Teatro Quetzantenango

Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela (pronounced "SHAY-la"), is the second largest city in Guatemala, with 144,000 inhabitants, the majority of them of Mayan descent and cultural identification. Xela is the ideal location for learning Spanish and experiencing Guatemalan culture. It is not overrun with foreigners, so it gives a good representation of Guatemalan life. More importantly, the small percentage of foreigners ensures that you will use Spanish in your daily life, for a true immersion experience.

Xela is 206 Km from Guatemala City on the Pan American Highway. The trip takes about 4 hours by bus. Xela is a high city with an altitude of over 7,500 ft. / 2,330 m. The climate is pleasantly cool, with cold nights and warm sunny days, and an average temperature of 16° centigrade. In winter, from November to February, nighttime temperatures dip as low as 30° F /-1°C, and Guatemalan houses and

Quetzantenango Picture: Madeleine Weissenberg

buildings are unheated, so you will need warm clothes for the evenings and mornings. During the rainy season, from June to August, afternoon or evening downpours are frequent, but there is always sun for a good part of the day.

Xela is a charming city bustling with life, but small enough get to know easily. It offers many cultural amenities, including a beautiful colonial theater hosting live music and drama, movie theaters, restaurants and cafes, and several attractive parks. Foreign visitors enjoy the availability of internet cafes for sending and receiving e-mail, book stores featuring new and used books with titles in English and other foreign languages, and bars and night spots. There are several outdoor markets, a supermarket, and numerous small shops, restaurants and bakeries. Strolling through the streets you will experience all aspects of everyday Guatemalan life, including Mayan women wearing beautiful traditional clothing and street vendors offering food, textiles, and other goods for sale. You will hear many Mayan languages as well as Spanish being spoken as adults, children and families follow their daily routines. Guatemalan culture is very friendly and open, so it is easy to meet and chat with people to learn about their lives.

Located in the spectacularly beautiful Western Highlands of Guatemala, Xela provides easy access to Guatemala’s riches. The city is nestled in the mountains and is surrounded by four major volcanoes: Santa Maria, the Siete Orejas (Seven Ears), Cerro Quemado (Burned Hill), and Santiaguito, which is considered to be one of the four most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Quetzaltanango boasts one of the principal Historic Centers in Central America, and has many examples of period architecture, including the church of San Jacinto in Salacajá, completed in 1524. Xela is a hub for bus travel to other parts of Guatemala as well as to Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico. There are many day trip options within easy access of Xela, including Fuentes Georginas, a fabulously beautiful natural hot springs 20 minutes from Xela, the

Quetzantenango Map

beaches of the Pacific coast, nearby Mayan villages, several large, colorful outdoor markets, a water park, and natural steam baths. You can also take a long day or a few days to visit scenic Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, the largest and one of the oldest markets in Central America, the Mayan ruins and jungles of Petén, or the ancient capital of the country, Antigua Guatemala.