Introduction
Guatemala City is the largest urban metropolis in Central America and visitors' impressions of this central hub are often mixed. Overcrowded and polluted, the city leaves many visitors un-enamoured, however there is an undeniable energy here that also fosters a sense of excitement.
The New City is where you will find the city's restaurants and modern club scene, but it is the gritty and dilapidated old city that is the energetic heart of Guatemala. The area around Plaza Mayor makes for a particularly enjoyable afternoon, filled with the frenetic sounds and colours that characterise this urban sprawl.
Guatemala city is also the perfect destination for those interested in the country's ancient past, with many of the most valuable Mayan artefacts interred in the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología.