Weekend en Guatemala

The following is one of the suggested itineraries included in the new edition of Moon Guatemala [2]. Non-stop flights out of Houston on Continental Airlines for about $300 R/T (or half the normal OnePass miles) this weekend have me considering a quick break in Guatemala...

Weekend en Guatemala

This itinerary is named after Nobel laureate Miguel Angel Asturias’s 1956 collection of short stories dealing with the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman in a CIA-orchestrated coup. Guatemala’s close proximity to U.S. shores and easy access by air (just 2.5 hours from Houston or Miami; 5 hours from New York) makes it a great candidate for an international weekend getaway.

Day 1
This can be a Friday or Saturday. There are nonstop flights from New York/Newark on Saturdays. Most other gateway cities have multiple flights daily.

Arrive in Guatemala City [3] around noon. Grab a shuttle van or taxi to La Antigua and check in to your hotel. Take the afternoon to explore the cobblestone streets and a museum or two, do some shopping and grab a bite to eat in one of its excellent restaurants. Grab drinks and/or dinner and watch the sunset behind the volcanoes from Cafe Sky or Tartine’s.

Day 2
Grab an early breakfast and then hike up the Cerro de la Cruz for a wonderful view of the city with Agua volcano in the background. Alternatively, and between December and March, head out early and go whale-watching on the Pacific Coast (one hour away). Have lunch and an afternoon round of golf at La Reunion Antigua Golf Resort and spend the night there. From your Gran Clase Suite, enjoy views of Agua and Pacaya volcanoes over your private plunge pool.

Day 3
Transfer back to Guatemala City and its international airport. Depending on the time of your departure, you may be able to visit one or several of the museums located near the airport. These include the Archaeology Museum or the Museo Popol Vuh and Museo Ixchel (next door to each other). Allow some extra time at the airport for some duty free shopping before you fly out. This itinerary will whet your appetite for more of Guatemala [4]. Plan your next trip on the plane ride home.

For more suggested itineraries, check out Moon Guatemala [2], the most complete guide to all that this fascinating country has to offer.