Guatemala City

It is true that the one-time "jewel of Central America" has lost much of its luster. The fact remains that the isthmus' largest metropolis has exactly what you'd expect from an urban area of 2.5 million people—the best selection of restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, and museums in the country. The country's only true city does grow on you, although it probably takes longer than the typical short visit that most travelers give the place.

To its credit, the municipal government is trying to improve life here by sprucing up the historic center, beefing up security, moving electric wiring underground, and adding lots of greenery. It's still a struggle, and the sprawling capital will never rival the refinement of nearby Antigua, but if you stay here long enough, you just might start using the same affectionate name residents give to their city: "Guate."

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