Guatemala City sits in a high valley, at around 1,500 metres, ringed by volcanoes. On a clear morning, from a rooftop or a ridge, you can see the cones of Pacaya, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango lined up along the horizon, and Fuego often sends up a white plume of ash. The city has been rebuilt several times after earthquakes, most seriously in 1917 and 1976, and its landscape of gullies and ravines, crossed by high concrete bridges, makes it feel both modern and fragile. At its centre, in Zone 1, stand the cathedral, the National Palace and a big plaza where families come to sit and talk.
The city has an odd, layered history. Before the Spanish, a great Maya city, Kaminaljuyú, stood on the site, and its earthen mounds survive in a park in the western part of town. The modern capital was founded in the 1770s after earthquakes destroyed the colonial capital at Antigua. Today it is a vast, noisy, hard-working metropolis of coffee and corporate towers, with food that ranges from street tamales and tortillas to elaborate dishes in the fashionable Zone 10.
Riding here is intense. Traffic is dense and aggressive, motorbikes weave between lanes, and the streets run in grids that are easy to get lost in. The highways out of town, the CA-1 and CA-9, climb quickly into pine forest and cooler air, and the road toward Antigua and Lake Atitlán is where the riding becomes enjoyable, with long bends and wide views. Ride in daylight, keep your belongings out of sight, and take local advice on areas to avoid. Rain falls heavily between May and October, usually in the afternoon, so aim to start early.
Fuel is plentiful, with stations on every major road and open around the clock in the larger roads, and food ranges from pollo campero to modern restaurants. Choose a hotel with a secure garage, as street parking is risky overnight, and do not leave luggage on the bike. Altitude can give a mild headache for the first day, so drink plenty of water and take it slowly.