So let’s start with where you should avoid, starting in the center. This makes it easy to know the parts of the city you should avoid for your own safety. Like so many parts of Latin America, the social and economic gap between rich and poor is always evident, and Paseo Cayala emphasizes the widening of that gap.Ī post shared by Rudy Cano most important thing to understand in Guatemala City is the different zones.Įach zone has its own number and its own vibe, its own atmosphere. Many Guatemalans feel like they’re in another country when they walk around it.ĭespite being only a few miles away from the favelas and shantytowns, Paseo Cayala feels like it’s light-years away in comparison. It’s a safe area with a high level of security. Paseo Cayala (Guatemala City’s self-styled Fashion District – Districto Moda) offers housing, restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, concerts, cultural activities, and plenty of pedestrian space. The result of this are projects like the Paseo Cayala complex in Zone 16. Over the past few years, more private investment has been trickling into Guatemala City. If you’re looking for a fix of modernity, Guatemala City’s all you’ve got. You won’t find modern malls, gleaming high-rise offices and condos, theaters, and other “first-world” amenities anywhere else in Guatemala. There’s no other urban area in Guatemala like Guatemala City. But I will say it’s not as bad as its reputation suggests.Ī post shared by Central America Living fact, Guatemala City has many areas where it’s friendly and safe to walk around in during the day.

I won’t say Guatemala City is a place where you can walk around without worrying about getting robbed. Now, as someone who lives in Guatemala City, I won’t try to sell you the idea that it’s some haven. I’ll put this down to a combination of lack of knowledge and fears about security. And as befits a city this size, it has some great areas that many people miss out on, and tons of things to do. With a population of around a million (three million across the whole urban area), Guatemala City is Central America’s largest city. And locals lose out on interaction with the visitors. Visitors lose out on experiencing a vibrant Central American city and the culture that entails. Sometimes reputations run away with themselves, creating a lose-lose situation for all. But neither is Guatemala City a wasteland to avoid at all costs. A post shared by Central America Living City, like many big cities in Latin America, is not crime-free.

Guatemala city airport terminal map