landmark
San Pedro La Laguna
A backpacker and artist hub on Lake Atitlán's shores beneath San Pedro Volcano, known for Spanish schools and Tz'utujil Maya culture.
4 km · about 5 min drive
North AmericaGuatemalaSololá
San Marcos La Laguna
Sololá, Guatemala · North America
About San Marcos La Laguna
San Marcos La Laguna is worth a stop: 5 minutes from San Pedro La Laguna, 10km from Lake Atitlan.
San Marcos La Laguna is in Sololá, Guatemala, with about 2,700 people. The nearest town is San Pedro La Laguna, about 4 km away.
San Marcos La Laguna is a municipality and village in the Sololá Department of Guatemala, situated along a narrow volcanic cove on the northwestern shore of Lake Atitlán. Located northwest of the San Pedro, Tolimán, and Atitlán volcanoes, the settlement sits at an elevation of 1,585 metres (5,200 ft), descending steepRead more
terrain to the lakefront at 1,562 metres (5,125 ft). The local population is predominantly Kaqchikel Maya, maintaining traditional agricultural practices and cultural heritage alongside protected natural sites such as the Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve.
It is a small village of 2200 inhabitants; the majority of the population are Kaqchikel-speaking indigenous Mayans.
San Marcos La Laguna ("San Marcos": in honor of its patron saint Marcos Evangelista; "La Laguna": due to its geographic location close to Lake Atitlán) is a municipality in the department of Sololá in the south-western region of the Republic of Guatemala.
In pre-Columbian times, the first Kachiquel settlers arrived from the area where the modern municipalities of San Lucas Tolimán and Santiago Atitlán are located, specifically from the place called "Pakip". During the colonial era it was an encomienda in charge of the descendants of the Spanish conqueror Sancho de Barahona, among whom is the first president of the Federal Republic of Central America, General Manuel José Arce y Fagoaga.
After the Independence of Central America in 1821, it became part of the department of Sololá/Suchitepéquez;6 and in 1838 it was part of the ephemeral State of Los Altos until it was reincorporated into the State of Guatemala by the conservative general Rafael Carrera in 1840. Later, after the Liberal Reform of 1871, on August 12, 1872, the de facto government of provisional president Miguel García Granados created the department of Quiché, to which it awarded a large part of the territory of Sololá, although San Marcos La Laguna remained in the latter.
Already in the 21st century, in 2005 the municipality was severely affected by storm Stan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near San Marcos La Laguna?
Within an hour or so of San Marcos La Laguna: San Pedro La Laguna (4 km), Lake Atitlan (10 km), Chichicastenango Market (29 km), Acatenango (48 km).
Where is San Marcos La Laguna?
San Marcos La Laguna is in Sololá, Guatemala, about 4 km from San Pedro La Laguna.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,681
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- Guatemala
- Region
- Sololá
- Timezone
- America/Guatemala
- Coordinates
- 14.7250, -91.2584
Tags
Worth the detour from San Marcos La Laguna
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Lake Atitlan
A breathtaking volcanic lake surrounded by three towering volcanoes and traditional Mayan villages, often called the most beautiful lake in the world.
10 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Chichicastenango Market
Central America's largest indigenous market held every Thursday and Sunday, overflowing with textiles, masks, flowers, and Maya rituals.
29 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Acatenango
A 3,976 m stratovolcano near Antigua climbed overnight so hikers can camp on the ridge and watch neighbouring Volcán de Fuego erupt through the night: one of the most reliable live-eruption views on earth.
48 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Antigua Guatemala
A UNESCO colonial city framed by volcanoes, filled with cobblestone streets, pastel-colored buildings, and stunning ruined churches.
60 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near San Marcos La Laguna
- 48 kmAcatenangoA 3,976 m stratovolcano near Antigua climbed overnight so hikers can camp on the ridge and watch neighbouring Volcán de Fuego erupt through the night: one of the most reliable live-eruption views on earth.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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