Things To Do in Santiago de Atitlan

La Iglesia Parroquial Santiago Apóstol was built in the late 16th century, and features a plaque and statue dedicated to Father Stanley Rother, an American priest who was murdered by a right-wing group in 1981. The main structure consists of large intricately carved altars with numerous niches, each filled with a carved figure of a saint or holy person, many of whom are adorned in traditional Maya clothing.

Outdoor enthusiasts will be happy to know that one of the best ways to tour the countryside around Santiago de Atitlán is on horseback. Longtime residents Jim and Nancy Matison (tel. 502/5811-5516; wildwestgua@yahoo.com) offer a range of rides in the area, including a full-day tour with lunch for Q450 ($60/£30) per person; shorter rides for Q150 ($20/£10) per person per hour, plus Q56 ($7.50/£3.75) per hour for the guide; as well as various treks and hikes.

Dolores Ratzan is a Tz'utujil woman who has dedicated herself to the study of traditional Maya healing and religion. She also conducts wonderful tours to the studios and workshops of local artists and weavers.

If you don't want to swim in the lake, you can use the pool and facilities at Turicentro Tiosh Abaj for Q30 ($4/£2) per day.

The local Santiago de Atitlán huipil is distinctive and beautiful, featuring large embroidered birds and flowers, usually densely displayed around the neck and chest area, on a plain white cloth with thin, blue vertical stripes or a checkerboard pattern. You'll find these at the numerous stands that line the main road between the dock and center of town. Santiago is also a good place to shop for carved-wood masks, as well as local paintings done in a "primitive" style. Friday and Saturday are the principal market days, and you'll find a greater selection on those days, with sellers coming into town from surrounding villages. However, the shopping scene is good here just about any day.

Note: It's become common practice to take old huipiles, particularly those from Santiago, and dip them into a large dye vat of either blue or ocher. This gives the huipil an interesting look, but it's very far from traditional, and often serves to mask an inferior piece of work.