The Highlands, Guatemala
Quetzaltenango is a colonial town surrounded by mist-covered mountains, the Santa Maria volcano and the active Santiaguito volcano. It is the centre of the Quiche Maya people and the second largest city of Guatemala. This beautiful region has many stunning natural features such as volcanoes, the Fuentes Georginas hot springs, valleys, mountains and rivers.
Background
In Pre-Columbian times Quetzaltenango was a city of the Mam Maya people called Xelajú. When the city was conquered by Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado for Spain in the 1520s, it was renamed "Quetzaltenango", generally considered to mean "the place of the quetzal bird" which became the city's official name in colonial times. Many people including its Quiche Maya citizens continue to call the city "Xelajú" or more commonly Xela for short.
In the 19th century, coffee was introduced as a major crop in the area and the economy of Xela prospered. The region has developed with the farming of numerous products such as coffee, wheat, fruits and vegetables, as well as sheep and cattle breeding. More recently, the city has become a popular destination for foreign students studying the Spanish or Mayan language.
The area is now well known for its markets in the surrounding villages which sell the produce grown in this region. Those villages with weekly markets are Zunil, Almolonga and San Francisco el Alto’s outdoor market with all manner of animals, fruit, vegetables and handicrafts.