What Is Guatemalan Food Like?
Guatemalan food relies heavily on rice, corn, beans, meat, and tortillas. It's hearty and satisfying. Cities like Guatemala City and Antigua have good restaurants and ample options, including international cuisine. Local restaurants usually have more simple fare, with grilled or fried meat, beans, eggs, and tortillas. These ingredients are often used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Tamales are a popular Guatemalan item. These are made from corn meal and have turkey or pork wrapped into a banana leaf alongside tomato sauce and olives. Regional stews are important in Guatemala, and they're often spicy and meaty. While you're on the Caribbean coast, try a tapado - this is a seafood stew made with coconut milk and plantains. In coastal destinations, you'll also run across ceviche (raw fish cooked with lime juice), camarones (shrimp), and fried fish.
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Caribbean Lowlands
The Caribbean Lowlands are unlike the rest of Guatemala. The regional landscape is composed of jungle coastland, a river valley, and Guatemala’s largest lake. The Caribbean town of Lívingston is an enclave for the Garífuna people and is culturally distinct from the rest of Guatemala. What’s more, some of the finest Mayan stelae can be seen at the site of Quiriguá.
Guatemala City
Guatemala City is often a traveler’s first glimpse of Guatemala. As your plane descends over the capital, you witness the largest city in Central America unfold—a sprawling, colorful metropolis that spreads into a valley ringed by forested mountains and volcanoes. It’s a big and powerful place that is home to around four million people.
Antigua
The charming city of La Antigua is situated in a lush highland valley and surrounded by the cones of three volcanoes. As its name implies (Antigua means old in Spanish), this is a historic city. It was the former capital of Guatemala until an earthquake destroyed it in 1773. Following this disaster, the capital was moved to its current site at Guatemala City, but the ruins (and some of the people) of Antigua stayed put. These days, Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations.
