Quetzaltenango (Xela) is a nice little city… people told me not to go becuase it would be cold and there was nothing to do there. I found it convenient to a lot of the volcano tours and a nice little town to spend about 2 or 3 nights. The bus trip there and back from Guatemala City can be a bit long – normally 4 or 5 hours but with recent construction may take longer. If you are continuing your journey to a place like Huehuetenango or even onto Coban or Tikal, it’s worth stopping in.