Santiago Atitlán Tour

Santiago Atitlán is the largest of the lake communities, famous for its arts and crafts scene and strong indigenous identity, reflected in the traditional dress and Mayan dialect spoken there. Your tour begins when you meet your English-speaking Mayan guide at the dock. You’ll explore the city center, including a picturesque parque central and a Catholic church built in the 16th century by Franciscans. Santiago was also a focal point of indigenous resistance during Guatemala’s civil war in the 1980s.

Next, you’ll visit one of Guatemala’s most fascinating cultural attractions: Maximón, a deity revered throughout the highlands. Thought to combine Mayan gods with the biblical Judas, Maximón is an effigy to whom worshippers make offerings and ask for blessings. Every year he is paraded through town and installed in a new home, where visitors pay their respects amid offerings of cigarettes, liquor, and burning candles — a peculiar scene you won’t want to miss.

The tour continues at Santiago’s bustling market, overflowing with fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish, where you’ll select ingredients for the next stop. Lunch takes place at the welcoming home of your Mayan guide, where you’ll learn to make handmade tortillas and enjoy a home-cooked meal — an intimate and unforgettable glimpse into local Mayan family life.