Happy TravellerWelcome to Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela, a vibrant city located in the highlands of Guatemala. With its rich history, stunning architecture, and breathtaking landscapes, Quetzaltenango is a must-visit destination for any traveler.
Quetzaltenango was once a city of the Mam Maya people called Xelajú, and by the time of the Spanish Conquest, it had become part of the Kiche Kingdom of Qumarkaj. The city is said to have already been over 300 years old when the Spanish first arrived. With the help of his allies, Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado defeated and killed the Maya ruler Tecún Umán here. When Alvarado conquered the city for Spain in the 1520s, he called it by the Nahuatl name used by his Central Mexican Indian allies, Quetzaltenango, generally considered to mean the place of the quetzal bird.
Today, Quetzaltenango is a bustling city with a population of approximately 225,000 people. The city is located in a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,330 meters (7,640 feet) above sea level at its lowest part. It may reach above 2,400 m (7,900 ft) within the city. The Municipality of Quetzaltenango consists of an area of 122 km2 (47 sq mi). Municipalities abutting the municipality of Quetzaltenango include Salcajá, Cantel, Almolonga, Zunil, El Palmar, Concepción Chiquirichapa, San Mateo, La Esperanza, and Olintepeque in Quetzaltenango department and San Andrés Xecul in Totonicapán department.
Quetzaltenango is known for its stunning Belle Époque architecture, which can still be found throughout the city. The city also has a rich cultural heritage, with many indigenous people still calling the city Xelajú or more commonly Xela for short.
The city has a subtropical highland climate, with temperatures ranging from mild to chilly, with occasional sporadic warm episodes. The daily high is usually reached around noon. From then on, temperatures decrease exceptionally fast. The city is quite dry, except during the rainy season. Quetzaltenango is the coolest major city in Guatemala. There are two main seasons in Quetzaltenango; the rainy season, which generally runs from late May through late October, and the dry season, which runs from early November until April.
Quetzaltenango is also home to the Club Xelajú MC soccer team, which competes at Estadio Mario Camposeco, the most successful non-capital team in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala.
The city has a system of micro-buses for quick and cheap movement. A micro-bus is essentially a large van stuffed with seats. Micro-buses are numbered based on the route they take (e.g., Ruta 7). There is no government-run mass transport system in the city. The sole public means of transport is the bus or micro-buses. Transportation to other cities is provided by bus. Bicycling is a way to get around and to travel to (and in) rural areas. Quetzaltenango Airport provides air service to the city.
Quetzaltenango is also a center of education, with many schools and universities providing education to locals and international students from North America and Europe.
Come and experience the magic of Quetzaltenango, a city that is sure to capture your heart and leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
