Broadly speaking, the city divides into two distinct halves. The northern section, centred on Zona 1 , is the old part of town, containing the Parque Central , most of the budget hotels, shops, restaurants, cinemas, the post office, and many of the bus companies. This part of the city is cramped, congested, polluted and bustling with activity. The two main streets are 5 and 6 avenidas, both thick with street traders, fast-food joints and copious neon.

To the south, acting as a buffer between the two halves of town, is Zona 4 , home to the Centro Cívico administrative centre, the migración , the tourist office and the Teatro Nacional. The other great landmark is the Zona 4 bus terminal , a crazy world of peripatetic humanity and exhaust fumes.

The southern half of the city, Zona 9 and Zona 10 , is the modern, wealthy part of town, split in two by Avenida la Reforma . Here you'll find exclusive offices, apartment blocks, hotels and shops and Guatemala's most expensive nightclubs, restaurants and cafés. Many of the embassies and two of the country's finest museums are also here. Continuing south, the neighbouring zonas 13 and 14 are rich leafy suburbs and home to the airport, zoo and more museums and cinemas.