Guatemala, once the Heart of the Mayan empire, then became the capital of the Spanish viceroyalty. This is a country of most extraordinary beauty and the most incredible cultural legacy. Guatemala borders in the north with Mexico and Belize; and to the south with El Salvador and Honduras.

Covering an area of 43,024 square miles, its most attractive attributes are an unparalleled variety of landscape and weather, offering the visitor different options: mountains and lakes, tropical rainforest, Mayan ruins, desert, rivers and volcanoes, as well as white sand beaches on the Caribbean Coast and black sand beaches on the Pacific shores. This offers a wide range of activities for the visitor as well: sport-fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, water skiing, kayaking, white water river rafting, windsurfing, mountain climbing, volcanic explorations, boating, sailing, and much more.
It is a constitutional democratic republic, each government period lasting 4 years.

With a population of approximately 11.5 million inhabitants, Guatemala has a unique cultural and ethnic diversity.

In Guatemala you will find, besides a variety of Maya descendant populations, Garifuna, Asian and Caucasian. But no doubt, Guatemala´s main characteristic is their warmth and hospitality.

The official language is Spanish, but 22 Mayan languages and Garifuna are also spoken.

The average temperature is 75ºF, although the last 3 months of the year are cooler, during which, temperatures descend down to 5’ºF. It is remarkable that different regions have their own weather, within such a small, but diverse country.

There are only two seasons: rainy (May through October) and dry (November through April). Any time of the year is good to visit Guatemala, but it´s even better to do so in the dry season.

The currency is the Quetzal (Q.) and its approximate value is Q.7.50 X $1.00 (subject to variations). Denominations consist of Q.100; Q.50; Q.20; Q.10; Q.5. Coin denominations are Q.1; Q.0.50; Q.0.25; Q.0.10; Q.0.05 and Q.0.01.

Banks are private and you will find them almost everywhere. For international services you´ll be able to use most banks in main cities and towns.

American dollars are the most convenient and easiest to exchange, since they are the most used in Guatemala. Euros are also accepted. Traveler check are accepted in most hotels in Guatemala City only. Most business in the cities will accept credit cards. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are the most recognized. ATM´s are to be found in or by the larger banks in the main towns and cities.

The main attractions or major destination points in Guatemala are:

Climactic diversity and its natural beauty make Guatemala on e of the best places to invest in properties. Whether it’s a summerhouse in the mountains, lake or beach, or a new house for retirement in Antigua, Guatemala offers exceptional options and benefits. Guatemala is considered one of the 10-best retirement places to live, offering an excellent investment opportunity.