market stalls and craft stores in the colourful lakeside town of Panajachel or simply recharge in the fresh mountain air. You can hike up the slopes of the nearby volcanoes or explore the shores by bicycle for fantastic panoramic views of Atitlan.

Some of the boutique hotels we feature in Guatemala include banana palms resort & marina, casa encantada, casa palopo, casa santo domingo, hacienda san lucas, la lancha, marina copan, nitun lodge, panza verde, posada del angel, vista real.