Guatemala – a window onto ancient Maya
Greece has the Parthenon, Rome has the Colosseum, Guatemala has Tikal. It's hailed by many archaeologists and anthropologists as the single most important relic of the mighty Maya empire in the Americas, and it really does take the breath away. You'll spy out soaring stepped pyramids, carved stelae and mysterious burial tombs. Of course, Tikal isn't the only historic site in Guatemala. Antigua has charming Spanish-era buildings to see, while Guatemala City's acclaimed National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology bursts with trinkets and totems and more.
Guatemala is a place to go off track
Many say Guatemala is among the last, true, undiscovered countries on earth. With so much impenetrable jungle and so many soaring volcanos to deal with, it's easy to see why. If you think you're ready to channel your inner expeditionist, get ready for all sorts of off-road pursuits. From rainforest hikes to bathing in steaming hot springs, whitewater rafting down roaring rivers to conquering the peaks of mighty volcanic mountains, there are all sorts of challenges on the menu. Don't worry – both Caribbean and Pacific beaches can help you unwind after the adventure.
Guatemala – "Land of Eternal Spring"
Guatemala really does deserve its nickname as the "Land of Eternal Spring". Mild days, loads of sunshine and cool nights dominate right across the country, pretty much the whole year round. Thanks to the high altitude in many places, that's backed up with clean, fresh breezes. Only once a year is the cycle broken, by the so-called rainy season – "so-called" because the months from May to December only really see sporadic downpours once or twice per day.
Coast to coast in Guatemala
Guatemala spreads from the Caribbean to the Pacific. Guatemala vacation rentals in the west might shoulder above surf-washed beaches that are totally empty, their stretches of black sand overshadowed by the rises of a cone-shaped volcano. In the east, Guatemala vacation rentals might dot the seas along gorgeous Amatique Bay. Inland, swatches of rainforest, jungle-clad lowlands and untrodden highlands take over. They hide the shimmering waters of Lake Atitlan and the smoke-belching peaks of Volcan de Pacaya – climb it, if you dare.