Quetzaltenango — Xela to everyone who lives here — is Guatemala's second city and a far more authentic base than the tourist circuit of Antigua and Lago Atitlán. The centre around Parque Centro América is elegant and historic, and the surrounding highlands offer excellent hiking, active volcanoes, and indigenous markets.
Spanish-language schools are numerous and well-regarded; Xela is the second most popular place in Guatemala to study Spanish, with more immersive homestay options and a less tourist-oriented daily life than Antigua.