Parks

The idea of a greenbelt is relatively new to Guatemalan city planners. Most of Guatemala City [1]’s parks tend to be plazas centered around churches. An exception is the Campo Marte, a relatively well-executed park with facilities for playing soccer, baseball, and basketball as well as running around its spacious grounds. It was previously the city’s military barracks and is east of Avenida La Reforma along 2a Calle.

A better option might be the planned Parque Metropolitano, tied closely to the project encompassing the airport’s renovation and expansion in Zona 13. It should be the city’s best park with plenty of space to get some fresh air and exercise, though it has yet to become a reality.

On Sunday mornings, parts of Avenida Las Américas and Avenida La Reforma (from Plaza Eucarística to Plaza Israel) are closed to car traffic as part of the municipality’s Pasos y Pedales initiative. Pedestrians, cyclists, rollerbladers, and skateboarders take to the broad streets, while the green grass and plazas of the boulevards’ wide central dividers serve as pleasant areas for rest and relaxation.