3 Most Tourist Secrets of Guatemala

Brother Peter

     El Hermano Pedro is the most beloved Saint in Antigua Guatemala. Born in 1626 in the island of Tenerife, Pedro de Betancur arrived on Guatemala in 1651. He joined the order of the Tertiary Franciscans and devoted his life to the service of the poor and ill. He founded the Order of Our lady of Bethlehem. He passed away on April 25^th 1667 and his remains lie in the Temple of San Francisco. On 2002 he was made a saint by Pope John Paul the Second. His grave has become one of the main pilgrimage sites of the country. Regardless of the faith of the visitors, a trip to the church of San Francisco is always a moving experience. And for a couple in love, offering a candle to the Saint Brother Peter may represent a vow of love

The Little Prince

      Was famous French writer Antoine de Saint – Exupery inspired by Antigua Guatemala to write The Little Prince? Many think that the tree volcanoes of asteroid B-612, home of the Little Prince, really represent the Acatenango, Fire and Water volcanoes that surround the city. As it turns out, the famous novelist and aviator had a grave plane accident in Guatemala in 1938, soon before he started writitn his masterpiece. He spent five days in a coma and had several operations performed on him at the military hospital. Then, he spent his recovery time in an old house in Antigua Guatemala, in the company of his wife, Salvadorean Consuelo Sunsí, there, it is said he was astonished by the colonial city´s beautiful scenery, as the volcanoes were forever printed in his mind. Several city terrances provide a splendid panoramic view to the trees colossuses. Sky Café, on 1^st avenue, is one of them. Atop the Cerro de la Cruz, one can also enjoy an overwhelming view.

Jungle Expedition

     The land journey to the magnificent city of El Mirador is done through an expedition with mules, guides, mule-keepers and supplies, since there´s no trace of civilization in the jungle after leaving the town of Carmelita. This involves a lot of community run tourism, which has ded to hire the tour right there, instead of in some of Flores travel agencies, which could be slightly  cheaper, but sometimes bring no benefits to the communitarians, the cost per person varies between $200 and $300, depending on the number of members of your expedition.

If you have a higher budget to spend, you can get there by helicopter, for $1400 per flight ( a maximum of six people can go on each flight). Aerocentro, based in Santa Elena, near the bridge leading to Flores, is one of the most renowned companies in this area.

Extract obtained from Destinations