Quetzaltenango
Guatemala's second city, known widely as Xela (pronounced SHAY-la), sits high in a mountain valley in the western highlands and draws visitors with a walkable centre dense with neoclassical architecture, historic churches, and a lively café and restaurant scene. The surrounding department stretches from cold highland terrain down to the Pacific coast, with volcanoes, hot springs, and river valleys within reach, making the city a practical base for exploring western Guatemala.
Description drafted with AI from public sources such as Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap. How this works
- Population180,706
- Nearest water from center 2.5 km1.6 mi
- Nearest mountain from center 2.8 km1.7 mi
Quetzaltenango: quick answers
Where is Quetzaltenango?
Quetzaltenango is in Guatemala, about 111 km69 miles in a straight line from Guatemala City.
How do you get to Quetzaltenango?
The nearest airport is Quezaltenango (AAZ), about 8 min away by road.
What's the weather like in Quetzaltenango?
The warmest month is May, averaging 15°C60°F across day and night; the coolest is January, at 14°C57°F. The wettest month is May, with about 499 mm19.6 in of precipitation. (Monthly averages, 1991–2020.)
What's in Quetzaltenango?
OpenStreetMap lists 6 museums, 57 restaurants and 54 places of worship within 2 km of the centre.
What's near Quetzaltenango?
Other Wandering Well picks within 60 km include San Juan La Laguna, Chichicastenango and Santiago Atitlan.