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Voykit pocket guide · Guatemala
Guatemala City
Ciudad de Guatemala
Land, sleep one night in Zona 10 or Zona 4, see the historic centre by day, then shuttle to Antigua (about 1 h, US$8–12).
Guatemala City is the country's transport hub and its largest city, not the reason most people come. La Aurora airport (GUA) is 45 km from Antigua, so a night here is often forced by flight times. The old centre (Zona 1) has the palace, cathedral and market; Zona 10 has the hotels and restaurants. Two nights is enough to see it properly, and most travellers use it as a stop, not a base.
- Country
- Guatemala
- Local name
- Ciudad de Guatemala
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rain, heaviest Jun and Sep)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GTQ
- Money
- Currency is the Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ, Q). Cards work in Antigua hotels and restaurants; markets, lake villages and shuttles often need cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget Q250–450 excl. bed · Mid Q450–900 excl. bed · High Q900+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Tigo and Claro sell SIMs at the airport and shops; bring your passport.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Tourist assistance (INGUAT) 1500
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; power cuts in storms.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% — check if 'propina' is already on the bill.; Guides (Tikal, volcanoes): Q50–100 per person per day.; Shuttle drivers: Q10–20.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations in Antigua and lake hotels.
- Toilets
- Paper in the bin; public toilets charge Q1–5.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | Q15–35 |
| Set lunch (almuerzo) | Q35–70 |
| Beer: local in a bar / shop | Q25–45 / Q12–20 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi or Uber3.1 mi (5 km) taxi or Uber | Q40–80 |
| Transmetro card (Q20, includes 5 trips) | Q20 |
| Museum entry (Popol Vuh, Ixchel, palace) | Q40–80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GUA · La Aurora International
- Zona 13, about 15–25 min to Zona 10 by taxi; fixed-price airport taxis cost roughly US$12 to Zona 10.
Typical fares
- Airport → Zona 10, fixed-price taxi
- about US$12
- Shuttle Guatemala City → Antigua
- US$8–12, about 1 h
- Transmetro single trip after the card's 5 free rides
- Q1
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Zones are numbered, not named: Zona 1 is the old centre, Zona 10 the hotel district. Transmetro BRT (green buses) and Transurbano (blue-white) need a pre-paid card — cash is not accepted on board. Uber and app taxis work well; metered Amarillo taxis are booked by phone (1766). Avoid the old red city buses.
See and do
Known for
- Palacio Nacional de la Cultura
- Plaza Mayor and Metropolitan Cathedral
- Museo Popol Vuh and Museo Ixchel
- Zona Viva nightlife
- Gateway to Antigua and the highlands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua Guatemala | Tourist shuttle from Zona 10 or the airport, or chicken bus from Terminal Trebol | 1–1.5 h |
| Chimaltenango | Chicken bus from Terminal Trebol along the Inter-American Highway | 1.5–2 h |
| Cobán | Pullman bus from Zona 1 or Centra Norte | 5–6 h |
Sleep
- Zona 10 (Zona Viva)
- Hotels, restaurants, bars, malls; safest and easiest base for one or two nights.
- Zona 4
- Near the national theatre and INGUAT; quieter, walkable to Zona 1 by day.
- Zona 1 (Centro Histórico)
- Palace, cathedral, market; cheapest beds, but streets empty out after dark — use taxis at night.
- Zona 13
- Around the airport; practical for a very early flight only.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Buenos díasBWEH-nos DEE-as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| To this address, please | A esta dirección, por favora ES-ta di-rek-SYON por fa-VOR |
| I need help | Necesito ayudane-se-SEE-to a-YU-da |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-de es-TA el BA-nyo |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWE-do pa-GAR kon tar-HE-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'buenos días'; in villages a softer handshake; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Photography: Ask first and accept a no; avoid: Photographing children
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Flash during ceremonies
- Bargaining: Smile, make an offer, walk away politely; avoid: Haggling over a few quetzales with weavers
Scams and watch-outs
- Do not walk the centre after dark; take a taxi or Uber even for short hops.
- Use only app, hotel or metered taxis; unlicensed white taxis are a known risk.
- Keep phones and bags out of sight in Zona 1 and around bus terminals.
- Afternoon rain May–Oct floods roads; build slack into airport runs.
- ATMs and currency exchange are before customs at GUA — change money before you exit.
Guatemala City is the country's most crime-affected area: stay in Zona 10, Zona 4 or Zona 13, move by taxi or Uber after dark, and treat Zona 1 as a daytime-only stop.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Guatemala City yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Palacio Nacional de la Cultura
- Plaza Mayor and Metropolitan Cathedral
- Museo Popol Vuh and Museo Ixchel
- Zona Viva nightlife
- Gateway to Antigua and the highlands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- INGUAT — Guatemala tourism board: inguat.gob.gt/
- La Aurora International Airport: www.dgac.gob.gt/
- Wikivoyage: Guatemala City, revision 5332520 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5332520
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Guatemala CityCiudad de Guatemala
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Zona 10, Zona 14 and Zona 15; the US embassy is in Zona 16 (check the address before you go).
Zones are numbered; give the zona with every address.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/guatemala-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.