Sights Overview

Most Guatemalan cities are divided into numbered sectors. Guatemala City has 21 such zonas, although you will likely spend time in only five of them. Zona 1, the Old City, encompasses the heart of the capital and contains most of its historic sights and budget lodgings. On the south side of the capital, the New City takes in Zonas 9, 10, and more, and is home to most of Guatemala City's upscale lodgings, restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. Between the Old and New Cities lies the somewhat seedy Zona 4, notable because it contains many bus terminals. La Aurora International Airport and several fine museums lie in Zona 13, south of Zonas 9 and 10. Numbered avenidas (avenues) run north-south, whereas calles (streets) run west-east. Addresses are given as a numbered avenida or calle followed by two numbers separated by a dash: the first number is the previous cross street or avenue and the second is a specific building. Building numbers increase as they approach the higher-numbered cross streets and then start over at the next block, so 9 Avenida 5-22 is on 9 Avenida near 5 Calle, and 9 Avenida 5-74 is on the same block, only closer to 6 Calle. There is logic, however complex, to the system. Hit the pavement and you'll get the hang of it. A word of warning: make sure you're in the right zone. Each zone replicates the same grid system. In theory, the same address could appear 21 times throughout the city. Street signs always specify which zone you're in.

The city's major arteries are 6 and 10 avenidas: 6 Avenida runs from Zona 1 to Zona 4 to Zona 9, passing three series of identically numbered calles; 10 Avenida runs through Zonas 1 and 4 before becoming the 10-lane Avenida La Reforma in Zona 10. Comfort seekers tend to stick to the New City, whereas those interested in bargain shopping and budget lodging head for the Old City.