A Colourful Day Trip to Chichicastenango, Guatemala, Chichicastenango, Guatemala

Located high in the hills of interior Guatemala you will find Central America’s liveliest town…or at least on Thursdays and Sundays. The Chichicastenango Market is the largest of its kind in Central America and has been drawing vendors and visitors from across the country for centuries. On one hot day in December, that included me. A day trip to Chichicastenango was a highlight of my time in Guatemala, but not just because of its colorful market.

Originally we were going to spend 2 days in Chichicastenango but after doing some reading and because it was over Christmas we opted to stay in nearby Panajachel. From our Los Volcanes hotel we made a day trip to Chichicastenango on market day. This 3-hour+ return transfer cost $12-15 US per person and was worth it’s for the comfort and time as opposed to taking a chicken bus. A day trip to Chichicastenango can be arranged from Antigua and Guatemala City on market days as well.

The market sprawls through the city streets as well as inside the community center and public square. At first, it’s not clear on how to navigate beyond the fact that vendors selling the same items are in the same areas. On our day trip to Chichicastenango we were buying our secret Santa gifts. This meant spending time in the area selling fireworks as well as perusing the many Mayan made craft and jewelry stands.  ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).