Top Things to Do in Quetzaltenango (Xela) Guatemala - A Slow Traveller's Guide

During my first visit to Quetzaltenango - or, as most locals it, Xela - I ended up staying two months instead two weeks. I had just started my full time travel journey at the time and had come straight from Antigua to Xela by shuttle. For me, coming to Xela had been a serendipitous decision. The months before I bought my one-way ticket to Central America, three seperate people had talked to me about Xela, Guatemala.

One of those friends was Nico, whom I had only spent one week in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. We had not seen each other for over two year and yet she offered to sublet her room in Xela to me for some weeks while she was travelling. The idea was to stay some weeks and slow travel through Latin America. With an intermezzo for a short solo trip to Nicaragua and one to Mexico, that slow travel approach became real slow. I have called Xela my home for a total of over eight months since starting to travel full time.

Safe to say, I love this city! So, I was shocked to learn that most backpackers who have travelled in Guatemala for weeks skip Xela or have never even heard of it... This guide is an attempt to fix that. This guide will take you through my favourite things to do in and around Xela - including things like playing pool, seeing the weekly film in a small cinema, and visiting one of the various natural hot springs around. If you are looking for the best coffee in Quetzaltenango, I dedicated a whole separate post to that.

Facts about Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala

Located in the Guatemalan Highlands, about 200 kilometers west of Guatemala City, Xela sits at an altitude of 2,330 meters above sea level. This elevation gives the city a temperate climate, perfect for outdoor activities and finally giving you the opportunity to wear the sweater at the bottom of your backpack on refreshingly chilly evenings. Note that it is also sufficiently at altitude for you to be tired of walking the stairs the first days of your arrival. So although it is not strictly necssary, it is best to wait a few days before doing things like hiking volcano Santa Maria.

With a population of approximately 150.000, Xela is the second-largest city in Guatemala, yet it maintains an authentic and small-town feel with a welcoming local culture. It is for example small enough for vendors at the local market to to recognize you if you come a few days in a row! Most people in Xela are K'iche' Maya and speak K'iche' as their first language.

Like Antigua, the city has colonial architecture, lively markets, and colourful festivals, such as the Christian Semana Santa celebration that is a lot less busy in Xela than it is in Antigua now that it is attracting more tourists.

Yet, in my opinion, one of the best things about Xela is that it is close to various hikes, natural hot springs and natural saunas - and because rarely anything is targeted towards tourists, they are super affordable.

Xela street view

Practical Travel Information - Internet in Guatemala

To have internet in Guatemala you can either buy a physical sim, or buy an e-sim. The physical sim is ultimately cheaper in terms of the packages and the best coverage is with Claro. If like me, you prefer to have internet the moment you drive into the country or land, then these are various simcard options to check out:

• The e-sims via Airalo are one of the best priced e-sims and I tend to opt for these unless my Revolut card offers a better deal. If you use my referral code 'ILSE9196' you will get 3 EUR off of your first purchase (and I will get 3 EUR off of my next).

• Another good e-sim option is Yesim - with my code 'travelpayouts26' you also get a 3 EUR discount until 31st of December 2026.

• Finally, I only recenlty learned about this option... If you are a frequent traveller, you can look into the Drimsim, which is a physical universal sim. Yes! You read that right. It supposedly works in every country as soon as your plane lands and thus has similar benefits to the e-sims.

Things to do in Quetzaltenango/Xela

While most backpackers that visit Quetzaltenango come solely for the hike from Xela to lake Atitlán, there are actually many more things to do in Xela. These activities might just be a little bit difficult to find because so few people go. So, here are the various things that I recommend doing when visiting Xela.

Spanish classes in Quetzaltenango/Xela

Guatemala is home to over 21 Maya languages and this is the reason that it is an excellent place to learn Spanish. Why? Because most people speak Spanish as their second language, meaning they speak slowly and clearly, making it much easier to learn Spanish in Guatemala than for example Argentina or Chile.

Like Lake Atitlán, Xela is popular for its Spanish language schools. Institutions like Celas Maya offer immersive learning experiences, combining classroom instruction with cultural activities. I can particularly recommend Celas Maya as this is one of the only Indigenous-owned schools in Xela, meaning you will support the local community by taking classes. And if you already speak Spanish and are a language-enthusiast like me you can even learn K'iche at this school - they also offer online classes! All Spanish schools offer packages with homestays, which is an excellent way to learn more about the local culture(s) and practice your Spanish every day.

Weaving Classes in Quetzaltenango/Xela

For a hands-on cultural experience, join a weaving class at Trama Textiles. This women's cooperative empowers local artisans and continues traditional weaving techniques. They offer a variety of classes during which you'll learn about the intricate process of creating beautiful textiles and have the chance to weave your own piece. It's a wonderful way to support the local community and take home a unique souvenir. With my fundraising and communications background, I volunteered here for a few months while they were looking for more steady staff members.

For travellers seeking to volunteer in Guatemala, Trama Textiles also offers homestays and volunteering opportunities. Your daily work will range from managing the online sales and packages, supporting the administration of the charity of the cooperative the Almaya Fund, or any creative project you want to start and finish yourself. You can find this workstay opportunity via Workaway or try to message them directly via Instagram.

Two women from one of the weaving communities from Trama Textiles

Sports, Films and Playing Pool in Quetzaltenango/Xela

Besides its many hikes around, which I will get to next, Xela also offers several options to move within the city. Near Mercado Minerva there is a free track for running and an outdoor gym. Within Zone 1 you can visit one of the yoga classes at the Yoga House, or take a self-defence, kickboxing or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class at G-Team Xela - all of these are very affordable.

In the same building as the G-Team Xela gym there is also a local cinema that hosts arthouse film screenings, short film screenings and other film events. When I was there the weekly screening was on Thursdays at 19h but you can walk in to see the current schedule.

Right across from the office of Quetzaltrekkers, there is a pool place. It is super hidden so you will not recognize it unless you know where to be. It is usually open in the evenings until around 21h. It is a wide, large black door where you ring the doorbell. After a while, a man will open and when you say you want to play pool, he will bring you upstairs. There is a room with 5 to 8 pool tables where you pay per hour. It sounds sketchy, but honestly a super fun experience!

Hikes from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Since Quetzaltenango sits in the Guatemalan Highlands, it is an excellent starting point for hikes. Here are a few of my favourite ones.

Hiking Volcano Santa María, Guatemala

The main must-do hike around Xela is onto Volcán Santa María. While most people go to Guatemala to climb Acatenango and see Fuego erupt, few people know that there are two more active volcanoes in Guatemala. One of them is Santiaguito, which is positioned right next to volcano Santa María's and is considered her son. When you climb Santa María you have the perfect view onto Santiaguito erupting smoke every hour or so.

The best time to go is in the early morning so that you will be at the top before the clouds arrive and block the view. As always with hiking mountains, be careful with the trail. Definitely take a headlamp, water and snacks and if you are uncertain about your sense of direction then it can be good to take a guide with you. This hike is not easy and depending on when you go it can be really cold when you start early in the morning, so if you have gloves and a hat, use them.

The strenuous climb is highly rewarding though. Nothing beats eating your breakfast or lunch while watching a volcano erupt! In my post on how to hike Santa María you will find more information.

Hiking Tajumulco form Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

One of the best hikes in Central America is undoubtedly Tajumulco, which also marks the highest point in Central America with 4.220 meters. Alongside climbing Santa Maria and Acatenango, it is one of the more adventurous volcano hikes I have done in Guatemala. You cannot actually start the hike to Tajumulco from Xela - I mean, everything is possible but that would be a multi-day or multi-week adventure for sure - but Xela is one of the best starting points to drive to the trailhead.

With a group of six we drove by car to San Marcos (not San Marcos the hippietown at Lake Atitlán), knocked on the door of the only hotel there. Luckily they opened the door and had a room with many beds, where we slept for a few short hours before starting the hike around 5am. One of the guys we went with had already done the hike, so he guided us, but the hike is pretty clearly visible on Alltrails and the trail itself is not that difficult. The main difficulty is the altitude. The last bit I went soooo slowly and we all took a nap on top.

More on how to hike Tajumulco unguided coming soon!

Hiking from Xela to Lake Atitlán

One of the most popular trails is the hike from Xela to Lake Atitlán which you can either do via a travel agency, or by yourself (when well-prepared). Normally, this hike takes about two days and when you go with Quetzaltrekkers they arrange a homestay for you in the communities on the way.

I did the hike unguided together with my Guatemalan roommate. We ended up arriving to San Pedro in one looong day of hiking and a final bit of hitch hiking. I would not necessarily recommend doing it in one day and it was not our initial plan, but it is definitely possible. As I am updating this in 2026, I am aware that I have not uploaded the guide to hike from Quetzaltenango to Lake Atitlán. I am working on it, sign up to my newsletter to know when it is up!

Natural Hot Springs and Natural Sauna in Quetzaltenango/Xela, Guatemala

After a day of hiking, there are various opportunities to relax at the natural hot springs or saunas around Xela. Although the most one is Fuentes Georginas, a set of natural hot springs located about 45 minutes from Xela, I would recommend going to the lesser-visited Aguas Amargas instead. Especially on week days, there are way less people and the view is gorgeous.

If you are looking for an even more private experience, then I can recommend hiking to los Vahos to enjoy the natural saunas in the mountains. Depending on the size of the group of people you go with and the availability of the saunas, you can get a sauna completely for yourself or yourselves. You can also stay the night there, usually there is no need to make a reservation in advance. There is no restaurant, so make sure you bring snacks and do not leave them out because there are apparently dogs or coyotes that get them at night.

Where to Stay in Xela

Homestays

For an immersive cultural experience, consider staying with a local family. Homestays provide a unique opportunity to practice your Spanish, enjoy home-cooked meals, and gain deeper insights into Guatemalan culture. Most Spanish schools in Xela offer homestay options as part of their program. These homestay options are available from one week to several months and are very affordable (about 120-180 EUR for a week that includes accommodation and three daily meals).

The Yoga House

For slow travellers looking to stay in Xela for several weeks or months the Yoga House is the best option to stay at. The Yoga House is a shared community household with communal kitchen and roof terraces. Living here means you will partake in the weekly chore schedule, communal Sunday dinners, and meet (rotating) people from across the world and different ages who live in the house. And, as the name already hints, the house also has a yoga space with daily yoga classes that are included in the rent.

Rent is about 900 Quetzales a month (depending on the size of your room and whether it has a bathroom), so you will likely not find a more affordable living space with the same benefits. Do not expect luxury though!

Hostels

Xela also offers a range of budget-friendly hostels, perfect for travellers looking for comfort and community. Here are my favourite recommendations:

• Hostel Casa Seibel: Located in a colonial building near Parque Centro América, this hostel offers a cozy atmosphere with a communal kitchen and garden.

• Kasa Kiwi Hostel & Travel Agency: This hostel provides comfortable accommodations and easy access to travel planning services, making it a convenient base for exploring the region.

Conclusion

I hope this guide has convinced you that Quetzaltenango has a lot to offer and is definitely worth a visit on any trip through Guatemala - whether you are creating a travel itinerary in Guatemala for one week, two weeks or three weeks. If y

Do you want to know more about travelling in Guatemala in general? I have created a Guatemala Travel Guide with my personal recommendations and recommendations from local friends. When you subscribe to my newsletter, you will get it in your inbox (alongside updated blogposts maximum once a week, but more like once a month).

You can also connect with me on instagram (@iam_allovertheplace) to follow my life as a slow travelling storyteller!