Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala with around 100,000 people.

Very little English is spoken here, so most people take advantage of the numerous Spanish schools.

The people here are friendly and the food is great.${QuickSuggestions} Spend time in Parque Central. There is a museum at the bottom of the hill (with quite an eclectic collection of...stuff), a few banks, a kind of Guatemala goods mall, and large business center with English and Spanish schools, and a couple bars.

If you speak Spanish, talk with the shoe shine boys. They are funny, and you can learn a lot from them. You might as well too because they're going to hound you until you give in. And for what it costs, let them shine your shoes. You might as well learn something from these hardworking guys.

Parque benito Juarez is another park with another (gorgeous) cathedral. This park is closer to the markets in Xela, and also near most of the buses to the other parts of the city.

Food here is inexpensive and everywhere.

Near the Mont Blanc shopping center, there is a bakery run by menonites. They have the best pies and donuts and bread I have ever eaten. The store has a funny schedule. They are only open a few days a week and for a few hours at a time. The goods sell quickly here. It's my first stop every time I visit Xela.

Check out the market at Chichicastenango. It's accessible by bus. It's very large and a you can buy all kinds of great, hand-made goods.

Xela also has a community center where concerts and other events are held on a frequent basis. During the day you can pick up a schedule of events in the office. A little, light-hearted warning though: The Guatemalan hosts of these events will talk forever. They will thank mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles...It's a lot to sit through for the show, but it says a lot about the culture (and some of the shows are VERY good).${BestWay} You can walk around most of the city. Small vans drive all over the city or will take you (and 15 locals) to different places for a few quetzales. These vans often have a sign on the windshield that tell you where it will stop. Tell the driver and he'll stop. It can be a challenge getting in and out of these vans since they get packed. Don't worry if they tell you to sit on the edge of the seat and then leave the door open. This is normal, and a lot of fun once you get over the initial fear. ;)

At the main bus terminal, chicken buses leave for all parts of Guatemala. These are cheap. Don't worry if you aren't sure which one to use though. Walk close to the buses and start saying the name of your destination. Some one will grab you by the arm and put you on the right bus. The system requires a lot of trust, but in 4 months of doing this, I was never ripped off or put on the wrong bus.

More expensive buses run by Galgos go to Guatemala city and can take 4-5 hours.
From journal Learn Spanish and Explore Mayan Culture