Lake Atitlan as your Wedding Destination in Guatemala
Photo by: Daniel Lopez Pérez
This beautiful volcanic lake is spotted withindigenous culture, eclectic food andunmatched natural beauty. Many times, note as the most beautiful lake in the world, Lake Atitlan is most notable for being the Heart of theMaya World.
Panajachel, the main hub is about 4 hours from the airport and 2.5 hours from Antigua,and worth every minute of the drive. On Lake Atitlan you have a wide array of incredibleboutique hotels, luxury retreats and lush escape to choose from. And during the day you can enjoy artisan visits, nature reserves, hiking and more!
Lake Atitlan is the perfect location for your destination wedding in Guatemala. Surrounded by beautiful volcanoes and exceptional views, this lake will make your wedding day an unforgettable event.
Best Wedding Venues in Lake Atitlan
We love Lake Atitlan! The experience of the lake combined with the wedding vibes is truly magical. Below is the list of the venues we love most in Lake Atitlan. If you want more information on how to plan a wedding your wedding in any of theses venues please request a first consultation HERE.
Hotel Atitlan
Guest capacity: 500 guests
Truly one of the best venues since it can host your wedding and have enough rooms so all your guest list can stay at the hotel.
Weddings at Hotel Atitlan Hotel set a new ideal for a romantic, elegant and sophisticated setting next to one of the most beautiful lakes in Guatemala.
From an intimate celebration to a formal wedding (for up to 500 guests), their botanical gardens and spectacular panoramic views create and capture unforgettable lifelong memories for the couple and guests.
Casa Prana
Guest capacity: 20 guests
This boutique hotel is privately located in Santa Cruz, Lake Atitlan is one of the best kept secret venues in Guatemala. We love this venue but you need to take into consideration that it has a limited capacity and all the rooms have to be booked for your event.
Unique and versatile, Casa Prana will bring your imagination to life. It combines nature, wellness, gastronomy, adventure and luxury at it’s best.
Video by Casa Prana
Casa Palopó
Guest capacity: 200 guests
Casa Palopó by Relais & Châteaux perfect location will provide a memorable wedding experience for all guests attending and couple. It has a main garden located on top of a mountain with spectacular view of the entire Lake and volcanoes. It can be be the perfect setting for a November - December - January outdoor wedding or even an intimate indoor wedding surrounded by candlelit and exquisite gastronomy.
Video by Casa Palopo
La Fortuna
Guest capacity: 25 guests
The meaning of intimate at it’s best. La Fortuna is a family-owned ‘nano boutique hotel’ located on the stunning shores of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Your wedding will be surrounded 100% by the lush jungle and stunning view of Lake Atitlan.
A few (extra) things about this amazing destination:
Where to eat?
Circus Bar: The hotspot in Panajachel for live music and pizza.
Deli: The best restaurant in Panajachel for a healthy lunch with a fresh menu.
Zoola: This Israeli-owned spot has some of the best Mediterranean food on the lake.
El Artesano: Escape to what feels like the south of France at this intimate restaurant serving wine and cheese in San Juan laLaguna.
Casa Palopo: For an intimate sunset dinner head here, to the only Relais Chateaux in Guatemala.
Vegan: The entire town of San Marcos La Laguna is flooded with vegetarian or vegan food including Café Camino, Samsara and Il Giardino.
Around Lake Atitlan
Nature Reserves: There are two nature reserves on Lake Atitlan that are must-see. CerroTzankujil in San Marcos is known for its quiet hiking trails and cliff jumping. While the Reserva Natural in Panajachel is known for its wildlife and canopy ziplining.
Water Sports: Most lakefront properties will have kayaks and paddle boards included. If not, GuateSup is a local paddle board company thatrents boards by the hour and kayaks can be rentedin most towns.
Boat Tour: You can hire a private driver to take you around to all the villages.
Adventure: Looking for more of an adventure? Try paragliding above Lake Atitlan with Real World, the most trusted service on the lake.
Photography: Santa Catarina Palopo is one of the most picturesque villages on the lake with the entire town painted in bright colors. Very instagrammable.
Shopping: Panajachel’s main street the Calle Santander has some of the best artisanal shops with handmade leather bags, textiles and shoes. There is also a vintage textile market on Tuesdayand Fridays in Panajachel hosted at the Bomberos Fire house from 9am – 3pm. Just 25 minutes up the road from Panajachel, San Antonio Palopo is known for its local pottery, handmade by indigenous artisans. A great place to grab some local souvenirs and support local craft.
Mystic Culture: Maximon in Santiago Atitlan is a Mayan deity whose shrine is open to the public. Please understand that this is not for everyone, as drinking alcohol and smoking with Maximon is part of the ritual.
Local Art: San Juan la Laguna is full of indigenous artisans with its main street lined with local art galleries and a variety of natural dye artisan workshops. We recommend going to the LEMA weaving cooperative.
Chichicastenango: An easy day trip from Panajachel (1.5hours), this artisan market is the largest in all of Central America. Open every Thursday and Sunday, this indigenous epicenter should NOT be missed. If you decide to spend the night, we recommend the Hotel SantoTomas.
