Guatemala Puerto Quetzal cruise port walking tour, Colonial Antigua Shore Excursion with NCL Jewel

0:00 Guatemala Puerto Quetzal Cruise port
2:15 Antigua Central Park (Parque Central)
4:27 Cafe Condesa
7:06 Santa Catalina Arch
8:00 On the way to Iglesia de la Merced Church
9:40 Iglesia de la Merced Church
11:35 Lunch @ Arrin Cuan restaurant
13:52 Jade Museum
18:25 Walking tour around the cruise port

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemela's largest ocean port. It is important for both cargo traffic and as a stop-off point for cruise liners. It is located in Escuintia department, alongside the city of Puerto San Jose.

 Puerto Quetzal cruise port is 640 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. It is a mile away from the city of San José in the Escuintla department and one and a half hours from the popular historic town of Antigua. The port is a common destination for Panama Canal cruises.

Guatemala is best known for its volcanic landscape, fascinating Mayan culture and the colorful colonial city of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Antigua, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in the early 16th century. Capital of the former captaincy general, Antigua Guatemala was once the most important seat of Spanish colonial government between Mexico City and Lima, Peru. Built 1,500 m above sea-level, in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins.

Highlights of Colonial Antigua Shore Excursion
Antigua Central Park (Parque Central)
From Central Park you have a superb view of the Agua Volcano, which towers over Antigua. The park is surrounded by a cathedral and arch-adorned colonial buildings, including the Palace of the Captain General (Palacio de los Capitanes Generales), City Hall, the Archbishop Palace, and the Portal of Commerce. By day, handicraft vendors line the tree-covered walkways, selling their wares. By night, marimba bands set up shop, entertaining passersby with their live music. Be sure to check out the Fountain of the Sirens, a 1936 reconstruction of the original that was built in 1738. In the center of Central Park, a fountain depicts buxom mermaids spraying streams of water. Although a replica, the 1936 reconstruction maintains the original posterity.

Santa Catalina Arch. Standing above the cobbled streets and in front of the hulking Volcano de Agua, this saffron-yellow arch has become the symbol of Antigua and the central image on most postcards. To locals it represents the resilience of the city and a history than spans four centuries.
On a clear day you can see the entire volcano through the arch.

Iglesia de la Merced is a popular and most photographed church in Antigua. This picturesque church with its vibrant yellow facade was completed in 1767 after a 15 year build. But Antigua had long suffered from devastating earthquakes and had to be re-built on more than one occasion.

Jade
Guatemala is famous for its beautiful jade jewelry, which played an integral part in the Maya culture for thousands of years. Today it is the leading source for Grade A jade that comes in an array of colors and is only found in Guatemala.