Things to Do in Guatemala City in March

March's bone-dry mornings make the 3 km (1.9 mile) route from Plaza Mayor to Mercado Central pleasant, no dodging puddles or umbrella traffic. The 300-year-old buildings along 6a Calle photograph better under March's crystal-clear light than during the softer light of rainy season, and the morning shadows in the cloisters of Iglesia La Merced create the kind of contrast that makes even phone photos look professional.

The 2,552 m (8,369 ft) climb is brutal in March heat. Yet this is the only month where you can roast marshmallows over lava flows without rain turning the trail into a mudslide. Morning starts at 6 AM keep you ahead of the 27°C (80°F) afternoon temps, and the dry air means zero cloud interference when you're watching molten rock glow against the night sky on sunset tours.

March's zero rainfall means the 45 km (28 mile) drive to colonial Antigua takes exactly 90 minutes instead of the usual 3-hour traffic nightmare during rainy season pothole season. The cobblestone streets are dry enough to walk in sneakers instead of hiking boots, and the 16th-century ruins photograph sharp instead of soft and misty like they do May through October.

March sits right between harvest and flowering, you see both the last red cherries being picked and the first white blossoms appearing on the same branch. The 1,500 m (4,921 ft) altitude keeps tour temperatures comfortable at 21°C (70°F) instead of the 32°C (90°F) you'd feel at lower elevations, and the dry air intensifies the chocolate-caramel smell of beans drying on patios.

March's warm evenings draw locals to the hidden bars beneath Zona 1's crumbling facades, think 1920s cocktails served in what used to be a bank vault. The dry weather keeps the century-old tunnels from dripping condensation on your glass, and the 21°C (70°F) night temperatures mean you can enjoy the outdoor smoking patios instead of shivering under heat lamps.