This active town on Lake Atitlan has streets filled with Maya textiles, local food stalls, and Spanish colonial buildings from the 1500s. The lake views include three volcanoes.
Panajachel sits on the northeastern shore of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala's highlands, where three volcanoes - San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan - rise from the water's edge. From the main dock, you'll catch boats to Maya villages dotting the shoreline. Walk across 50-meter-high suspension bridges at the Atitlan Nature Reserve, watch blue morpho butterflies in their sanctuary, or paddle a kayak across the morning-calm waters while spider monkeys swing through the canopy above.
Getting to Lake Atitlan
Take a shuttle from Guatemala City to Panajachel - the 140-kilometer journey through the highlands takes about 2.5 hours. The main dock has public boats (lanchas) departing every 20-30 minutes to other lakeside villages. Boats run from sunrise until sunset, with fares between 10 and 30 quetzales depending on your destination.
Walking Calle Santander
This one-kilometer street runs from the town center to the lakeshore. Maya women sell their hand-woven textiles along both sides, while small restaurants cook pepián stew and other local dishes. After sunset, music drifts from small bars while street vendors grill corn and brew local coffee.
Exploring the Nature Reserve
Walk through coffee plantations and forest on the trails of Atitlan Nature Reserve, crossing eight suspension bridges above waterfalls. The butterfly sanctuary contains several native species, and viewing platforms give you chances to spot some of the 40 bird species living in the reserve. Look up into the treetops during morning hours to see spider monkeys.
Mayan Culture and Markets
More than 100 vendors fill several blocks near the town center, selling fresh produce, clothing, and household goods. The market is most active during morning hours, especially on Tuesdays and Fridays when vendors from surrounding villages join in. Kaqchikel Maya women wear huipiles (embroidered blouses) and cortes (woven skirts) they've made using techniques passed down through generations.
Day Trips Around the Lake
Take a morning boat to San Marcos La Laguna for meditation classes or explore San Juan La Laguna's art galleries, where painters create works using natural pigments. In Santiago Atitlan, the largest indigenous town on the lake, you can enter the house of Maximón, a Maya folk saint, and observe ceremonies led by local spiritual leaders.
Historical Background
A Franciscan convent established in the 16th century formed the town's original center. The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi still stands in the town center, its five-bay facade and stone walls dating back over 400 years. During religious festivals, processions and music fill the church plaza, while cofradÃas (religious brotherhoods) continue centuries-old rituals.
