1. Tikal

Situated in the lowland rainforest of northern Guatemala, Tikal is full of beauty and ancient wonders, which once boasted a bustling population of a quarter million or more. Its iconic ruins of temples and palaces include the giant, ceremonial Lost World (Mundo Perdido) Pyramid and the Temple of the Grand Jaguar. At 70 meters, Temple IV is the tallest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas.. The city is surrounded by a large wildlife preserve, full of monkeys, parrots, deer and macaws

2. Antigua Guatemala

Antigua is a small city surrounded by volcanoes in southern Guatemala. It’s renowned for its Spanish colonial buildings, many of them restored following a 1773 earthquake that ended Antigua’s 200-year reign as Guatemala’s colonial capital. Notable architectural examples include baroque La Merced church. It’s an integral part of the city’s famous Semana Santa, a holy week with parades and rituals.

3. Lake Atitlán

Lake Atitlán is a body of water in a massive volcanic crater in Guatemala’s southwestern highlands. Ringed by steep, verdant hills, it’s known for its Mayan villages and volcanoes with striking pointed cones. The busy town of Panajachel, where vendors sell traditional textiles, is a popular gateway to the lake. On a former coffee plantation, the Atitlán nature reserve offers trails and a butterfly garden.

4. Flores

Flores is a town in Guatemala’s northern Petén region. It’s on an island on Lake Petén Itzá, linked by a causeway to the town of Santa Elena. Flores is known as a gateway to nearby Mayan ruins. These include the national parks of Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo, with its migratory birds, and Tikal, with its towering temples. In Flores, the twin-domed Nuestra Señora de los Remedios cathedral overlooks Parque Central square.

5. Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango is a town in the Guatemalan highlands, northwest of Guatemala City. It’s known for its open-air craft market and indigenous Maya culture. The 16th-century Santo Tomás Apóstol Church has long been used for both for Catholic worship and Maya rituals. Nearby, the Rossbach Archaeological Museum displays pre-Hispanic and colonial artifacts. The Maya shrine of Pascual Abaj sits on a hilltop to the south.

6. Quetzaltenango

Quetzaltenango is a city in Guatemala’s western highlands. It’s set against a backdrop of volcanoes, including towering Santa María with its active Santiaguito lava dome. Overlooking Central America Park, Espiritú Santo Cathedral has a baroque colonial facade and a 20th-century interior. The city is known for its neoclassical buildings, including the House of Culture and the restored Municipal Theater.

7. Monterrico

The town of Monterrico is situated on the Pacific coast of Guatemala in the departament of Santa Rosa. Includes Monterrico Nature Reserve created to protect mangrove forests and sea turtles. Boat tours take visitors through the swamps and offer good opportunities for seeing birds and wildlife.

8. Pacaya

Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish invasion of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres.

9. Livingston

This small town of brightly painted wooden houses, found in the jungle among coconut groves, lies along Guatemala's Caribbean Coast.

10. Guatemala City

Capital is known for its Mayan history, high-altitude location and nearby volcanoes. On central Plaza Mayor, also known as Parque Central, the Metropolitan Cathedral is full of colonial paintings and religious carvings. The National Palace of Culture has a balcony overlooking the square. South of the city, trails lead up to the active Pacaya Volcano.

11. Grutas De Lanquin

Grutas de Lanquín is a large limestone cave system located 1 kilometre west of Lanquín in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. The Lanquín cave system was declared a national park in 1955

12. Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey is a natural monument in the department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, near the Q'eqchi' Maya town of Lanquín. It consists of a natural 300 m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabón River.

13. Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce is a river town where you can take the scenic boat tour to Livingstone.

Along the way, the boat passes the old fort at Castillo de San Felipe, gardens of water lilies, nesting pelicans and cormorants and a hot spring on the banks of the lake.

14. Nebaj

Nebaj is a perfect base for hiking and exploring the Ixil region. Turismo Ixil is the first touristic social enterprise in Nebaj, hosting visitors since 2002. It was started by a former Peace Corps volunteer to bring new income into the community, create dignified jobs and support other community impact work. Income was used to originally launch and continues to support El Centro Explorativo education center in La Pista.

15. Todos Santos Cuchumatan

Todos Santos is known for it’s unique, traditional men’s fashion of a pinstripe shirt, red pants, black chaps and a wide brimmed hat.

Great for nature lovers with some excellent hiking, including a climb to La Torre, Central America’s highest non-volcanic peak, as well as the scenic trail to San Juan Atitan and exploring La Ventosa.

16. El Mirador

El Mirador is a large pre-Columbian Maya settlement, you should take the 5-6 day hike through the untamed, and dense forest to the remote Mayan settlement.

17. El Boquerón

A narrow canyon with gigantic limestone walls covered in vegetation and caves, perfect for a slow boat ride.

18. Yaxha National Park

The third largest Mayan ruins in Guatemala. Yaxha was the ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Mayan kingdom. Walk the ruins to view more than 500 structures of Mayan origin. The jungle has permeated the city, leading animals to share the area with tourists, so be prepared to encounter monkeys and tropical birds.