Mixco Viejo

Mixco Viejo occupies a set of narrow ridges surrounded by deep ravines north of Guatemala City, a position chosen entirely for defence, and it was one of the fortified highland capitals occupied in the centuries before the Spanish arrival. The site has plazas on separate ridge tops linked by narrow necks of land, with steep temple platforms, ball courts and long structures, restored in the twentieth century. Which people built it has been argued over; it is commonly associated with the Poqomam, though the identification has been disputed. The setting does most of the work: pine and scrub, deep gorges on every side, and almost no other visitors.

What you actually see

• Plazas on separate ridges - groups linked by narrow necks of land.
• Steep temple platforms - the highland building style.
• Ball courts - the playing fields between the plazas.
• Deep ravines on every side - the defensive position of the site.

When to go

Any time between November and April. Half a day from Guatemala City, though the drive is winding and slower than the distance suggests.

Honest expectations

The road is narrow, winding and in poor condition in stretches. There is little interpretation on site. Facilities are minimal. The identification of who built it remains disputed, and guides state it with more confidence than the evidence supports.

Nearby

San Juan Sacatepequez is south; Guatemala City lies beyond it.