Guatemala Virág (Helyi Virágbolt)

As the capital of Guatemala, the city also has more parks and gardens than most of the other Central American countries. Guatemala City was also a part of the ancient Mayan Empire, and the Parque Arqueologico Kaminaljuyu contains remnants of their ancient city. The city center or Parque Central was designed originally to hold military exercises and parades, but now serves at the perfect starting point for any visit to this Central American city. The Presidential Palace is located on the north side of the square, and serves as a standing reminder to the bloody rule of Guatemalan dictator General Jorge Ubico. For visitors looking for Bohemian nightlife, the Cuatro Grados Norte is a thriving barrio filled with local bars and night clubs, while the Zona Viva barrio is located downtown and offers the best of Guatemalan hospitality. On Sundays the Plaza Mayor is filled with venders selling handmade fabric and clothing, along with the occasional goat herder selling glasses of fresh goat’s milk. Guatemala City is also home to the country’s only botanical gardens, and contains over 1,400 different types of native and exotic plants. The gardens are planned in a way that each species of plants depend on the others for their survival. See exotic orchids growing from limbs of trees, and bright purple calla lilies peeking out of a bed of rotting leaves. The paved paths also take visitors past bright yellow lantanas and several different types of elephant ears. Among all of the different plants in the garden, one of the most visited is the ancient Ceiba Pentandra tree the national tree of Guatemala. Bromeliads and bright red and yellow heliconias are also popular attractions. While the capital city may seem dirt and depressing at first, small backyard gardens can also be found throughout the city. Containers are often set out with the bright yellow flowers of the zebra plant, while orange and Mexican plume flowers can often be found in backyards. You can even have these and other gorgeous flowers delivered to almost any address in Guatemala.