Santiago Atitlan Lake Atitlan Guatemala
Santiago Atitlan, Lake Atitlan Guatemala is most famous for Maximon, a folk saint venerated in various forms by Maya people. Maximon moves from house to house on an annual basis so you will want to engage the help, for a small fee of approximately Q25, of the local children to take you to the current home of Maximon where you can learn more about this celebrated deity.
And interestingly, while alcohol and cigarettes are commonly given as offerings to Maximon you will be hard pressed to find the common local cerveza of Gallo and Brava in this village.
Unlike many of the other villages around the Lake Atitlan where you can stop by any tienda to buy a cerveza, Santiago Lake Atitlan Guatemala is an exception.
Santiago Atitlan Lake Atitlan Guatemala
The village of Santiago Atitlan is located directly across Lake Atitlan from Panajachel or Pana as the locals refer to it. The easiest way to travel to Santiago from Pana is by a lancha. Lanchas are boats that provide water taxi service between the various villages that dot the shoreline of the Lake. The boat dock is located at the end of Calle Rancho Grande and the lanchas leave from the dock every 30 minutes. It takes approximately 30 minutes to travel from Panajachel to Santiago by lancha and will cost Q25.
If you prefer to travel by road there are vans located by the Pana market that will take you to Godinez. From Godinez you can catch a camioneta, also known as a chicken bus, and travel to the village of San Antonio Palopo. From San Lucas Toliman to Santiago Atitlan you can either take a tuk tuk or take a collectivo. Traveling this route provides exceptional views of the mountains and valleys.
Along with the villages of Santa Catarina Palopo and San Antonio Palopo, Santiago Atitlan is one of the most untouched and isolated villages around the Lake. Santiago is located in a bay, between the Tolimán volcano and San Pedro volcano.
Few places in the world offer visitors the serene feeling of wonder and amazement mixed with cultural connection and history that Santiago Atitlan Lake Atitlan does. With such a rich history, Santiago has a variety of sights to see. Known for being the largest village on Lake Atitlan, its must see attractions are the Catholic Church, market, and the saint Maximon.
Getting to Santiago Lake Atitlan Guatemala
Arriving at the docks in Santiago Atitlan you will pass through vendor stall after vendor stall of locals selling their wares. As you traverse the steep hill you will come across spectacular local artist, weavers, jade carvings, and many other local crafts.
There are many restaurants serving traditional food for very reasonable prices. A few that we recommend are Edith’s Comedor, Brendi’s, Quila’s and La Posada de Santiago. Also Santiago is considered one of the best places to get fresh ceviche. Ask a local and they will point you towards many great ceviche restaurants.
Towards the top of Santiago’s main street and to the left you will find Santiago’s market that offers you an opportunity to get a glimpse of Mayan life. As most markets are it is bustling and colorful and while it is a daily market it is larger on Fridays. You will find everything from women in traditional clothes chopping vegetables and fruits to hammocks, jewelry, local crafts and textiles, clothing, and beef and pork hanging from hooks.
Beyond the market you will come to Santiago’s main square where you will find the Catholic Church that was built in the late 1500’s. As you walk inside the church you will see wooden carvings of saints dressed in fabric tunic’s on both sides of the church. You can also read about the history of the church on various plaques.
Not only does Santiago Atitlan provides a stunning view of San Pedro volcano, it is in very close proximity to Cerro de Oro. The views from the summit of Cerro de Oro are breathtaking.
Santiago is a welcoming village that surrounds you with Mayan culture.
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