The towns of the lake
Each town has its own history, its own dress, its own fair and its own way of living with the water.
Panajachel
Gateway to the lake, where tourism was bornGateway to the lake. A town of Kaqchikel origin where tourism on Atitlán was born, with docks serving every town on the lake.
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Santa Catarina Palopó
The lake's town painted in blueA Kaqchikel town of houses painted with huipil designs, backstrap-loom weaving, hot springs and lookouts over the lake, minutes from Panajachel.
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San Antonio Palopó
Hand-painted pottery and foot loomsA Kaqchikel town of hand-painted pottery, backstrap and foot looms, and farming terraces overlooking the lake, about 20 minutes from Panajachel.
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San Lucas Tolimán
Coffee, weaving and nature at the foot of the volcanoesA Kaqchikel Maya town at the foot of Tolimán volcano, with a coffee-growing tradition, a dock, a market and historic estates.
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Santiago Atitlán
Heart of the Tz'utujil peopleThe Tz'utujil capital of the lake: cofradías, the Rilaj Mam, the tocoyal and huipiles embroidered with birds, a lively market and a bay between three volcanoes.
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San Pedro La Laguna
Land of the hummingbird at the foot of the volcanoA Tz'utujil town at the foot of San Pedro volcano: land of the hummingbird, high-altitude coffee, Spanish schools, murals and the country's first municipality free of disposable plastics.
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San Juan La Laguna
Naïf painting, natural dyes and Tz'utujil cooperativesA Tz'utujil town of naïf painting galleries, colorful streets and women's cooperatives who weave on backstrap looms and dye with plants from the lake.
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San Pablo La Laguna
The hill where maguey is spunA Tz'utujil town whose ancient name means 'the hill of spinning': here maguey fiber is spun into ropes, nets, hammocks and bags.
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Sacred reserve and well-being by the lakeA Kaqchikel town of meditation, yoga and therapies, with the Reserva Cerro Tzankujil: a sacred hill with trails, lookouts and a platform for jumping into the lake.
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Santa Cruz La Laguna
A hillside town, reached by boatA Kaqchikel town on the north shore, reached by boat or on foot, with trails to Jaibalito, diving, and a huipil that depicts the volcanoes.
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Sololá
Kaqchikel capital with its own market and authoritiesA Kaqchikel capital perched above the lake, with a large regional market on Tuesdays and Fridays and a men's traditional dress still worn every day.
Discover the town →San José Chacayá
Kaqchikel town with a colonial church from 1624A Kaqchikel municipality in northern Sololá with pre-Hispanic roots, a colonial church from 1624, a bridge from 1806 and a patron saint's fair dedicated to Saint Joseph.
Discover the town →San Andrés Semetabaj
Beside a very ancient Maya cityA highland Kaqchikel town beside a Middle Preclassic Maya site, with lake lookouts, a paragliding launch and the Xutío tradition on Holy Saturday.
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Santa Clara La Laguna
A K'iche' town high above the lakeA K'iche' town in the heights above the lake, with a protected municipal forest on Chui Rax Amolo' hill and access to the Rostro Maya lookout.
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