The plazas
Among pines.
Simon Burchell — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Simon Burchell — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Simon Burchell — CC BY-SA 4.0
The capital of the Kaqchikel Maya kingdom in the highlands, founded around 1470 on a plateau ringed by deep ravines that protected it, and abandoned in 1524 after the Spanish arrived, who set up their first capital in Guatemala nearby before moving it. Visitors walk across broad grassy plazas shaded by pines, ringed by low stone pyramids and temples, palaces that housed nobles and two ballcourts for the ritual Maya ballgame with their sloping walls. The site is quiet and green, far from the crowds. A small museum at the entrance shows tools and finds from the excavations and tells the kingdom's story and its dealings with the Spanish. The site is still sacred, with Maya ceremonies held at altars on its edges; respect them, keep your distance and do not photograph them. It lies on the road between Antigua and Lake Atitlán, so it fits in on the way. It is fairly cool at this altitude.
Among pines.
Sloping walls.
The kingdom's story.
Near Tecpán, on the road between Antigua and Lake Atitlán
By car or tour on the way between Antigua and Lake Atitlán, near the town of Tecpán on the highway.