Castillo de San Felipe de Lara

Maritime piracy gave rise to the need for a guard at the entrance and exit of vessels in Izabal.

That's how they built the Castle of San Felipe.

The year 1560 marked the beginning of the Castle, when it began to build part of it to collect taxes.

Then over time the building was expanded and became the building that we see today.

Over the years, the area's maritime activity decreased significantly and Rio Dulce lost much of its economic importance and the castle now remains as a memory, witness of the past and tourist attraction.

Inside the tourist area, on the castle, you can find young Caribbean hair braiding visitors and souvenir shops there.

Once inside the castle, you can visit each of its parts as the work of restoration has been extensive and successful. The view from the top of the tower is interesting. There are also boat rides around.

How to get there

To reach the castle, take the Atlantic Highway, east of Guatemala and go to the department of Izabal. It passes through El Progreso and Quirigua.

Once in Izabal, having crossed the bridge of Rio Dulce, find the signs pointing the way to the castle. The destination is about 3 hours from the capital of Guatemala.