Guatemala’s close proximity to U.S. shores and easy access by air (just 2.5 hours from Houston or Miami; 5 hours from New York) makes it a great candidate for an international weekend getaway. This itinerary is named after Nobel laureate Miguel Ángel Asturias’s 1956 collection of short stories dealing with the overthrow of Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán in a CIA-orchestrated coup.

Day 1

Plan this day to be a Friday or Saturday. There are nonstop flights from New York/Newark on Saturdays. Most other gateway cities have multiple flights daily.

Arrive in Guatemala City around noon. Grab a shuttle van or taxi to La Antigua and check in to your hotel. Take the afternoon to explore the cobblestone streets and a museum or two, do some shopping, and get a bite to eat in one of the excellent restaurants.

Grab drinks and/or dinner from Café Sky or Tartines and watch the sun set behind the volcanoes.

Day 2

Grab an early breakfast and then hike up to the Cerro de la Cruz for a wonderful view of the city with Agua Volcano in the background. Alternatively (between December and March), head out early to go whale-watching on the Pacific Coast (one hour away).

Have lunch and an afternoon round of golf at La Reunión Antigua Golf Resort and spend the night there. From your Suite Gran Clase, enjoy views of Agua and Pacaya Volcanoes over your private plunge pool.

Day 3

Transfer back to Guatemala City and its international airport. Depending on the time of departure, you may be able to visit one or several of the museums located near the airport. These include the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología or the Museo Popol Vuh and Museo Ixchel (next door to each other).

Allow some extra time at the airport for some duty free shopping before you fly out. With your appetite whetted for more of Guatemala, plan your next trip on the plane ride home.