Let the flavors of Guatemala guide you
When to go
Year-Round
Trip length
8 days / 7 nights
Typical investmentPrice
from $2,700 pp
Bring your appetite and your curiosity on this family journey through Guatemala’s colonial streets and beautiful highlands. Begin in Antigua, exploring historic ruins and cobblestone lanes before tasting your way through its street carts, sweet shops, and family-run eateries. Head into the mountains for the colorful market of Chichicastenango, where textiles, pottery, flowers, and fresh produce fill the stalls. Continue to Lake Atitlán for days of volcanic views and lakeside bliss, with time to explore by boat or simply enjoy your retreat. A delicious introduction to Guatemala, with plenty of room to relax together.
Along the way
Cook and share a Mayan-style meal beside Lake Atitlán using local ingredients
Taste traditional street foods and everyday flavors shaped by Maya and Spanish roots
Browse the vibrant stalls of Chichicastenango Market, rich with color and ritual
Wander Antigua's cobbled streets, plazas, and colonial ruins
Your route
Cobblestones and distant cones
Arrive in Guatemala City and meet your driver for the journey to Antigua, a colonial city in a valley surrounded by volcanoes. Check into your luxurious hotel and spend the evening relaxing after your travels or enjoying a first stroll through the cobblestone streets.
Get your bearings today on a private walking tour of the city. Meander through cobblestone streets, passing the fascinating ruins of convents and churches as your guide brings Antigua’s history to life. Explore the old capital and the everyday life unfolding around it.
Discover the city’s vibrant market and culinary scene on a tasting safari of the best street food Antigua has to offer, from street carts to a famous sweet shop to family-run eateries. Make sure to come hungry!
Market paths and mountain roads
After breakfast, travel privately into the highlands to the colorful open-air market of Chichicastenango. Browse stalls of textiles, pottery, flowers, and fresh produce as local families shop for the week. Visit the church of Santo Tomás before continuing toward Lake Atitlán. A wonderful introduction to the region’s market traditions.
Today, revel in lakeside bliss and serene volcanic views from your lakeside hotel. Gone are the tuk-tuks whizzing by and the bustle of the market; instead, a gentle breeze and quiet lapping of waves. Catch some rays poolside, sip a tasty cocktail, or book a delectable massage to melt your stresses away.
Enjoy another day at your own pace. Perhaps arrange a kayak outing, a spa treatment, or a scenic boat ride. Or stay close to your hotel, with a good book and a spectacular view across the lake. Doing very little is a perfectly lovely plan.
Spend your final full day enjoying Lake Atitlán. Choose a boat outing to a nearby village or remain at your retreat for a lazy afternoon beside the water. There’s a little more time to enjoy Guatemala’s beautiful highlands before tomorrow’s journey home.
Travel back to Guatemala City for your onward flight, allowing time for the road journey from Lake Atitlán. Bid farewell to colorful markets, cobblestone streets, and volcanic shores.
Let's discover your next adventure
Our top picks
Bright blues, handcrafted Guatemalan textiles, and contemporary local art have become the signature of Casa Palopó overlooking Lake Atitlán. Fifteen individually designed rooms and a private villa face the lake and its surrounding volcanoes, while Relais & Châteaux dining has earned the hotel a reputation as one of Guatemala's finest culinary destinations.
Reached only by boat, Laguna Lodge occupies its own nature reserve beneath the volcanoes of Lake Atitlán. A small collection of lakeside suites incorporates local stone, reclaimed wood, antiques, and Guatemalan textiles, while forest trails and kayaking begin directly from the property. Staying here feels very different from the bustle of Panajachel.
Botanical gardens have been part of Hotel Atitlán's identity for decades, cascading toward the shores of Lake Atitlán beneath towering volcanoes. Family-owned, the hotel combines hand-painted furnishings and Guatemalan textiles with one of the lake's most celebrated garden collections. Peacocks, orchids, and lake views are never far away.
Behind an unassuming doorway in Antigua sits one of the city's most intimate boutique hotels. Just a handful of richly decorated rooms surround flower-filled courtyards, a narrow lap pool, and inviting fireplaces, creating the feeling of staying in an elegant private home rather than a hotel.
Art has always been central to Mesón Panza Verde. Twelve individually designed rooms surround leafy courtyards filled with antiques, sculpture, and original artwork, while the restaurant has long been considered one of Antigua's finest. The atmosphere is refined without ever feeling formal.
Facing Antigua's 18th-century Capuchin Convent, El Convento draws much of its character from the city that surrounds it. Spacious suites feature vaulted ceilings, timber beams, stonework, and private patios, while Antigua's churches, cafés, galleries, and restaurants are all just a few minutes away.
Eleven individually furnished suites place Las Cruces in the heart of Antigua, surrounded by 17th-century silver, religious art, carved furniture, and views toward the city’s ruins and volcanoes. Central Park is only a short walk away.
Keep exploring
Let’s start planning
Tell us a little about your plans. We’ll be in touch to talk through this trip with you.
