landmark
San Pedro La Laguna
A backpacker and artist hub on Lake Atitlán's shores beneath San Pedro Volcano, known for Spanish schools and Tz'utujil Maya culture.
32 km · about 35 min drive
North AmericaGuatemalaQuetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala · North America
About Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango sits on the route: 10 minutes from Almolonga, 40km from Lake Atitlan.
Quetzaltenango is in Guatemala, with about 180,000 people. The nearest town is Almolonga, about 4 km away.
Quetzaltenango (Spanish pronunciation: [keˌtsal.teˈnaŋ.ɡo], also known by its Kʼicheʼ Maya name Xelajú [ʃelaˈχu] or Xela [ˈʃela], is a municipality and the capital of the namesake department in western Guatemala. Situated within a high-altitude volcanic basin of the Sierra Madre at an elevation of 2,330 metres (7,640Read more
ft) above sea level, the city is encircled by prominent volcanic complexes including Santa María, Santiaguito, and Cerro Quemado. It functions as the primary economic, educational, and cultural hub of the southwestern Guatemalan highlands.
Quetzaltenango is a part of the Los Altos Metropolitan Area, which also includes the municipalities of Salcajá, Cantel, Almolonga, Zunil, Concepción Chiquirichapa, San Mateo, La Esperanza, San Juan Ostuncalco, Olintepeque, San Miguel Sigüilá, and Cajolá in Quetzaltenango Department, as well as San Cristóbal Totonicapán and San Andrés Xecul in Totonicapán Department.
As of the 2018 census, the city has a population of 180,706 in 122 km2 (47 sq mi). 43% of the population was indigenous Guatemalan in 2014.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Quetzaltenango?
Within an hour or so of Quetzaltenango: San Pedro La Laguna (32 km), Lake Atitlan (40 km), Chichicastenango Market (46 km).
Where is Quetzaltenango?
Quetzaltenango is in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, about 4 km from Almolonga.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 180,706
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- Guatemala
- Region
- Quetzaltenango
- Timezone
- America/Guatemala
- Coordinates
- 14.8446, -91.5232
Tags
Worth the detour from Quetzaltenango
3 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Lake Atitlan
A breathtaking volcanic lake surrounded by three towering volcanoes and traditional Mayan villages, often called the most beautiful lake in the world.
40 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Chichicastenango Market
Central America's largest indigenous market held every Thursday and Sunday, overflowing with textiles, masks, flowers, and Maya rituals.
46 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Quetzaltenango
- 79 kmAcatenangoA 3,976 m stratovolcano near Antigua climbed overnight so hikers can camp on the ridge and watch neighbouring Volcán de Fuego erupt through the night: one of the most reliable live-eruption views on earth.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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