Highlights of Guatemala: Antigua, Atitlan & Tikal

Today you explore colonial Antigua, one of the loveliest cities in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With your guide you wander the grid of cobbled streets, lined with low pastel houses, flower-filled courtyards and grand baroque churches, many left as romantic ruins by the great earthquakes of the past. You take in the central Parque Central with its cathedral and fountain, the elegant government palaces, the famous yellow arch of Santa Catalina framing Volcan Agua, and beautiful ruined convents such as the vast Santo Domingo and La Merced. You visit a jade workshop and perhaps a traditional textile store, learning about the region's crafts. The beauty and atmosphere are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored one of the great colonial cities. This evening, savour Antigua's superb restaurants and relaxed charm. Rest well.

Today you experience Guatemala's dramatic volcanic landscape and famous coffee. You drive out from Antigua to Pacaya, one of the country's most active volcanoes, and hike (or ride a horse part-way) up its lower slopes through pine forest onto black lava fields, with spectacular views over the surrounding volcanoes and, on active days, the glow and steam of the crater above; guides sometimes roast marshmallows over warm volcanic vents. Returning towards Antigua, you visit a traditional highland coffee farm on the volcanic slopes, touring the plantation and learning how Guatemala's celebrated beans are grown, picked, washed, dried and roasted, ending with a tasting of superb fresh coffee. The volcanic scenery and rich coffee culture are captivating. As the day ends, you return to Antigua. This evening, relax in a candlelit restaurant. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to the highlands and Lake Atitlan.

Today you journey into the western highlands, taking in the great Maya market and the stunning crater lake. You drive up through beautiful mountain scenery to Chichicastenango, where (on Thursdays and Sundays) one of the most famous indigenous markets in the Americas fills the town with dazzling colour; you wander a labyrinth of stalls piled with handwoven textiles, masks, pottery and produce, and visit the whitewashed church of Santo Tomas, where Maya and Catholic ritual blend amid incense. You then continue to Lake Atitlan, descending to the shore of this stunning volcanic crater lake ringed by three soaring volcanoes and traditional Maya villages. As the day ends, you settle into your lakeside hotel, gazing over the deep blue water to the volcanoes. This evening, savour the beauty and calm of the lake. Rest well.

Today you explore the stunning crater lake of Atitlan and its traditional Maya villages by boat. From the shore you cross the deep blue water, ringed by soaring volcanoes, to visit several of the villages that ring the lake, each with its own dress, dialect and character. You might visit artistic San Juan La Laguna, with its weaving cooperatives, natural-dye workshops and painters' galleries, and Santiago Atitlan, the largest Tzutujil town, with its busy market, colonial church and the revered folk saint Maximon. You take in the bustling lakeside town of Panajachel, browse its craft market, and enjoy the ever-changing views of the volcanoes across the water. The scenery and living culture are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your lakeside hotel. This evening, watch the sunset paint the volcanoes and lake. Rest well, for tomorrow you fly to the jungle.

Today you journey from the highlands to the tropical Peten jungle. After breakfast by the lake, you transfer to Guatemala City airport and take a short flight north to Flores, gateway to the great Maya ruins of Tikal. Flores is a charming little island town on Lake Peten Itza, its red-roofed, pastel houses and cobbled lanes crowded onto an islet linked to the mainland by a causeway. You settle into your hotel and, depending on your flight, explore the island's pretty streets, waterfront and little church, or relax by the lake as the tropical heat softens into evening. The change from cool highlands to steamy jungle is dramatic and exciting. As the day ends, you enjoy the laid-back charm of Flores and its lakeside sunsets. This evening, dine on the waterfront. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore the towering temples of Tikal.

Today you explore Tikal, one of the greatest of all Maya cities, rising above the jungle canopy. You drive from Flores into Tikal National Park and, with your expert guide, walk jungle paths between the towering grey temple-pyramids of this once-mighty city, deep in the Peten rainforest. You take in the vast Great Plaza, framed by Temples I and II and lined with palaces and carved stelae, climb to a lofty viewpoint (such as Temple IV) where the crowns of distant pyramids break through an endless green canopy, and explore the acropolises, plazas and causeways of the ancient metropolis. All around, the jungle teems with howler and spider monkeys, toucans, parrots and coatis. The scale, history and wildlife are breathtaking. As the day ends, you return to Flores. This evening, relax by the lake. Rest well.

Today you return from the jungle to the capital. After a final morning in Flores, perhaps a last stroll around the pretty island or a boat ride on Lake Peten Itza, you transfer to the airport and fly back to Guatemala City. On arrival, you take a guided tour of the capital, taking in the grand Plaza Mayor with its cathedral and National Palace, the historic centre, and perhaps the excellent museums of Maya archaeology and textiles, which bring together the threads of your journey through ancient and living Guatemala. You settle into your city hotel. The contrast between jungle, highlands and modern capital rounds out your picture of the country. As the day ends, you reflect on the beautiful journey you have made. This evening, enjoy a fine farewell dinner in the capital. Rest well ahead of your departure.

After a final morning in Guatemala City, perhaps some last souvenir shopping for textiles, jade or coffee, you are transferred to La Aurora International Airport for your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the very best of Guatemala, colonial Antigua ringed by volcanoes, the dazzling Maya market of Chichicastenango, the stunning crater lake of Atitlan and its villages, and the towering jungle temples of Tikal, all warmed by the genuine warmth of the Guatemalan and Maya people. The images stay vivid long after you land, the cobbled streets and ruined churches of Antigua, the volcanoes mirrored in Lake Atitlan, the colour of the highland markets, and the grey temples of Tikal rising above the canopy. Guatemala offers beauty, colour, culture and adventure in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this beautiful and welcoming land.