Planning a Trip

Arriving

By Plane -- All flights into Guatemala City land at La Aurora International Airport (tel. 502/2332-6086; airport code GUA), which is located in Zona 13 on the edge of the city center and about 25km (16 miles) from Antigua. The airport is currently in the midst of a major remodel and expansion. The new and improved airport is expected to be ready sometime late in 2007.

There is an INGUAT (Guatemalan Tourism Commission; www.visitguatemala.com) information booth inside the airport, open Monday through Friday from 6am until 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8am until 8pm.

The Banquetzal (tel. 502/2347-5081; www.banquetzal.com.gt) in the airport exchanges dollars and some European currencies, and will cash traveler's checks. It's open Monday through Friday from 6am to 8pm, and Saturday through Sunday from 6am to 6pm.

You'll find various shuttle companies occupying makeshift booths -- due to the airport construction -- as you exit either the national or international terminal. These companies charge between Q30 and Q60 ($4-$8/£2.10-£4.20) to any hotel in Guatemala City, and between Q75 and Q90 ($10-$12/£5.25-£6.30) to Antigua. Many of the larger hotels also have regular complimentary airport shuttle buses, so be sure to check in advance if your hotel provides this service.

If you don't want to wait for the shuttle to fill or sit through various stops before arriving at your hotel, there are always taxis lined up at the airport terminal exits. A taxi downtown will cost around Q45 to Q75 ($6-$10/£3.15-£5.25).

If you're on a tight budget and need to take a bus to the city center, bus no. 32 runs downtown every 30 minutes between 6am and 8pm, with less frequent service before and after those hours. Warning: Because of an increasing number of armed assaults on metropolitan buses, I recommend you avoid this option.

Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, Tabarini, and Thrifty all have car rental desks at the airport.

By Bus -- Guatemala's bus system is a chaotic mess. Scores of independent companies provide service to just about every nook and cranny in the country. However, there is little rhyme or reason to their terminal locations. If you arrive in town by bus, you may end up at the large and hectic main bus terminal and market area in Zona 4, or at any number of private terminals around the city, often in Zona 1. It's always easy to find a taxi near any of the bus terminals, and I recommend taking one to your final destination in the city, which should cost Q45 to Q75 ($6-$10/£3.15-£5.25).

Warning: Do not arrive by bus at night if at all possible, as the bus terminal and surrounding area are very dangerous at night. If you do, hop in a cab immediately after you arrive.

By Car -- Unless you're already familiar with the city, arriving by car can be a confusing and challenging endeavor. Prepare for gridlock and a general disregard for anything resembling common courtesy. The road in from Antigua and the Western Highlands turns into Calzada Roosevelt, which becomes the Bulevar Liberación as it heads toward Zona 10. If you're heading to Zona 1, take the Anillo Periférico to the northeast soon after entering the urban sprawl.

The road from the Pacific Coast (CA-9) enters Guatemala City from the southwest and turns into Calzada Raul Aguilar Batreó as it heads toward downtown. On the other side, CA-9 enters the city from the northeast, bringing in traffic from the Atlantic Coast, El Oriente, and Las Verapaces.

Visitor Information

The Guatemalan Tourism Commission (INGUAT; tel. 502/2421-2854; www.visitguatemala.com) has an airport booth for arriving tourists, as well as a main office at 7a Av. 1-17, Zona 4. This office is open Monday through Friday from 8am until 4pm, and can provide maps and brochures. They can also make a call for you if you need a hotel or car-rental reservation. To get tourist assistance and information from anywhere within Guatemala, dial tel. 1500.

Hotel concierges, tour desks, and local travel agencies are another good source of information. There are scores of tour agencies around Guatemala City. I recommend Clark Tours, 7a Av. 14-76, Zona 9, inside Clark Plaza (tel. 502/2412-4700; www.clarktours.com.gt); Grayline Guatemala, 1a Av. 13-22, Zona 10, inside the Holiday Inn (tel. 502/2383-8600; www.graylineguatemala.com); and Maya Vacations, 12a Calle 2-04, Zona 9 (tel. 502/233-4638; www.mayavacations.com).

City Layout

Guatemala City is divided into 21 zones or "zonas." The zonas are numbered sequentially in a spiral pattern beginning with Zona 1, the most central and oldest zone in the city. In general, the city is laid out on a standard grid, with avenidas (avenues) running roughly north-south, and calles (streets) running east-west. Of the 21 zones, below are those that you're likely to visit, as they hold the majority of the city's hotels, restaurants, and major attractions.

Breaking the Code -- Guatemalan addresses may look confusing, but they're actually easy to understand. All addresses are written beginning with the avenida or calle that the building, business, or house is on, followed by the nearest cross street and actual building number, written out as a two-number hyphen combination. This is then followed by the zone. For example, the INGUAT Office on 7a Av. 1-17, Zona 4 is located at no. 17, on Avenida 7, near the cross street of 1a Calle in Zona 4. Be very careful, first and foremost, that you're in the correct zone. 7a Av. 1-17, Zona 4; and 7a Av. 1-17, Zona 10, are two radically different addresses.

The Neighborhoods in Brief

Zona 1 This is the most central and oldest section of the city, home to the Plaza Mayor, Metropolitan Cathedral, and National Theater, as well as many budget hotels, stores, and restaurants. Several buildings date back to the capital's founding in 1775, when a mudéjar (Moorish) architectural style was so fashionable and uniform that the only thing that distinguished one private home from another was the size. Unfortunately, other aspects of the urban environment can overshadow the neighborhood's charms. Traffic noise and exhaust fumes flood the crowded streets and avenues. Be very cautious when exploring this area and avoid going out at night, as petty theft and even gun violence are common. The U.S. State Department prohibits government employees from staying in hotels in this area.

Zona 4 Just south of Zona 1, this area was once known as the Cantón de Exposición, as its center was the Guatemala Pavilion from the 1890 Paris World's Fair. A touch of Paris still remains: the Torre del Reformador, a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower built in 1935 to commemorate the progressive administration of President Justo Rufino Barrios (1873-85). Travelers will want to be aware of the central INGUAT office here, housed in the Civic Center along with the Bank of Guatemala, the Supreme Court of Justice, and other government buildings. Nearby, the compact Cuatro Grados Norte is a pedestrian-friendly and safe section of bars, restaurants, shops, and discos. The sprawling, chaotic second-class bus terminal and market are in this zone as well.

Zonas 9 and 10 These ritzy zones straddle the Avenida La Reforma in the southern part of the city center, with Zona 9 to the west and Zona 10 to the east. The streets are lined with trees and gardens, embassies and eateries, luxury hotels and shops. Zona 10 is also known as the "Zona Viva" because of its abundance of hotels, restaurants, and bars. The streets in Zona 10 are relatively safe, and the area has a hopping nightlife. More than just a playground for the well-healed, Zona 10 is also home to the Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena, Botanical Garden, and Popol Vuh Museum, with its notable collection of pre-Columbian pottery.

Zona 13 The airport, several museums, and the Aurora Zoo are all in Zona 13, southwest of Zona 9. It's a pleasant place to spend an afternoon or a night if you have an early morning flight from La Aurora airport. The hotels in Zona 9 and Zona 10 are also quite close to the airport.

Getting Around

Note: Guatemala City has an extensive network of metropolitan buses, but a vast number of assaults take place on them at all times of day and night. I highly recommend you take a taxi instead.

By Taxi -- Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive, and while they're supposed to use meters, many don't. It's always best to ask before taking off whether it will be a metered ride, and if not, to negotiate the price in advance. A ride anywhere in the city should cost between Q15 and Q75 ($2-$10/£1.05-£5.25).

If you need to call a cab, ask your hotel or try Taxi Amarillo Express (tel. 502/2470-1515), Taxi Metro (tel. 502/2439-7124), Taxis 2000 (tel. 502/2433-9984), or Taxis Plaza (tel. 502/2331-8519). Taxi Amarillo Express cabs all use meters.

On Foot -- Guatemala City is not very conducive to exploring by foot. The city is spread out, and many of the major attractions are far from one another. Plus street crime is a problem. It's relatively safe to walk around zonas 1, 4, 9, 10, and 13 by day. However, with few exceptions, you should never walk around Guatemala City at night. Those few exceptions include the most developed parts of Zona 10, or the Zona Viva; and the hip, new strip of bars and restaurants in Zona 4, known as Cuatro Grados Norte.

By Car -- Driving in Guatemala City falls somewhere between a headache and a nightmare. There is little need to navigate Guatemala City in a car. I highly recommend you take taxis and leave the driving to others. If you do find yourself driving around Guatemala City, go slow, as pedestrians and vehicles can appear out of nowhere.

If you want to rent a car, the following all have airport locations, and some have locations in town: Avis (tel. 502/2231-0017; www.avis.com); Budget, 6a Av. 11-24, Zona 9 (tel. 502/2232-7744; www.budgetguatemala.com.gt); Hertz, Av. Hincapié 11-01, Zona 13, and at several hotels in Zona 10 (tel. 502/2470-3737; www.rentautos.com.gt); National, 14a Calle 7-57, Zona 9 (tel. 502/2362-3000; www.nationalcar.com); and Thrifty (tel. 502/2379-8747; www.thrifty.com). Tabarini (tel. 502/2331-2643; www.tabarini.com) is a good local company with offices at 2a Calle A 7-30, Zona 10, as well as at the airport.

Rates run from Q263 to Q600 ($35-$80/£18-£42) per day, depending upon the size and style of automobile, and include unlimited mileage and full insurance.

Guatemala also has an extensive network of buses servicing almost every little town and village in the country, including all the major tourist destinations. Unfortunately, the system is very complex and entirely decentralized. Specific bus information is listed in the individual destination sections.