Chichicastenango, also known as Saint Thomas Chichicastenango, is a town in the El Quiche department of Guatemala, known for its traditional K'iche 'Maya culture. The Spanish conquistadors gave the town its name from the Nahuatl name used by their soldiers from Tlaxcala: Tzitzicaztenanco, or City of Nettles. Its original name was Key.

Chichicastenango serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.

Chichicastenango is a large indigenous town, lying on the crests of mountaintops at an altitude of 1,965 m (6,447 ft). It is located about 140 km (87 mi) northwest of Guatemala City.

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Every Thursday and Sunday, and for over 100 years, Chichicastenango, nicknamed "Chichi", has flourished with nearly 300 Mayan vendors across the country. The winding roads leading to Chichi cross villages where fat pigs and feathered turkeys are in the front yards of zinc-roofed houses. The aromas of grilled chicken, chips and sweet bananas permeate the air, punctuated by the sound of women flattening tortillas between their palms.
On fair days, the city is full of people.
The Chichi market also attracts residents, as Mayan women sell live chickens in burlap sacks and measure bags of black, white and yellow corn. On Sunday, religious brotherhoods lead processions through the streets.
Morerias, workshops of ceremonial masks, also draw attention to this Guatemalan city. Colorful wooden masks line the walls of the workshop area where you can get to know a sculptor and patiently observe him with the intricate details of a mask for a ceremonial dance.
The hill overlooking Chichi marks an important religious site. From time to time, to the top, the exhausted shaman lights candles on an altar and kneels before Pascual Abaj, a blackened rock and the only sanctuary in all of Guatemala before the Mayan god of the earth. Believers often bring chocolate, sugar, and cakes as an offering to God. The gray smoke of incense floats in front of the praying shaman, creating a vision of what is out of this world.
Tip: As the mountain roads leading to Chichi are winding and often in difficult conditions, it is best to rent a car and driver or go with a reputed tour company.

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Chichicastenango cuisine is the combination of European and Guatemalan culture.

On your visit to Chichicastenango you can try the red pulique or broth, a chicken or meat dish in the gravy and vegetables; There are also tamales prepared with rice, chicken or pork; and sak´, a thick dish prepared with turkey meat and corn.

As drinks is the white atoll.

You can try these traditional dishes at the early market, as well as Casa de San Juan, Las Brasas, Don Pasqual Restaurant, Tziguan Tinamit Restaurant and Don Tomás Villa.

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In Chichicastenango, the climate is warm and temperate. In winter there is much less rainfall in Chichicastenango than in summer. According to Köppen and Geiger climate is classified as Cwb. The average annual temperature in Chichicastenango is 16.5 ° C. About 1095 mm of precipitation falls annually.

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