Spanish School Blog

Guatemalan tamales have been a signature of typical cuisine, and have been here since we can all remember. Tamales from Guatemala are quite different when compared to others in Latin America, and there are a few variety to tamale-types in Guatemala depending on the region.

If you are planning on visiting Antigua Guatemala to learn Spanish, then you should know that there is a very much used expression you will hear guaranteed (at least once) if you stay for a little while, and this is ‘fijese que…’.

Most of the churches built between 1540 and 1790 are richly decorated inside with wooden altarpieces which can be a main altar located at the bottom of the presbytery, or collateral altarpieces attached to the walls of the main hall.

Antigua Guatemala city was founded as ‘Santiago de Guatemala’. ‘Dia de Santiago Apostol’ (Saint James’ Day) is celebrated in several cities in Latin America, as well as in Antigua Guatemala.

‘Cerámica Popular de Guatemala’, is the name given to the products made of mud-clay produced in Guatemala, some of these products are used for decoration and some other for cooking.

Over 450 years ago, after the Spanish conquest took place, arts produced during those days by the so called ‘Reino’ (‘spanish reign’) began to change.

This is a very important tradition in Guatemala, and it is celebrated in many many villages in Guatemala as well as in Guatemala city, taking place specially during the ‘fiestas patronales’ (patron celebration). This activity captures the attention of local and foreigners alike.

The Mayolica Ceramic is an important part Guatemalan culture today, an important heritage of the Spanish colony of centuries ago.

The ‘Mayolica Ceramic’ is a kind of glazed pottery that has been produced since the 16th century in Guatemala, specially in Antigua Guatemala (Santiago de Guatemala by those days), San Miguel Totonicapán and in Guatemala City (the capital).

This is the traditional Guatemala Meat Spicy Stew, which is seen by most Guatemalans as the national dish. It is basically meat and vegetables in a thick and rich sauce, with a combination of roasted spices like pepitoria and sesame seeds and many others very well blended together.