EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Enjoy a visit to the colonial city of Antigua, founded by Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll the charming cobblestone streets to visit the Central Plaza, the cathedral, Colonial Museum at the Jade Museum. Lunch is included at a typical Guatemalan restaurant. On the return drive to your ship, enjoy the scenery and great views of the Agua and Fuego (Water and Fire) volcanoes.

OVERVIEW

Travel inland to explore the most captivating attractions in and around Antigua Guatemala, the country’s capital during colonial times. In the outlying village of San Juan del Obispo a nun will welcome you to the Bishop’s Palace, including its baroque-style gold-gilded chapel, a private area that is typically off-limits. You will see the process of how they prepare artisanal chocolate and you can taste a little cup of chocolate. In the heart of Antiqua Guatemala, you will find a stunnig collection of colonial buildings that UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage Site. Be sure to notice the Spanish Renaissance-inspired grid layout of cobblestone streets, another reason for the UNESCO recognition. While meandering about, you will pass through leafy Plaza Mayor, see the unusual 18th-century Fountain of the Sirens and browse a museum devoted to jade, which is still cut and polished using traditional methods similar to those developed thousands of years ago. A traditional Guatemalan lunch follows at a restaurant that is also a plant nursery.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A nun will welcome you during your visit to the Bishop’s Palace in the village of San Juan del Obispo.
• Walk through Guatemala’s original capital, a treasure-trove of colonial buildings.
• Gain insight into why UNESCO declared Antigua Guatemala a World Heritage Site.
• Browse a jade museum and dine on traditional Guatemalan cuisine at a leafy restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Visit one of the largest animal parks in Guatemala. Depart on a scenic one hour ride towards a drive-through zoo called the Auto-Safari Chapin – a natural reserve founded in 1980 and one of the largest animal parks in Guatemala. Its mission is to help preserve the fauna and to educate the public about the vital importance of animals. Upon arrival at the premises, your coach will stop at the entrance for a brief orientation and a written guide to the nature park will be distributed.

Then relax and enjoy as the coach drives through the park and you see a variety of animals such as hippopotamus, giraffes, lions, zebras and many other animals from Africa and Guatemala. After the drive through the park, you can walk around another area that is more like a zoo to see other animals including birds and reptiles.

Enjoy Antigua at your own pace by exploring the Central Plaza and nearby streets filled with churches, convents, museums, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and stores. You’ll be provided with a map of Antigua which highlights its main attractions and you’ll be able to explore the city on your own. Enjoy a scenic drive back to your ship, affording breathtaking views of the Agua and Fuego (Water and Fire) volcanoes.

This tour is designed for guests with limited mobility, offering the opportunity to enjoy the sights of the charming Spanish colonial city of Antigua from the comfort of a vehicle. You’ll enjoy a guided 90-minute drive through the scenic countryside to colonial Antigua. Once in the city, you’ll drive through the main streets and see the most important buildings from the comfort of your vehicle. A shopping and restroom stop will be made at the Jade Museum and Factory with very little walking involved - ramps are also available for your convenience. Spend approximately 90-minutes in Antigua, including a photo stop at the Central Plaza, before beginning your journey back to the pier.

Today you will travel through the lowlands into the highlands of Guatemala to visit the Maya site of Iximche. You will meet your friendly and knowledgeable guide at the pier and board your air-conditioned transportation for the guided 2.5 hour drive through the scenic countryside in Guatemala towards the Maya site of Iximche, a late post-classic archaeological site in the western highlands.

Iximche was the capital of the Kaqchikel Maya from 1470 until 1524 when it was abandoned after the Spanish Conquistadores defeated them. Upon arrival you will tour the site as your guide provides you with relevant information about the structures and the importance of the Mayan Calendar and the so called 2012 "end of the world" phenomenon. You might also be able to witness, from a distance, a real Maya ritual since they are performed regularly on the site and are not part of a tourist attraction. Local Maya Shamans say that Iximche is a site of great universal energy.

After the tour you will continue to a nearby local restaurant for a much-deserved lunch before heading back to the pier. The meal will be served at Hacienda Real Restaurant and the menu consists of grilled chicken breasts, rice, refried beans, local fresh cheese, local dessert, tortillas and coffee or tea.

Your excursion will take you through Escuintla towards the towns of La Democracia and El Baul. La Democracia has a unique collection of monumental stone heads known as the 'fat gods.' The heads show strong Olmec influence and most were gathered from the nearby site of Monte Alto, considered one of the oldest settlements in the American continent. The sites are small but will provide a glimpse of the Mayan history and the relationship between other civilizations, such as the Olmec from what is now Mexico.

It is known for a fact now that the Olmecs did in fact inhabit the south coast of Guatemala. Their great influence on the Mayan civilization is visible in La Democracia, El Baul and also on Takalik Abaj to the west of the first two sites. Then you’ll visit the nearby Maya Museum of Las Ilusiones where several artifacts found in the area are kept. Here you’ll enjoy a refreshing drink before returning to your ship.

Casa Santo Domingo is both a 5 star hotel and a museum, located on the grounds of the original Santo Domingo Monastery dating back to the 1500’s. In addition to the hotel facilities, it boasts an open-air chapel, various archaeological areas and preserved treasures from the baroque period. Enjoy lunch at this beautiful and historic venue.

You’ll have the opportunity to have a glimpse of the city Santiago de Los Caballeros founded in 1524,known today as La Antigua. Cobblestone streets, colorful facades and tiled roofs, both restored and ruins of churches, palaces, convents and mansions covered with colorful bougainvillea make this Spanish colonial city a favorite with visitors. It was the third capital in the New World and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. You’ll visit the Coffee Museum at La Azotea Cultural Center.

Guatemala started producing coffee back in the 1850’s which is renowned for its high quality. Today you’ll visit a local coffee plantation to learn about the processing and sample a cup of this fine coffee.

Your journey begins with a 90 minute scenic drive through Guatemala’s lowlands where you’ll have great views of some of the majestic volcanoes. During the drive your knowledgeable guide will provide you with relevant information about the excursion. Once at the plantation, you’ll take a 20-minute walking tour through the coffee fields and processing plant. Enjoy a cup of fine Guatemalan brew before returning to your ship.

Discover the Colonial Jewel of the Americas and taste the amazing local craft beers in town.

After your 90 minute transfer you will stop briefly at the Jade Museum and then continue through the streets of Antigua for a one-hour walking tour that will take you through the charming streets, Main Plaza, Arch of Santa Catalina and will end right at the Antigua Brewing Company. The Master Brewer will greet you and explain his process with each brew as you taste at least 4 samples with complimentary local snack foods that pair well with each one. Once done with the tasting, feel free to head upstairs for the terrace with amazing views of the city's rooftops, or stay down in the first floor. All flavors tasted and maybe others will be available for purchase after the tasting should you desire a couple more!

OVERVIEW

Experience how the locals prepare a classic local dish “enchilada” in a beautiful garden restaurant. Then go on an enlightening tour of Antigua Guatemala, the country’s capital until the late 1770s. The rebuilt colonial architecture that stands today is so extraordinary that it earned the city a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. You will see its highlights, which include the iconic Santa Catalina Arch that leads into downtown, the cathedral and outside of the extraordinary Palace of the Captains complex. The local gastronomy will lend further insight into the culture. You will be served a sumptuous lunch that will likely include pepian, a heritage dish whose roots date to the Mayan civilization. Be sure to save room for dessert at a confectionary known for its handmade sweets. These delicious candies are made from natural ingredients, such as coconut, honey, sugar, milk and a diversity of fruits, and are mainly enjoyed during national celebrations and festivities. You will receive a sample of candies.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy an enchilada stuffed with traditional ingredients as an appetizer.
• Dine on Guatemalan dishes whose recipes are of ancient Mayan origin.
• View the magnificent colonial architecture in Guatemala’s first capital.
• Gain insight into why UNESCO declared Antigua Guatemala a World Heritage site.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Visit the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala and discover how two of the country’s signature products—exceptional rum and exquisite jade jewelry—are manufactured.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a wonderfully scenic drive through the mountainous inland terrain and on to Antigua Guatemala. The former capital of Guatemala, this UNESCO World Heritage site contains an abundance of beautifully restored colonial architecture that you will see while driving through town to the House of Rum.

Here in the cellar, you will sample a number of Guatemalan rums, each with its own characteristics. During the tasting, the cellar’s rum connoisseur will explain how the local conditions, especially altitude, influence the rum’s flavor. You will also discover which rums pair best with certain foods, information that you might find useful for the lunch that follows.

Antigua Guatemala is also known for its exquisite jade jewelry, and you will have the opportunity to observe its production at a local factory. Early civilizations in Mesoamerica prized jade mined in this part of Guatemala, and the stone is still cut and polished using traditional methods similar to those developed thousands of years ago.

Before returning to the pier, you will have time to shop for jade necklaces, earrings, bangles and even watchbands with jade clasps.