Santa Catarina Palopo: The Colourful Painted Town In Guatemala

Of all the many towns on Lake Atitlan, the pretty settlement of Santa Catarina Palopo is – in my opinion – the most unmissable.

It may not have the nightlife of San Pedro, the shopping opportunities of San Juan La Laguna, or the commercial buzz of Panajachel, but what it lacks in these areas it more than makes up for with unique charm, vibrant colour and welcoming warmth.

I spent three months travelling around Guatemala, and during my extended stay I spent two days exploring and photographing Santa Catarina Palopo for JRNY magazine. During that time I got to know the town and its people pretty well, which is why I’m uniquely qualified to write this blog post.

So here’s everything you need to know about the town, what to do, and how to visit.

Note: No AI was used in the writing of this blog post. So any typos you find are mine and mine alone.

Where is Santa Catarina Palopó?

Santa Catarina Palopó is one of around a dozen towns dotted around the shores of Lake Atitlan, in the western highlands of Guatemala.

Described as “the closest thing to Eden on Earth” and “the most beautiful lake in the world”, Lake Atitlán is one of the greatest natural wonders in Central America.

With calm blue waters overlooked by three towering volcanos, verdant tropical hillsides and colourful towns, the lake is almost impossibly picturesque, and no Guatemala itinerary is complete without a visit.

The towns of Lake Atitlan

Each of the lake towns has its own character. Panajachel, the main hub, is buzzing with shops and restaurants. San Pedro is known as the backpackers’ hangout and is full of hostels and tour agencies. San Marcos is the ‘hippy town’, a mecca for seekers of spirituality, while San Juan is the ‘arty town’ where you can buy gorgeous paintings and handicrafts.

These are the four most popular towns with tourists, but there are smaller, quieter pueblos too, that are less visited and still maintain a more traditional way of life.

Read more: A Perfect Guatemala Itinerary In 10 Days, 2 Weeks Or 3 Weeks

Introducing Santa Catarina Palopó

One of them, Santa Catarina Palopó is a pueblo of 6000 people that still retains a very strong sense of its Mayan cultural identity. It’s name confuses many people, I’ve seen it written as Santa Catarina Popolo, Santa Catarina Polopo or even Santa Catalina Palopo, but none of these are correct!

Almost everyone who lives there is Kaqchikel (or Cakchiquel) Maya, and most people still wear the traditional dress, with all the women wearing beautiful handwoven huipiles (blouses) in shades of blue and turquoise, with long skirts and colourful head wraps.

Like many rural communities, it has always relied on traditional economies and subsistence farming to survive. But over the past decades the town has struggled, and with few tourists visiting, Santa Catarina fell into steep decline, with poverty rates reaching over 70% and a lack of professional opportunities.

The Painting Santa Catarina project

To help solve this problem, a Guatemalan journalist named Harris Whitbeck came up with a scheme to regenerate the town by painting all its 850 houses in beautiful colours.

Working with Guatemalan designers to come up with the look, they launched the project ‘Pintando El Cambio’ – painting for change.

Using art as an instrument for positive change, the aim was to transform Santa Catarina Palopó from a deprived and run-down village into a thriving cultural and tourist destination, bringing new economic opportunities, increased community investments, and a renewed sense of pride in the area.

Milsa Sajvin (below) works in outreach for the project. If you visit their office in the main square, that’s where you’ll find her, and if she’s free she’ll tell you all about the project and may even give you a tour in return for a donation.

How the scheme works

Any family can apply to have their house painted free of charge. They choose their colours and designs from an approved selection inspired by the traditional colours of the ‘huipiles’ that the women wear, and also by nature and Mayan imagery.

For example, the blue background on this house is inspired by the waters of Lake Atitlan. Deer sit alongside the traditional two-headed bird, Ixcot, and geometric patterns. Another important Maya symbol frequently shown is milpa (corn).

In return, residents must agree to help the painter with his work, keep the area around their house clean, and send their children to the local school.

Read more: 30 Beautiful Pictures Of Guatemala And The Stories Behind Them

Painting Santa Catarina Palopó

The paint is made by a Guatemalan company and is environmentally friendly. Each tub is mixed with water to make it go further and lime to help protect the houses from rain and mould.

There are four local painters who work full time on the project; they would like to hire more but there isn’t enough money to pay them.

Sixto Lopez Cumes used to be a librarian before joining the project as a painter. He’s painting a butterfly design on the house below.

Romario Tax manages the paint supplies. He mixes each tub of paint, by hand on-demand, using two gallons of paint, one gallon of water, and four pounds of lime.

The Pintando El Cambio project results

The whole town has been involved in the painting, investing their sweat and toil into their community, coming together to celebrate traditional culture, and creating a sense of belonging.

So far they have painted 760 out of the 850 houses, and are hoping to paint the rest this year.

Thanks to the project Santa Catarina Atitlan has seen tourism and business increase, the streets are cleaner and better cared for, and there is new sense of community pride. Today, one might almost call it ‘The Most Instagrammable Town in Guatemala’… but I don’t want to do that, because it will only encourage influencers in big floppy hats and floaty skirts to come take a million identikit images!

Finding your way around Santa Catarina Guatemala

Santa Catarina Palopo is a very easy place to wander around, and it’s almost impossible to get lost because the whole town is built on a hillside. Your tuktuk will drop you off in the main square, where you’ll find the church and the painting project office. From there, the main street runs parallel to the lakeshore, and is where you find snack and souvenir shops and the market.

Most of the colourful houses are in the narrow back streets that slope steeply uphill off the main street. That means you can take any staircase or street going uphill, and when you’re ready to leave, just head back down and you will find your way back to the main street.

Further downhill from the main square and street you’ll find the lakeshore, which is where you’ll find a small dock with boats for hire. However these are all private boats; if you want to travel to any of the other lake towns it’s better to head back to Panajachel and then take one of the public boats.

Read more: Backpacking in Guatemala: All You Need To Know Before You Go

Some of the people I met while exploring Santa Catarina Guatemala

I spent half a day doing a tour and wandering around taking photos, and I loved it so much I went back a few weeks later to take more! Here are some of the kind and welcoming people I met.

Benito Hernandez is extremely proud of his colourful new home which was completed just 8 days before my visit. He decided to take part as the walls needed painting, but he couldn’t afford paint. He told me he’s very pleased with the results!

I also met Petrona Lopez who lives in this narrow street with her dad, her sister and brother-in-law and dog, Scott. She told me they love the project because it improves the town and attracts more tourists who will buy things in the shop where Petrona works.

Brenda Sajvin, 27, runs a candle shop. She was taught how to make candles by her father, and has now been doing it for 7 years. Power cuts are extremely common around the lake – pretty much every time there’s heavy rain the power will go out in at least one area, so candles are vital. Brenda makes two kinds – practical candles in glasses for when the power goes, and decorative ones for celebrations and religious worship.

The beautiful clothing of Santa Catarina Palopo

One thing you can’t fail to notice as you walk around the town is that most of the women are wearing gorgeous woven blouses and skirts. They’re hand-made using the centuries-old craft of backstrap loom weaving, one of the most important cultural industries in Guatemala.

Every town has its own unique designs and colours, so you can tell where a person is from just by looking at what she’s wearing. Far more than just clothes, the gorgeously-woven huipiles (blouses) and cortes (skirts) are a symbol of religion, identity and pride.

During the twentieth century, the official colour was red, as you’ll learn if you visit the small museum, where some historic red garments are on display. And you’ll notice that some older women, like Maria above, still prefer to wear red.

However more recently, the town colours were changed to blue, turquoise and purple. The same colours are now being used to paint the walls of the houses, with the red still preserved in the buildings’ roofs.

On my second day in Santa Catarina Palopo I went wandering with my camera to see what I could find. As I walked down a narrow backstreet I glanced into a small courtyard and spotted Maria González Tax, sitting weaving while also supervising her 4-year-old daughter, Micaela. She very kindly let me come in and photograph her. I stayed for ages, chatting and taking pictures, as she was so lovely and photogenic!

She told me she weaves for up to six hours a day, alongside caring for her daughter. She’s making her own huipil using the same traditional imagery and colours that inspired the designs now adorning the walls of the town.

Things to do in Santa Catarina Palopó Guatemala

Tourism is still in its infancy in Santa Catarina Palopo, so there isn’t all that much to do there, and a couple of hours will be enough for most people to get a sense of the place. But here are are a few ways to spend your time:

• Take a tour: If you visit the Pintando Santa Catarina office in the main square, they may be able to offer you a tour in exchange for a donation to the project. However you don’t need to do a tour – it’s perfectly possible to walk around by yourself.
• Photograph the colourful houses: This is obviously the main reason to visit, and locals are very happy for you to take photos of the buildings. Many Guatemalans are camera shy though, so if you want to take photos of people, make sure you ask permission first.

Read more: Ethical Travel Photography: How To Capture With A Conscience

• Visit the Cultural Centre: Located in the town centre, here you will find ladies weaving, as well as textiles and other crafts for sale.
• Visit the museum: The museum is very small, just two rooms, but has an interesting display of historic textiles and photos of the town from many decades ago.
• Shop for handmade textiles and souvenirs: As tourism increases, more and more shops are opening selling handmade crafts and other souvenirs for you to take home.
• Walk or take a tuk tuk up to the viewpoint: As you drive down into the town from Panajachel, you’ll pass a viewpoint offering a fantastic view over the lake and rainbow-coloured town. If you’re already in the town centre, it’s an easy tuktuk ride or about a 15 minute walk back up the road to see it.

How to get to Santa Catarina Lake Atitlan

The easiest way to get to Santa Catarina Palopó is to take a tourist shuttle from either Antigua or Guatemala City to Panajachel, the gateway town to Lake Atitlan.

If you’re already at the Lake, you can also get a ‘lancha’ across the water from one of the other lakeside towns back to Panajachel.

To get from Panajachel to Santa Catarina Palopo you have two options:

1. Grab any passing tuktuk all the way there. This will take about 25 minutes and cost about Q20 (£2) per person.

2. Take a tuktuk (10Q) to the place where the public ‘carros’ depart for Santa Catarina, and from there you can hop in the back of a pickup (Q5) which will drop you in the town’s main square. The pickups are quicker and cheaper but you may need to wait a bit longer for enough passengers before it departs.

The advantage of taking a tuktuk the whole way is that you can ask the driver to pull over at the viewpoint at the top of the hill just before you descend into the town, to take a photo of the full view of the colourful houses spilling over the hillside.

When you’re ready to leave, just head for the town’s main square, where you’ll be able to pick up a tuktuk or a carro heading back to Panajachel. Alternatively you can also use either form of transport to head in the other direction, to visit the town of San Antonio Palopo.

Is Santa Catarina Palopo safe?

Like anywhere in Guatemala it’s important to take sensible precautions, such as not carrying too many flashy or expensive possessions or not wandering around alone after dark.

That said, I spent a few hours exploring the quiet back streets by myself carrying a big expensive camera, and I was absolutely fine. The people of Santa Catarina are extremely friendly, they are very welcoming to tourists who come and visit, and as long as you are polite and respectful I’m sure you will have a safe and hassle-free visit.

Read more: Is Guatemala Safe? 60+ Practical Tips For Safe Travel In Guatemala

Where to stay in Santa Catarina Palopo

Casa Palopó is a luxurious hotel overlooking the lake, just outside the town. It has gorgeously appointed rooms, a swimming pool, and an award-winning restaurant. The hotel also sponsors and support the painting project, and staff can arrange transport and tours of the town for you.

Another alternative is Tzampoc Resort which is right in the town centre and also has beautiful rooms and a swimming pool.

If your budget won’t stretch to either of these, it’s also perfectly fine to stay in Panajachel and then make the 20 minute trip to Santa Catarina Palopo by road. Here are a few options:

• Budget: Hospedaje El Viajero. This is where I stayed for several nights in Pana. With a dozen private rooms arranged around a central courtyard right on the main street and a short walk from the pier, El Viajero is astoundingly cheap and the best-value place in town. There’s even a talking parrot!
• Mid-range: Regis Hotel Spa. Just off the main street and a short walk from the lake, Regis Hotel Spa has spacious and clean rooms with a pretty garden, a hot tub, and on-site massages.
• Luxury: Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo. The four-star Don Rodrigo hotel overlooks the lake and has spacious rooms, a pool, gardens and an on-site restaurant.

Where to eat in Santa Catarina Palopo Guatemala

Santa Catarina Palopo is only a small town, but there are probably about a dozen cafes and restaurants to choose from. Here are a couple of options.

I ate my lunch at Restaurante Laguna Azul, which was recommended to me by staff at the painting project. This restaurant has a cheery terrace with side lake views and serves a good mix of international and Guatemalan dishes.

Tzampoc Resort and Casa Palopo hotels both have really excellent in-house restaurants.

Or try Casa Museo for cheap and cheerful home-style food with great views over the lake and town.

Things to do near Santa Catarina Palopo

Once you’ve had your fill of exploring the colourful backstreets and taking a million photos to fill your Instagram grid, here are a few other things you could do in the area.

Note: This is only a tiny taste, and there will be a full post about thing to do around Lake Atitlan coming at some point, so don’t forget to subscribe to get an update when it’s finally posted!

Visit San Antonio Palopo

Just down the road from Santa Catarina Palopo, San Antonio Palopó is another small and unspoiled town with a population made up almost exclusively of Cakchiquel Maya people. Few tourists come here and there is a strong traditional feel, with almost all the women wearing huipiles in the town colours of purple and blue.

As well as weaving, San Antonio is renowned as the home of ceramics in Guatemala. The craft was brought to the town by an American potter named Ken Edwards, who came here in the 1990s and discovered that the town’s volcanic clay was perfect for ceramics.

He taught some of the local men how to create the finest handmade, hand-painted pottery, and today there are three workshops producing beautiful designs that are sold all over Guatemala.

Visit Panajachel

The next nearest town to Santa Catarina Palopo is Panajachel, often known as the ‘gateway to Lake Atitlan’. Pana, as it’s known, has masses of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops and it’s a great place to buy clothes, souvenirs, and any essentials you may be missing.

Visit some of the other lake towns

From Pana you can also get a ‘lancha’ (public boat) to any of the other towns on the lake. Visit San Pedro if you want to hike up the San Pedro Volcano or the Indian Nose viewpoint, or to experience the Lake’s party side Head to San Marcos for yoga and wellness opportunities, or to San Juan La Laguna to visit art galleries and buy beautiful handicrafts.

Head to Santiago Atitlan to see the famous quetzal bird

Another interesting lake town is Santiago Atitlan, the largest town on the lake and still one of the most traditional. As well as being a fascinating town to walk around with some very interesting (and dark) history, it’s also the gateway to the cloud forest, where, if you take a birdwatching trip, you may be lucky enough to spot the elusive quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala.

Where to find out more about Santa Catarina Palopó

The Pintando El Cambio project has its own Instagram account which you can find here.

My photos from this project also featured in Issue 3 of the beautiful JRNY magazine which is full of stunning photos and inspirational travel writing. If you haven’t come across it yet, you can check it out and subscribe here.

Did you find this post useful? Have questions? Come follow me on Instagram, Threads or Twitter (X) and share your thoughts!

Where to next?

If you enjoyed this, why not check out some of my many other Guatemala posts?

• Livingston Guatemala: A Photo Guide To This Quirky Caribbean Town
• Alfombras In Guatemala: A Guide To The Colourful Sawdust Carpets
• A Colourful Guide To Flores Guatemala: Gateway To The Maya World
• Chichicastenango Market in Guatemala: A Photo Guide
• A Sunrise Hike Up Volcan Santa Maria In Xela, Guatemala

Liked this post?

Social shares help support my hard work! You can share via the buttons at the bottom, or pin this handy Pinterest Pin. Thank you!