Quetzaltenango (or Xela "shay-la," as the locals call it, short for its original Mayan name Xelaju) is a beautiful city located in a mountain valley at an elevation of about 7,500 feet. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the views are breathtaking! The city itself is a blend of the new alongside the old - there's still many colonial buildings, some of adobe mud construction, and cobblestone streets. Quetzaltenango Guatemala has around 300,000 inhabitants, half of whom are indigenous, or Amerindian.  Recently becoming a popular destination for foreign students looking to study the Spanish language, Quetzaltenango has joined the city of Antigua as a primary place develop your Spanish language skills while visiting Guatemala.