Top Experiences in Santo Tomas Church (Iglesia de Santo Tomás)

Depart from Guatemala City to visit Chichicastenango Maya Market to witness ancient Indian rituals at the Santo Tomas Church and to enjoy the picturesque outdoor market, where locals from the region gather to buy and sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, animals, textiles and handicrafts.

Enjoy and discover the colorful market day of Chichicastenango! This is an unique experience that you will see how is the local people live and doing their activities in the market days. The real Mayan culture is still live. Also since their typical dress till the Mayan language that they speak.

Immerse yourself in Guatemala’s fascinating history and beautiful scenery on this 8-day tour. See some of Guatemala’s best-known destinations as you take a city sightseeing tour around Antigua, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Atitlan, visit the Mayan ruins of Yaxha and Tikal, hike up Pacaya Volcano and more. This all-inclusive tour includes transportation and overnight accommodation, making it a convenient way to get the most out of your trip to Guatemala!

Today is market day in Chichicastenango! On your way to Chichicastenango stop at El Mirador of Lake Atitlan for a panoramic view of the lake, one of the most beautiful in the world, with its crystalline-azure waters in the crater bowl below. Continue to Chichicastenango to visit the most colorful and picturesque Indian open-air market in Guatemala. Hundreds of Indians from the surrounding countryside gather to barter their goods and products.

You will be pick up in your hotel to start a journey to the Guatemalan highlands to appreciate the colorful market of Chichicastenango, their culture, syncretism, traditions and customs. You'll appreciate the variety of handicrafts and textiles, while also observe their customs. Also we visit the colorful cementery of Chichicastenango.

We will leave around 6 a.m. from your hotel in La Antigua Guatemala and drive 3 hours to Chichicastenango.  If you don´t have breakfast included in your hotel we will stop to eat on the way (not included).  At our arrival we will walk around the market where we will see how local vendors sales their agriculture products (lots of colors, people and opportunities for great pictures here).  After that we will visit the local church where we will see people performing ceremonies inside the catholic church. Inside this church the original copy of the famous book Popol Vuh was found.  We will learn about local traditions and mayan history.  We will have time to shop around the market for people that wants to leave the market with a souvenir and before we leave back to Antigua we will have lunch at Hotel Santo Tomas (not included).  This lunch is very special because it will give you an opportunity to try several plates from all over Guatemala. Return to La Antigua  (3 hours) to end the tour.

Visit to the most important handicrafts market in the western region where syncretism can be visualized on a large scale since the local people have preserved their Mayan beliefs which are mixed with Catholic practices, this place is multicolored since the Quiché people He still wears his regional costume, on our visit it is contemplated to enter the morerías, the market, the Santo Tomas church and the Turkaj hill where the Maya Pascual Abaj shrine is located, we will have time for lunch and shopping, at the end we begin the return to Guatemala city.