Eastern Guatemala
Encompassing parts of the El Progreso, Zacapa, Jalapa, Chiquimula, Santa Rosa and Jutiapa departments, this is one of the most varied regions in the country – both geographically and culturally. Visitors can tour fine colonial churches, small local museums, coffee plantations and buy excellent handcrafted souvenirs while travelling through a changing landscape of subtropical forests, past volcanic peaks and sulphurous lakes.
Two of the finest examples of 16th-century Baroque architecture can be found about 90km (56 miles) from Guatemala City in the parish churches of San Agustín Acasaguastlán and San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán in El Progreso. The departmental capital of Zacapa is well known for its distinctive handwoven cloth and for its small Museum of Paleontology, Archaeology and Geology. Nearby Estanzuela also has a Paleontology Museum.
The town of Esquipulas in the Chiquimula Department is one of the most significant in Central America. Second only in importance to the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe outside Mexico City is the Basílica of Esquipulas with its Icon of the Black Christ that dates back to 1595. Pilgrims from all over Central America gather here on the feast day of 15 January. Esquipulas is also the seat of the Central American Parliament and, given its location just a short distance from the borders with Honduras and El Salvador, it has also been the place where several important peace agreements have been signed. Other attractions include the Franciscan Sanctuary, Belén Convent and colonial Little Bridge (Puente Chiquito). Montecristo National Park (the Tri-State Park) is located nearby and extends over the borders of all three countries. Over half of its 12,000 hectares (29,652 acres) of humid and subtropical forest are in Guatemala.
The villages, forests and mountains of Mataquescuintla are home to the Pocomam Indians who produce some outstanding textiles and ceramics. Under the Spanish Rural Tourism Plan, visitors can travel on horseback, by bicycle, on foot or by 4-wheel drive vehicle from Quetzaltepeque, through San Luis Jiltepeque to the attractive departmental capital of Jalapa, staying in family homes en route.
Located near Pueblo Nuevo Viñas and surrounded by mountains and forests is sulphurous Lake Ixpaco, which is the site of many springs that are believed to have healing properties. Northwest through a landscape of pine forests and low subtropical mountains is Ayarza Lagoon, also slightly sulphurous but with shoals of tilapias and mojarras.
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