POINTS OF INTEREST

Antigua Guatemala, once the Spanish capital of the Yucatan Peninsula and Central American isthmus, is a town of unspoiled colonial charm. Featuring varied cultural attractions, including the busy and ever-important central park, and a wealth of outstanding dining spots, Antigua is the perfect jumping off point for a tour of the highlands of Guatemala.

Chichicastenango boasts a twice-weekly market of indigenous crafts and wares that has been in existence for over one-thousand years. The Iglesia Santo Tomas and its attendant rituals portray a rich religious and cultural past.

Santiago Atitlan, nestled among three volcanoes on the shore of Lake Atitlan — one of the most beautiful lakes in the world — boasts a proud assertion against violence in the thirty-six year civil war that ended in 1996. A haunting monument marks the site of the massacre of martyrs, who sued for peace in this sleepy village.

Tikal National Park, in the rainforest of Guatemala's northern lowlands, is home to majestic, ancient Mayan ruins. Spider and howler monkeys, koatimundis, agotis, toucans, parrots and many other fascinating creatures live among the towering ceiba and mahogany trees in this dense jungle.