Guatemala Holidays
Many tourists like to have holidays in the nation of Guatemala. Some may want to see the culture, history, tourist attractions and society of the famous nation. Some may want to see the Central American beaches, the mountains, the landscape and the culture of the nation. Some tourists may want to explore the scenery of the nation. Many tourists may want to see the scenery or architecture of the nation. Some tourists may want to see the history and historical sites. Some may want to explore the culture of the new or old of the nation. Many may want to see the beaches, cities and town of the nation. Some may look to have a cheap or luxury vacation. Many tourists may want to have package vacation or to plan their own vacation.
Some tourists may want to culture, the history, tourist attractions and society of the Central American nation. Some tourists may want to have a vacation to enjoy the beaches, the countryside and society of the nation. Some tourists may want to go on holiday to the nation to see a entertainment event or sports event. Some tourists may want to enjoy the architecture and scenery of the nation.
Guatemala is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of Petén department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petén region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the highlands and Pacific coast regions; by comparison, Petén is sparsely populated. These three regions vary in climate, elevation, and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and colder and drier highland peaks. Volcán Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in the Central American states.
The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific drainage basin, larger and deeper in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins, which include the Polochic and Dulce Rivers, which drain into Lake Izabal, the Motagua River, the Sarstún that forms the boundary with Belize, and the Usumacinta River, which forms the boundary between Petén and Chiapas, Mexico.
Guatemala (Spanish: República de Guatemala, Spanish pronunciation: [re??pu??lika ð?e? ??wate??mala]) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast.
After arriving in what was named the New World, the Spanish mounted several expeditions to Guatemala, beginning in 1518. Before long, Spanish contact resulted in an epidemic that devastated native populations. Hernán Cortés, who had led the Spanish conquest of Mexico, granted a permit to Captains Gonzalo de Alvarado and his brother, Pedro de Alvarado, to conquer this land. Alvarado at first allied himself with the Cakchiquel nation to fight against their traditional rivals the Quiché nation. Alvarado later turned against the Cakchiquels, and eventually held the entire region under Spanish domination.
During the colonial period, Guatemala was an Audiencia and a Captaincy General (Capitanía General de Guatemala) of Spain, and a part of New Spain (Mexico).[citation needed] It extended from the modern Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas (including the then separate administration of Soconusco) to Costa Rica. This region was not as rich in minerals (gold and silver) as Mexico and Peru, and was therefore not considered to be as important. Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, blue añil dye, red dye from cochineal insects, and precious woods used in artwork for churches and palaces in Spain.
The first capital was named Tecpan Guatemala, founded in July 25, 1524 with the name of Villa de Santiago de Guatemala and was located near Iximché, the Cakchiquel's capital city, It was moved to Ciudad Vieja on November 22, 1527, when the Cakchiquel attacked the city. On September 11, 1541 the city was flooded when the lagoon in the crater of the Agua Volcano collapsed due to heavy rains and earthquakes, and was moved 4 miles (6 km) to Antigua Guatemala, on the Panchoy Valley, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city was destroyed by several earthquakes in 1773-1774, and the King of Spain, granted the authorization to move the capital to the Ermita Valley, named after a Catholic church to the Virgen de El Carmen, in its current location, founded in January 2, 1776.
On September 15, 1821, the Captaincy-general of Guatemala (formed by Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras) officially proclaimed its independence from Spain and its incorporation into the Mexican Empire, which was dissolved two years later. This region had been formally subject to New Spain throughout the colonial period, but as a practical matter was administered separately. All but Chiapas soon separated from Mexico after Agustín I from Mexico was forced to abdicate.
Guatemala City is home to many of the nation's libraries and museums, including the National Archives, the National Library, and the Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, which has an extensive collection of Maya artifacts.
Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or Guate) is the capital and largest city of the nation of Guatemala. It is also the capital city of the local Guatemala Department and the largest city in Central America.
Cities, towns and villages in Guatemala ; Acatenango, Chimaltenango, Agua Blanca, Jutiapa, Aguacatán, Almolonga, Quetzaltenango, Alotenango, Amatitlán, Antigua , Asunción Mita, Atescatempa, Ayutla, San Marcos, Barberena, Cabañas, Zacapa, Cabricán, Cajolá, Camotán, Canillá, Cantel, Casillas, Catarina, San Marcos, Chahal, Chajul, Champerico, Chiantla, Chicacao, Chicamán, Chichicastenango, Chiché, Chimaltenango, Chinautla, Chinique, Chiquimula, Chiquimulilla, Chisec, Chuarrancho, Ciudad San Cristóbal, Ciudad Vieja, Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango, Cobán, Colomba, Colotenango, Comalapa, Chimaltenango, Comapa, Comitancillo, Concepción Chiquirichapa, Concepción Huista, Concepción Las Minas, Concepción Tutuapa, Concepción, Sololá, Conguaco, Cubulco, Cuilapa, Cuilco, Cunén, Cuyotenango, Dolores, El Petén, Dos Erres, El Adelanto, El Asintal, El Estor, El Jícaro, El Progreso, El Palmar, Quetzaltenango, El Progreso, Jutiapa, El Quetzal, El Tejar, El Tumbador, Escuintla, Esquipulas, Esquipulas Palo Gordo, Estanzuela, Flores Costa Cuca, Flores, El Petén, Fraijanes, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, Granados, Baja Verapaz, Gualán, Guanagazapa, Guastatoya, City, Guazacapán, Génova, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Huitán, Huité, Ipala, Ixchiguan, Iztapa, Jacaltenango, Jalapa, Jalapa, Jalpatagua, Jerez, Jutiapa, Jocotenango, Jocotán, Joyabaj, Jutiapa, La Democracia, Escuintla, La Democracia, La Esperanza, Quetzaltenango, La Gomera, Escuintla, La Libertad, El Petén, La Libertad, Huehuetenango, La Reforma, San Marcos, La Unión, Zacapa, Lanquín, Livingston, Los Amates, Magdalena Milpas Altas, Malacatancito, Malacatán, Masagua, Mataquescuintla, Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez, Melchor de Mencos, Mixco, Momostenango, Monjas, Morales, Morazán, El Progreso, Moyuta, Nahualá, Nentón, Nueva Concepción, Escuintla, Nueva Santa Rosa, Nuevo San Carlos, Ocos, Olintepeque, Olopa, Oratorio, Santa Rosa, Ostuncalco, Pachalum, Pajapita, Palencia, Palestina de Los Altos, Palín, Escuintla, Panabaj, Panajachel, Panzós, Parramos, Pasaco, Pastores, Patulul, Patzicía, Patzité, Patzún, Plan de Sánchez, Playa Grande, Pochuta, Poptún, Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, Pueblo Nuevo, Suchitepéquez, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto San José, Purulhá, Quetzaltenango, Quezada, Quezaltepeque, Chiquimula, Rabinal, Retalhuleu, Río Blanco, San Marcos, Río Bravo, Suchitepéquez, Río Hondo, Sacapulas, Sacatepéquez, Salamá, Salcajá, Samayac, San Agustín Acasaguastlán, San Andrés Itzapa, San Andrés Sajcabajá, San Andrés Semetabaj, San Andrés Villa Seca, San Andrés Xecul, San Andrés, El Petén, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, San Antonio Huista, San Antonio Ilotenango, San Antonio La Paz, San Antonio Palopó, San Antonio Sacatepéquez, San Antonio Suchitepéquez, San Bartolo, Totonicapán, San Bartolomé Jocotenango, San Bartolomé Milpas Altas, San Benito, El Petén, San Bernardino, Suchitepéquez, San Carlos Alzatate, San Carlos Sija, San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán, San Cristóbal Cucho, San Cristóbal Totonicapán, San Cristóbal Verapaz, San Diego, Zacapa, San Felipe, Retalhuleu, San Francisco El Alto, San Francisco La Unión, San Francisco Zapotitlán, San Francisco, El Petén, San Gabriel, Suchitepéquez, San Gaspar Ixchil, San Ildefonso Ixtahuacán, San Jacinto, Chiquimula, San Jerónimo, Baja Verapaz, San José Acatempa, San José Chacayá, San José El Idolo, San José La Arada, San José Ojetenam, San José Pinula, San José Poaquil, San José del Golfo, San José, El Petén, San José, Escuintla, San Juan Atitán, San Juan Bautista, Suchitepéquez, San Juan Chamelco, San Juan Cotzal, San Juan Ermita, San Juan Ixcoy, San Juan La Laguna, San Juan Sacatepéquez, San Juan Tecuaco, San Lorenzo, San Marcos, San Lorenzo, Suchitepéquez, San Lucas Sacatepéquez, San Lucas Tolimán, San Luis Jilotepeque, San Luis, El Petén, San Manuel Chaparrón, San Marcos La Laguna, San Marcos, San Martín Jilotepeque, San Martín Sacatepéquez, San Martín Zapotitlán, San Mateo Ixtatán, San Mateo, Quetzaltenango, San Miguel Acatán, San Miguel Chicaj, San Miguel Dueñas, San Miguel Ixtahuacán, San Miguel Panán, San Miguel Petapa, San Miguel Sigüilá, San Pablo Jocopilas, San Pablo La Laguna, San Pablo, San Marcos, San Pedro Ayampuc, San Pedro Carchá, San Pedro Jocopilas, San Pedro La Laguna, San Pedro Necta, San Pedro Pinula, San Pedro Sacatepéquez, San Pedro Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, San Pedro Soloma, San Rafael La Independencia, San Rafael Las Flores, San Rafael Petzal, San Rafael Pie de La Cuesta, San Raimundo, San Sebastián Coatán, San Sebastián Huehuetenango, San Sebastián, Retalhuleu, San Tomas de Castillo, San Vicente Pacaya, Sanarate, Sansare, Santa Ana Huista, Santa Ana, El Petén, Santa Apolonia, Chimaltenango, Santa Bárbara, Huehuetenango, Santa Bárbara, Suchitepéquez, Santa Catalina la Tinta, Santa Catarina Barahona, Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan, Santa Catarina Mita, Santa Catarina Palopó, Santa Catarina Pinula, Santa Clara La Laguna, Santa Cruz Balanyá, Santa Cruz Barillas, Santa Cruz El Chol, Santa Cruz La Laguna, Santa Cruz Muluá, Santa Cruz Naranjo, Santa Cruz Verapaz, Santa Cruz del Quiché, Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Santa Lucía La Reforma, Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, Santa Lucía Utatlán, Santa Maria Nebaj, Santa María Cahabón, Santa María Chiquimula, Santa María Ixhuatán, Santa María Visitación, Santa María de Jesús, Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosa, Santiago Atitlán, Santiago Chimaltenango, Santiago Sacatepéquez, Santo Domingo Suchitepéquez, Santo Domingo Xenacoj, Santo Tomás La Unión, Santo Tomás de Castilla, Sayaxché, Senahu, Senahú, Sibilia, Sibinal, Sipacapa, Siquinalá, Sololá, Sumpango, Sacatepéquez, Tacaná, Tactic (municipality), Tajumulco, Tamahú, Taxisco, Tecpán , Tectitán, Teculután, Tejutla, San Marcos, Tiquisate, Todos Santos Cuchumatán, Totonicapán, Tucurú, Uspantán, Usumatlán, Villa Canales, Villa Nueva, Yepocapa, Yupiltepeque, Zacapa, Zacualpa, Zapotitlán, Zaragoza, Chimaltenango, Zunil, Zunilito
Guatamala Holdays Gutemala Holiday GuatemalaHoliday GuatemalaHolidays
Guatemala Holidays
Find a Villa from Across Europe
Grand World Villas - Find a Villa from anywhere in the world
Grand Global Villas - Find Villas from Around the Globe
An Index with links to almost all our sites
Holiday
to - Great places to go on Holiday to
Holiday
to 2 - More Great places to go on Holiday to
Holiday to 3 - More places to go on Holiday to
Holiday to 4 - More places to go on Holiday to
Find a Cottage in Britain or Ireland
Find more Cottages in Britain, Ireland, North America or the world