Tikal is the ruins of an ancient city in Guatemala's rainforest, which was most likely called Yax Mutal. It is one of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization's greatest archeological sites and urban centers. The complex is part of Guatemala's Tikal National Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It is a popular tourist destination and one of the most beautiful historical sites in Guatemala. It is located in the district of El Petén.

Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that grew to be one of the Maya's most powerful kingdoms. Tikal's monumental architecture goes back to the 4th century BC, although it reached its pinnacle during the Classic Period, from 200 to 900.

During this time, the city ruled over much of the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily, while interacting with other Mesoamerican cities such as Teotihuacan in the distant Valley of Mexico. Teotihuacan is thought to have conquered Tikal in the 4th century AD. There were no new significant monuments created at Tikal after the Late Classic Period ended, and evidence suggests that elite palaces were burned. These occurrences were accompanied by a progressive reduction in population, ending in the site's abandonment by the end of the 10th century.

With a long dynasty ruler list, the discovery of many of the kings' tombs, and the research of their structures, temples, and palaces, Tikal is the best-known of the great lowland Maya towns.

Location: Flores, Petén Department, Guatemala

The Ancient Capital of Antigua, often known as Antigua or la Antigua, is a city in Guatemala's central highlands notable for its surviving Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture and a number of colonial church ruins. It served as the capital of the Guatemalan Kingdom.

Antigua, which was founded in 1543, is a jewel among Guatemalan cities. It was still known as 'Santiago de los Caballeros' at the time. Walking through the city center, you can still sense the city's Spanish past at the foot of the Volcan de Agua. The Catedral de Santiago, Palacio del Ayuntamiento, IglesiaPalacio de Los Capitanes Generales, and the Convent of the Merced, Parque Central, and the Hospital of San Pedro, for example, are all distinctive and colonial structures in Antigua. Since 1979, the old capital of Antigua has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it enjoys a steady stream of visitors.

Antigua Guatemala is the administrative center of the same-named municipality that surrounds it. It is also the Sacatepéquez Department's administrative capital.

Location: Sacatepéquez Province, Guatemala

West of Guatemala City is the Crater Lake Atitlán. The 'Lago de Atitlán' measures more than 18 meters in length and eight kilometers in width. It is also encircled by twelve volcanoes. According to some visitors, the lake at Atitlán is the most beautiful lake in the world. We'd like to point out that it is, without a doubt, Guatemala's most gorgeous lake. You can explore some of the most attractive places near the lake, such as LagunaSan Pedro La Laguna and Santa Catarina Palopó. Of course, there are several daring adventures in the Atitlán's surroundings.

"The lake was the scene of numerous horrendous human rights atrocities during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996), as the government adopted a scorched earth policy." Indigenous peoples were supposed to be universally supporters of the anti-government guerrillas and were subjected to harsh retaliation. During the battle, at least 300 Maya from Santiago Atitlán are reported to have vanished.

Location: Sololá Department, Guatemala

Pacaya is a Guatemalan active complex volcano that erupted for the first time about 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest. It reaches a height of 2,552 meters (8,373 ft). It resumed erupting forcefully in 1961, after being dormant for about 70 years, and has been erupting often since. Much of its activity is Strombolian, but it also has Plinian eruptions on occasion, which can cause ash to fall in the adjacent Departments.

Pacaya is a well-known tourist destination. It even hosts the popular Guatemala Impact Marathon, which was the first to employ a running route across the lava field formed by the 2010 eruption and benefits local communities by encouraging runners to complete the task. It is located 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Guatemala City, near Antigua. The volcano is located in the Department of Escuintla.

Location: Guatemala

El Mirador is a Mayan settlement in the rainforest that dates back thousands of years. This enigmatic metropolis used to be one of the largest in the ancient world, with a population of around 100,000 people. A series of remarkable triadic pyramids with rickety ladders and steep stone stairs to the top provide spectacular views of the jungle canopy and adjacent temples.

Archeologists are only beginning to uncover the history of this intriguing metropolis, which is supposed to have begun around 3,500 years ago and was abandoned some 1,850 years ago. It is only accessible via a multi-day trip through the forest or by helicopter.

Location: El Petén, ‎Guatemala

Most travelers avoid Guatemala City in favor of the calm colonial alleyways of Antigua, but dig beneath the surface, and Guate – as the locals call it – offers a few surprises of its own. The city's Centro Historico is home to some beautiful old churches, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, and the National Library, as well as theaters, art galleries, a botanic garden, and some of Central America's most interesting museums, having been established as the capital in 1775.

Kaminaljuyu, an old Mayan site in the heart of the city, is also worth visiting, albeit it isn't as interesting as some of the ruins further north. The majority of Kaminalijuyu remains buried beneath the city's fast expansion. Apart from being a significant archeological site, it is still a sacred location for Guatemala's Mayan and Christian populations, with traditional ceremonies held here on most days of the week. You can hire a local guide ahead of time, and getting there in a cab or Uber from the city's tourist attractions should just take 15 minutes.

Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala

The Museo Popol Vuh (Popol Vuh Museum) houses one of the world's most important Maya art collections. It is housed on the Universidad Francisco Marroqun campus in Guatemala City's Zone 10 and is recognized for its enormous collection of Maya pre-Columbian and colonial art. Today it is a place visited by many tourists because it is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Guatemala.

The Popol Vuh Museum is a private, nonprofit scientific institution that is funded by its own funds and donations from the public. The museum is run by a Board of Directors made up of Guatemalan residents who care about the exhibits' preservation and public presentation. With the preservation, research, and dissemination of information, one of its purposes is to provide an educational emphasis for individuals who want to see and learn about Guatemala's pre-Columbian past.

Although the museum is best known for its funerary ceramics, it also has a diverse collection of movable stone sculptures, particularly from the Preclassic period and from the coast and surrounding mountains. Some best-preserved Maya vases and bowls can be found in the section on Maya pottery.

Location: Universidad Francisco Marroquín, 6 Calle Fina, Zona 10, Guatemala