The Castillo de San Felipe is a small Spanish fort built at the entrance of Lake Izabal which is connected with the Caribbean Sea via the Dulce River in Guatemala. The fort is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and is a popular regional tourist destination.
The fort was built around 1604 to defend the attack of pirates coming from the Caribbean. The present fortress was reconstructed in 1956. It’s worth a look around for its thick walls enclosing a maze of small rooms as well as its old cannons. The fort consists of a semicircular bastion enclosed behind two converging outer walls, each terminating in a roughly square tower. The fort has three storeys. The land approach to the fort was protected by a moat with drawbridge.There are also some nice lake views, a picnic area, and green grounds.
Things to See & Do
* Fort tour
* Lake views
* Explore the grounds
General information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency - Quetzal (GTQ)
Language –Spanish
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT minus six hours
International Country Telephone Code – +502
Travel Links – Buses are available from Guatemala City (4hrs) to the department of Izabal. The fort is located 3km along the lakeshore from Rio Dulce.