Discovering the Traditional Maya Town of Santiago Atitlán

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Santiago Atitlán is a bustling Maya town set amid two volcanoes on the southwest shores of Lake Atitlán. It also happens to be the largest city on Lake Atitlán, with over 70,000 inhabitants of predominantly Tz’utujil Maya.

A city steeped in an often dark history, Santiago Atitlán has had its fair share of heartbreak, worships its very own deity, and clings to traditional ways of life.

While Santiago Atitlan is possibly the most traditional village on the lake, this is slowly beginning to change. You’ll still see women wearing traditional trajes (clothes), like huipiles, blouses, skirts, and headdresses, but most men dress in modern clothing. Like many places in the world, their traditional way of life seems to be slowly slipping away.

Yet, proud of their heritage, the locals and youth are spearheading efforts in the town to preserve their traditions by opening workshops to tourists and teaching them about their history and culture, including the significance of the backstrap loom for weaving.

Beyond its cultural significance, Santiago Atitlán has a devastating history, one of bloodshed and suffering due to government massacres and assassinations. Forever imprinting on the town and changing the local way of life. 

In this guide, I’ll share the best way to visit Santiago Atitlán, including things to do and what you should know before going.

Here’s the ultimate guide to Santiago Atitlan in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala!

Your Guide to Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala

Why Santiago Atitlán Is Unique

Santiago Atitlan blends together tradition and history in a unique way, making it an extra special village to visit. Despite the many towns that dot the shores of Lake Atitlan, this is the only spot on the lake where you can witness the mixing of Mayan-Catholic syncretist beliefs.

Locals worship the town’s deity, known as Maximón (El Gran Abuelo), who takes up residence in a family’s home each year and can be publicly visited (if you know where to go, that is!). 

As I briefly touched on, the town is also the site of much suffering at the hands of the Guatemalan government. The assassination of the greatly honored Father Stanley Rother, originally from Oklahoma, USA, is another bloodstain on an otherwise sleepy town and the reason why federal militia is not allowed inside Santiago Atitlan’s borders, as locals have forbidden it.

Overall, if you’re looking to get a glimpse of the fast-disappearing, traditional way of life along Lake Atitlan, while also uncovering pieces of its history, Santiago Atitlan is a must-visit!

How to Get to Santiago Atitlan

First things first, where is Santiago Atitlan and how do you get there?

You can find Santiago Atitlan on the southwest end of the famous Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala’s highlands (in the department of Sololá). The busy town of Panajachel, which acts as the lake’s gateway, is a 25-minute boat ride away.

The cost to take one of the lancha boats across the lake depends on your origin and destination.

Since we lived in San Pedro, we took the boat from the Santiago dock (muelle) east of San Pedro, which cost Q25 per person. You may be able to negotiate for Q20, but keep in mind that boat prices are often cheaper for national tourists and especially locals (since they use the boats daily). So, if you see someone paying less, that’s probably why.

From Panajachel or another town like San Marcos La Laguna, the cost will likely be the same, considering it takes 25-30 minutes to cross (and in relatively good weather – it will take longer if it’s stormy).

Where to Stay in Santiago Atitlan

Because there are so many incredible things to do, like volcano treks and weaving workshops, in Santiago Atitlan, you may consider spending a night here instead of packing everything into a day trip.

Not to mention, Santiago Atitlan is somewhat secluded from the other towns around Lake Atitlan and boat departure times can be unforgiving with a traveler’s ambitious itinerary. This means that you might miss the last boat out of town if you aren’t careful!

To remedy that, you should think about overnighting here and slowing down your pace.

Here are a few recommended places to stay in Santiago Atitlan:

• Budget ($): Casa Josefa Hotel
• Boutique ($$): Hotel Los Olivos Santiago Atitlan
• Luxe ($$+): Hotel Tiosh Abaj

Things to Do in Santiago Atitlan

To our surprise, there were many things to do in Santiago Atitlan. We weren’t even able to check off all of our bucket list items, especially considering two awesome volcano hikes depart from this town.

Nevertheless, the best way to visit Santiago Atitlan in one day is to hire a local guide who can take you to Santiago’s top attractions, both within town and nearby.

Prices for guides vary, but we found that the further away from the dock you walk the cheaper the prices get.

As soon as we stepped foot onto the wooden dock in Santiago, we were trapped in a speech. To avoid being rude, we listened to the entire spiel and then carried on on our own. 

Once we were higher up in the town we realized that we had almost no plan of what to see and do, so we ended up hiring a certified guide by the name of Pablo. He was much nicer and not at all forceful, so we agreed to Q65 total for him to take us to 5-6 locations around Santiago.

We ended up extending our tour to include 2-3 more attractions, adding on an open weaving workshop, for a total price of Q150 (duration: 2 – 2.5 hours).

That said, here is what we were able to do and see on our tour around town!

Note: You could visit most of these places on your own, but you’ll need to pay separate fares for tuk-tuks to pick you up and drop you off at each location. Considering that the town is quite big, the cost could easily add up. The benefit of doing a tour is that you get explanations of everything, and you won’t have to worry about hailing a tuk-tuk multiple times. Although the tour was in Spanish, our guide spoke slowly and clearly enough for us to understand everything.

1. Visiting the Maximón Deity in a Local’s Home

Maximón, also known as El Gran Abuelo, is a sacred Maya deity. Each year, Maximón takes up residence with a local family of one of the members of the confraternity (cofradía), who are elected by the community. Then, on the 8th of May, Maximón will move into his new home.

During that new year, the public is welcome to visit and offer blessings to Maximón. Members of the community gather inside this designated space to pray, give blessings, drink the local liquor, and pay their respects to El Gran Abuelo, who is always masked and dressed in local clothing.

To visit Maximón as an outsider, you must pay Q5 to the family (as a donation). Additionally, if you’d like to take photographs, you may do so but sparingly and for an extra fee of Q5. We handed our donation to Pablo, who handed it to a member seated next to the deity, tucking it gently into the folds of Maximón’s shirt.

There is a lot happening inside this small space. Candles in four different colors, each representing the four cardinal points, are burning; men, women, and children are drinking from handmade gourd cups; and Mayan and Catholic relics, figures, and symbols decorate the room.

Tip: Should you visit, speak softly and ask for permission before taking photos. It is also respectful to thank the family, dress respectively, and try not to disturb worshippers.

Lastly, because Maximón is housed in a different local family’s home each year, there won’t be any signs, and you’ll likely need to navigate between tiny back alleyways to get there. It’s recommended that you go with a guide so you don’t get lost and can have someone to refer to.

2. “Lavados” Mayan Women Washing in Lake Atitlán

For the Maya women living in Santiago Atitlan, scrubbing clothes against rocks and washing them in the lake before carrying them home in a large basket perched atop their heads is a daily ritual. This practice is decades old, and as such, it is considered fairly normal by local standards.

As an onlooker, however, the sight settles on one’s mind heavily. To those coming from more modern-day societies, it presents itself as an ecological and sanitary disaster. The creamy liquid from the cleaning products seeps into the lake’s water like a polluted river. Traditional wooden cayuco boats sit shoreside nearby, where algal blooms cover the water not too far away.

You can witness locals in almost every town around Lake Atitlan doing this, so these women aren’t only found in Santiago Atitlan. However, the scene in Santiago Atitlan is a little bit more shocking.

I saw an image of this exact spot taken in 2005, and the two photos couldn’t be more different. Where there were once plants and grazing cows, there is now trampled earth. The once luscious green hill set behind the shore is now buried beneath concrete blocks and buildings. A developed park with individual BBQ firepits and picnic tables now overlooks the lake instead of grass-covered land.

Despite sustainable development efforts and the implementation of proper wash stations near the shore (to reduce pollution), the locals still wash up in the lake because it’s easier and a daily ritual they’ve done for years. If nothing else, visiting these women, washing their clothes in the lake, is a sight to behold and a chance to appreciate another person’s way of life.

3. 13 Batz’ Weaving Co-op

Visiting a weaving cooperative in Santiago Atitlán is a must. The most well-known is the Cojolya Weaving Center and Museum, as featured by Lonely Planet Guatemala. While you should give the museum a tour, don’t overlook the other lesser-known initiatives led by locals and youth alike.

That’s how we discovered 13 Batz (meaning “thirteen threads”), a locally owned and operated collective that employs young men and women weavers who make the traditional trajes of Santiago Atitlán using a backstrap loom, pedal loom, and handwoven embroidery.

“Somos un grupo de tejedoras y tejedores conformado por 20 familias Tz’utujiles de Santiago Atitlán Sololá, Guatemala. Elaboramos tejidos en telar de cintura y de pedal con detalles de bordado a mano, cada lienzo de tejido se realiza con los conocimientos artísticos que hemos heredado de nuestras abuelas y abuelos por lo que en cada uno encontramos la historia milenaria de nuestra identidad y de la naturaleza.”

—

“We are a group of men and women weavers of 20 Tz’utujil families from Santiago Atitlán in Sololá, Guatemala. We make fabrics using a backstrap loom and pedal loom with details of hand embroidery, each fabric canvas is made with the artistic knowledge that we have inherited from our grandmothers and grandparents so that in each one we find the history of our identity and that of nature.”

During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Antonio, a young weaver who explained and demonstrated the workings of the pedal loom and the significance of what 13 Batz means for them, their community, and future generations.

Even if you don’t purchase anything, visiting 13 Batz in Santiago Atitlán is a time-worthy endeavor. You can find them located on Calle Chu Cruz. Donations are encouraged!

4. Iglesia Parroquial Santiago Apóstol

Santiago Atitlán’s main church or parish, Saint James the Apostle (Iglesia Parroqouial Santiago Apóstol), is culturally and historically important for the community. 

It was incorporated into the town’s main square by Franciscans around 1524 when the Spanish arrived in Guatemala and began preaching Catholicism to the indigenous populations around the lake.

While the facade of the church is quite simple, the interior has wooden statues lining the walls, sleek tile floors expand up to the church’s nave, high ceilings with beams span the length of the room, and what appears to be transparent tin-covered gaps in the ceiling lets in some sunlight.

Perhaps what stands out most is the painted portrait of Catholic priest Stanley Rother, who was assassinated during the decade-long conflict in Santiago Atitlan. On the right side of the entrance is a plaque, written in Spanish and in English, which explains more about the tragic events that took place on 2 December, 1990 when 13 Tz’utujil civilians were shot down by the Guatemalan Army.

Tip: To visit the inside of the parish, you must say that you are here to simply orar—or pray. You will be asked not to take photos and not to disturb those who are worshipping.

5. Parque de La Paz

The massacre of 2 December, 1990 took place just on the outskirts of Santiago Atitlán in Panajab. What once was the encampment site of Guatemalan soldiers is now called the Parque de La Paz in commemoration of the 13 people who died by gunfire here, among them women, men, and children.

Gravestones with crosses jut out from the ground, each plaque etched with the names of the fallen victims. Each year on December 2, the community of Santiago Atitlán holds a memorial to remember those who lost their lives on this tragic day.

Just days after the massacre, the community gathered in force to protest the presence of the Guatemalan Army, who were thereafter expelled from stepping foot into Santiago Atitlán ever again.

To this day, members of the federal militia are not allowed inside the town; only local police have power here.

The park sits just alongside the road heading out of Santiago toward San Pedro La Laguna. It is free to visit and does not take long. The sign that you can read in English inside the church is also written here, but only in Spanish.

6. 150-Year-Old Tombs in the Local Cemetery

One of the stops on our extended tuk-tuk tour around Santiago Atitlán was the local cemetery, where we looked at old tombs dating back 150 years.

The cemetery was similar to what we’ve seen in Mexico — raised concrete structures, some ornately decorated and painted, while others remain plain and jut out of the ground with slots and plaques designated for each family member.

Historically, families who had money to spare were the ones able to afford such luxuries for the dead, while the poor members of society were left to bury their loved ones in the ground. It was an interesting visit, and I learned more about the community, however, we didn’t linger long.

7. Mirador del Valle

Down the road from the cemetery, guides take tourists to look out and introduce Santiago Atitlán. The Mirador del Valle was the first stop on our tour.

On a clear day, you can see the impressive Volcán San Pedro towering over the bay. The viewpoint isn’t technically official, as there is no infrastructure or viewing deck, but we saw many tuk-tuk guides explaining the history of Santiago and its unique location at the base of two neighboring volcanoes to Guatemalan tourists.

Note that this viewpoint isn’t the same as the Mirador Rey Tepepul, which is also a must-visit if you have time. It can be found inside the protected Parque Regional Municipal Rey Tepepul (also known as the Reserva Natural de Atitlán), 7 km outside of Santiago Atitlán. It’s inside this park that you can observe the majestic quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala.

8. Art Gallery

Although you don’t need a tuk-tuk guide to take you to the local art galleries in Santiago Atitlán, our driver did drop us off at one tienda in town. The owner, Gustan, then gave us a brief explanation of the style, history, and symbols represented within the different paintings. It was interesting to have what we were looking at explained to us, as we’ve seen similar artworks in other towns.

They have unique paintings of local scenery (e.g., coffee farmers) from an aerial perspective. Some images also show figures appearing to look down at you—so the other way around.

Similar art is also displayed on a lower viewing deck atop Mirador de la Cruz in San Juan La Laguna.

9. Local Market

Market days in Santiago Atitlán are quite the scene. Vendors line the streets selling all sorts of food and drink, local goods, and textiles. Even if you don’t need to purchase anything, it’s interesting to just stroll through the market to observe and people watch.

In the center of the town, there is a small plaza. There, you’ll find a circular, fountain-like centerpiece displaying a raised map of Lake Atitlán. You can see all the volcanoes and towns around the lake.

As for other things to do in Santiago Atitlán, don’t forget that you can also go on treks up to Volcán Tolimán and Volcán Atitlán. You could also hire a local birding guide to take you to spot birds such as the quetzal in the nearby reserve.

There is a lot to do and see in Santiago Atitlán —more than meets the eye. If you are planning to visit, it would be wise to carve out at least a full day, if not 2 to 3, to take advantage of the nearby nature and outdoor activities (in addition to all the interesting cultural and historical things to do and see).

I hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Santiago Atitlán! I think my favorite experiences were getting to speak with the weavers at 13 Batz and visiting the deity Maximón inside a local family’s home.

Please remember to visit these destinations with respect and Leave No Trace! Before you go, be sure to check out my other guides for traveling in Guatemala.

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