Agave-Lined Stone Steps in Santa Cruz La Laguna

Santa Cruz La Laguna sits on a steep hillside above Lake Atitlán, reachable mainly by boat or footpath rather than road. Stone stairways and retaining walls like these connect the village's upper streets to the shoreline, cutting through terraced gardens planted with agave and other hardy species suited to the volcanic slope. Many of these walkways lead to small guesthouses and homes built into the hillside, since the terrain is too steep for vehicle traffic.