Antigua, Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America, bordering Mexico and Belize to the north, and Honduras and El Salvador to the south. The best time to visit Guatemala is from November to May. I visited Guatemala as part of a one-month trip to Guatemala and Panama in September. Since September is still not the hot and dry season, I did experience some rainy days alongside sunny ones. The major advantage of traveling in September is the prices, which tend to be lower compared to the peak season.

Antigua is located just about an hour from Guatemala's international airport, and since Guatemala City, the capital, is considered a less pleasant destination for travelers, most tourists prefer to head straight to Antigua upon landing and begin their journey in the country from there. Antigua is an ancient and historic town that served as Guatemala's capital for over 200 years. Today, the city is a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from all over the world and offering a variety of attractions in the town itself and nearby day trips. You’ll find vibrant nightlife here, countless bars and restaurants scattered across the old alleys, cooking workshops, salsa lessons, and day trips to volcanoes in nearby villages or to nearby coffee plantations.

Accommodation

I stayed at the  Meson de Maria hotel, a small boutique hotel with only a few rooms. It’s designed in the style of the old era, very clean, and with a warm, homey atmosphere. The location is excellent—right in the city center, within walking distance of all the key spots. The only downside is that the rooms on the first floor face the inner courtyard where breakfast is served, which can be a bit disruptive in the mornings if you don’t want to wake up early. I’d recommend asking for a room on one of the higher floors.

The old city center of Antigua is filled with ancient buildings and archaeological sites, including some well-known and lesser-known key points. What’s great about Antigua is that it’s built in a grid pattern, making it very easy to navigate. I recommend simply starting to wander around and discovering it on foot.

Santa Catalina Arch

The most famous landmark in the city and probably the first image that will come up when you search "Antigua" on Google. It was built in the 17th century and originally connected the Santa Catalina convent to the nearby school for nuns.

Mercado de Artesanias

A relatively small street market operated by vendors selling souvenirs and local goods. What makes this market special is the ancient arch it sits beneath. The arch is a remnant of an old structure that once stood where the market is now held.

Convento la Recoleccion Archaeological Site

Ancient ruins of a church and monastery, surrounded by a small park. Entrance to the site is paid. It’s not very large, so you can explore it fairly quickly. I’d recommend visiting around noon and having a picnic on the grass after touring the ruins.

Handicrafts Market

About a five-minute walk from Convento la Recoleccion, you’ll find the city’s handicrafts market. It’s partially covered, with many shops selling a wide variety of local products, souvenirs, wooden and porcelain crafts, clothing, and more. This is a great place to buy gifts at fair prices, and don’t forget to haggle—it’s customary here and even expected.

Cerro de la Cruz Viewpoint

A hill with a view of Antigua, located right in the city center. The hike to the top takes about 20-30 minutes on foot. From the summit, you'll have a clear view of the old city. In the past, visitors needed police escorts due to concerns about thieves, but this is no longer relevant, and today it’s very safe to visit on your own. At the top, you’ll find benches, souvenir stalls, and of course, plenty of tourists.

Tour of Cafe La Azotea Coffee Plantation

Guatemala is rich in coffee plantations and is the third-largest coffee exporter in the world. The plantation is located north of Antigua, and the tour lasts about 40 minutes with a guide who explains all the stages of coffee bean cultivation, from seeds to the cup. I booked the tour through one of the agencies in the city, all of which offer roughly the same program. This usually includes a visit to the coffee plantations, a tour of a chocolate factory where handmade chocolate is made, and a distillery that produces liqueurs from loquats grown in the area. The tour is nice and takes about half a day. Personally, I found the visit to the coffee plantations the most interesting and would have skipped the other stops.

Volcán Pacaya - Parque Nacional Volcán De Pacaya

Pacaya is an active volcano located about a two-hour drive from Antigua. It first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since. For a long period, the volcano was dormant until it erupted again in 1961, and since 1965 it has been consistently active to some degree.

You can visit the volcano as part of a day trip from Antigua, easily arranged through one of the many adventure agencies in the city. Our tour package included a driver who picked us up early in the morning from our hotel. After a short coffee stop, we began the drive towards Pacaya.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a local guide who explained the route ahead, and then we set off on our hike. The ascent takes about two hours, with breaks for rest, photos, and explanations from the guide. The trail is relatively easy, and while it is an uphill climb, it’s not steep, and no extraordinary physical effort is required.

It’s important to wear closed, comfortable shoes since the path is muddy and covered in black soil.

The view from the summit, which reveals itself only at the end of the climb, is absolutely breathtaking and completely worth the effort. During our time there, we actually witnessed lava spewing from the volcano right before our eyes—a truly spectacular and once-in-a-lifetime sight. We ended our tour of the volcano with a sweet treat: marshmallow skewers roasted using the heat emitted from the ground.

Santo Domingo del Cerro Open-Air Museum

This private complex, located on a hill just outside the center of Antigua, features art exhibits scattered throughout the area, including sculptures, mosaics, modern art, and artist galleries with works for sale. You can spend several hours wandering around, continuously discovering new exhibits.

Additionally, there is a top-tier chef restaurant on-site, and it was undoubtedly the best meal I had in Guatemala.

There are two ways to get here: the first is to take a taxi on your own, and the second is to go to the Santo Domingo Hotel in the city center and take a free shuttle that departs every half hour to the hill. The same shuttle runs back at the same frequency.

Restaurants and Cafés

Guatemala is renowned for its rich coffee culture. From 1850 to 2011, it was the number one coffee exporter in Central America, until Honduras took the lead. The coffee beans grown here are served in some of the finest cafés worldwide, and no coffee lover should miss the opportunity to taste them. Throughout Guatemala, and especially in Antigua, you’ll find countless cafés specializing in various grinding and brewing methods. If you’re a fan of high-quality coffee, you’re bound to fall in love with Antigua.

Two cafés I particularly enjoyed were Cafe Estudio, which serves excellent coffee to go, and Fat Cat, a perfect local café where the coffee is ground fresh on-site.

El Italiano – A great Italian restaurant offering a selection of wines, cheese platters, and pastas. What we especially loved was the pizza, which was simply outstanding.

Casa Escobar Antigua – An excellent steakhouse. The meat was perfectly cooked and served on a hot platter in the center of the table.

Fridas – A bar-restaurant offering Mexican cuisine, named after the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. In the evenings, it has a lively atmosphere with a variety of margarita flavors and, of course, a delicious selection of Mexican dishes that are finger-licking good.

Tenedor del Cerro – A fine dining chef restaurant located in the Santo Domingo complex. The restaurant offers high-quality dishes made from fresh ingredients. The food was simply perfect!