The plaza is not huge, but is very friendly to the visitor. Now they have FREE wireless internet in the plaza. That should keep it full of people. I like the feel of the Plaza area, very bustling, full of color, and interesting people watching.

This central gathering spot is ringed by a large Catholic church, small shops, coffee houses, restaurants, a museum, and a govt building. People do hang out in the plaza, and there are small food vendors and shoe shine setups there. It's clean and pretty with some trees and shrubs, and on a clear day the mountains make a lovely backdrop.... More

Got dinner from the street vendors. Xela is a small town, not dressed up for tourists. It was good to see, a great base for us to get into the mountains, but there is not much to do in Xela itself.

I always felt safe despite warnings from many people about Guatemala - even in this Central Plaza I could read relaxed or sip coffee with friends without looking over my shoulder. There was always someone playing music and then of course the weekly market. Beautiful, colorful & cheap! Loved it in Quetzaltenango!

We very much enjoyed learning spanish in Quetzaltenango. You can find a big variety of good and cheap language schools and the city itself provides everything you need. There is a nice central park and lots of indigenous culture, especially if you head out to visit the surrounding villages. The city itself doesn´t attract many tourists, which makes it an... More

Nice park, lots of life. Lots of locals on market days. Always a few gringos around.