On our recent trip to Guatemala we spent 3 full days in Antigua and I feel that was enough time to get a good sense of it, but I would have loved to spend a month or more there.
Read on to learn about Antigua, Guatemala – getting there, getting around, where to stay, where to eat, and what to expect.
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What is Antigua?
Antigua, Guatemala was founded in the early 1500s and was the Spanish colonial capital of Guatemala. After the earthquakes of 1773 destroyed much of the town, it was largely abandoned and the capital was moved to Guatemala City, The city was largely abandoned and untouched for the next two centuries. In 1979, Antigua was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thus building owners are now required to follow strict appearance rules, much like in an HOA.
The town has been slowly rebuilt, retaining much of its traditional character. Most of Antigua’s buildings were constructed during the 17th and 18th centuries when the city was a rich Spanish colonial outpost and the Catholic church was ascending to power. As a result, many handsome, sturdy colonial buildings remain, and several impressive ruins have been preserved and are open to the public.
The restored colonial building facades all fall in the range of pastel colourways of red, orange, yellow, white, with some green and blue. In this city, even Taco Bell sits behind a beautiful colonial façade and opens to an inviting park-like inner courtyard.
Along with the restored buildings, there are also still plenty of ruins, largely of churches and monasteries destroyed by earthquakes in the 1700s.
Surrounding the city are three impressive volcanoes. If it’s not overcast, you can see regular eruptions from Volcán de Fuego.
Getting to Antigua
If you don’t already have cash in Quetzales, stop by the 5B ATM under the stairs on the departures level of the Guatemala City Airport. Catch a one-hour shuttle from the airport straight to Antigua for approximately 100 Quetzales. You can pre-arrange this with your accommodations or simply look for people holding up ‘Antigua Shuttle’ signs. If you’re traveling with at least one or two other people, a taxi is an equally affordable but less environmentally friendly option at around 200-250 Quetzales.
Coming from anywhere else in Guatemala, including actual Guatemala City, you should be able to organize a door to door shuttle through your accommodations.
Pro tip: If you’re traveling from anywhere in the highlands such as Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango, or anywhere further north, expect a bumpy ride and sit as close to the front of the shuttle as possible to avoid excessive motion sickness. Or BYO vomit bag.
Getting Around Antigua
The old town area of Antigua, Guatemala is fairly compact and walkable. You’ll generally want to avoid taxis or ride shares in the center because it is quite congested and the stone roads make for a bumpy, slow ride. That said, tuk-tuks or even taxis can be useful for getting to areas on the outskirts of town.
Pro tip: Negotiate the price with your tuktuk driver before getting in.
What to Expect
Parque Central sits at the center of the town grid. Two-story colonnaded colonial buildings surround the main square and in every direction from the center, you’ll find churches and monasteries from various Catholic orders from the 1500-1700s in various states of disrepair. In addition to the amazing architecture and ruins, there are several museums worth visiting.
Antigua is somehow vibrant and laid-back at the same time. Aside from the old buildings, it feels very much like a modern city, filled with coffee shops, bars, fast food restaurants, and all sorts of international cuisine. Antigua is full of expats, many of whom teach at Spanish-language schools during the day and hang out at SNUG during their time off.
The area around the city offers opportunities for hiking and climbing volcanoes, visiting traditional Maya communities, and exploring coffee and avocado plantations.
Where to Stay in Antigua
We stayed at the Good Hotel which has modern luxury spa vibes hidden behind a colonial facade, an amazing mission, and an equally amazing attached restaurant.
The Hotel Casa Santo Domingo would also be a very cool and self-contained place to stay with the surrounding ruins, restaurant, outdoor spaces, and museums.
Lastly, we toured the Selina when we booked a tour through them, and I think it would be a lovely, more affordable option complete with pool, kitchen, and co-working space.
Beyond that, if you want to be able to explore the city, I recommend staying no more then 750m or 0.5 miles from the Parque Central. Find a hotel that’s in your price range and has the amenities you want.
Where to Eat in Antigua
- Guatelaria serves traditional Guatemalan foods – what you might be served if you were invited to dinner by a local abuela. They also serve a version of mole de platano along with a few other typical Guatemalan desserts. Because the stews are hard to find in restaurants, I recommend getting the “Guatemalan Sampler” which comes with a beef Pepian, chicken Jocon, and turkey Kak’ik along with sides.
- Fonda De La Calle REAL has similar options as well as traditional breakfast and grilled meat options.
- Saúl Bistro serves a huge variety of international foods and is a great option if you’re in the mood for something fresh and “healthy” – think lots of veggies, fruits, fish, and whole grains. We ate here a few times and everything we tried was fantastic, although very much on the pricey side.
- Toko Baru offers very tasty and affordable middle eastern and Indian food. Plan to go early or expect to wait for a table.
- Cafe Boheme makes delicious sandwiches (and coffee). Get the potatoes as your side dish – trust me.
- Read this from Never Ending Field Trip for recommendations of rooftop spots in Antigua. I can personally attest to Cafe Boheme (great food, not great views), SNUG (Irish pub in Guatemala full of locals with shockingly decent house wine above all the other buildings allowing for great views of Volcán de Fuego), Agua (with amazing, not-to-miss 360 views), Antigua Brewing Company (good views if you can get a table all the way at the top, mediocre beer),
Where Else to Go in Guatemala
Here are 24 other Guatemala travel experiences.
And here are some other articles I’ve written about Guatemala.
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