Chichicastenango, Guatemala: travel guide
K'iche' Maya town in Quiché famous for its huge twice-weekly market and the syncretic Santo Tomás church.
- Country
- Guatemala
- Currency
- GTQ
- Time zone
- America/Guatemala
Top places to visit in Chichicastenango
Iglesia de Santo Tomás
Church · about 0.5 h
White colonial church (c.1540) whose front steps host Maya incense-burning rituals blending Catholic and K'iche' worship.
Pascual Abaj
Heritage · about 1 h · entry GTQ 10
Hilltop Maya shrine with a blackened stone idol where K'iche' priests still perform offerings and ceremonies.
Chichicastenango Market
Market · about 3 h
One of the largest indigenous markets in the Americas, held Thursdays and Sundays, spilling through the streets with textiles, masks, pottery and produce.
Capilla del Calvario
Church · about 0.3 h
White chapel facing Santo Tomás across the market square, likewise a focus of Maya-Catholic candle and incense rituals.
Chichicastenango Cemetery
Heritage · about 0.5 h
Hillside cemetery of brightly painted tombs whose colours signal family lineage; a vivid expression of local Maya tradition.
Things to do
- Chichicastenango Market Guided Tour Cultural · 3 h · from GTQ 150 per person
Where to stay in Chichicastenango
- Centro (near market) about GTQ 450 per night
Around the market and Santo Tomás church, ideal for early market mornings.
Hotels
- Mayan Inn 4-star
- Hotel Santo Tomás 4-star
Where to eat
- Casa San Juan Guatemalan, International · about GTQ 95 per person
- Tziguan Tinamit Guatemalan · about GTQ 65 per person
Getting around
- Tuktuk main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Photo fees and pushy vendors
Chichicastenango market
Vendors may demand money for photos or aggressively pressure sales; some ceremonies forbid photography.
How to avoid it: Always ask before photographing people or rituals and be ready to decline politely.