BEST THINGS TO DO IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA
Nestled in the volcanoes southwest of Guatemala City, Antigua is such a bright, special place. I spent 4 days in the small city this January resting and recovery after a few weeks in Nicaragua, and I spent my time exploring the cobblestone streets and sitting out and appreciating my surroundings under the warm Central American winter sun.
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ANTIGUA OVERVIEW
Antigua is one of the main spots that travelers hit while visiting Guatemala, most times as the first stop. The more ‘touristy’ feel does not take away from the experience of the city at all though. The energy and atmosphere of the city makes it absolutely worth spending at least 2 or 3 days, and its location makes it a great base before and after hiking acatenango.
First and foremost to get it out of the way, Antigua is safe for solo woman travelers.
I never felt unsafe once during my visit. It is always important to be aware of all of your surroundings especially while being a foreigner alone, but I could confidently walk around after sunset while grocery shopping for dinner and I was able to sit in the central park at night while it was lit up, surrounded by playing children, live music, and people looking up at the stars and planets through the telescopes. Of course Guatemala has its dodgier areas as does every country, but it also has a bunch of very safe places, antigua being one of them.
THE BEST HOSTEL IN ANTIGUA
During my time in Antigua I stayed at Barbara’s Boutique Hostel, and it is one of my favorite hostels that I have stayed in during all of my travels. For Guatemala and the northern part of Central America as a bigger whole, $15+ is definitely more expensive than the average hostel, but I was so tired from my previous non-stop travels that I needed some nights in a nice place with some good breakfast and pretty surroundings. A bed will cost you from∼$16/night.
The interior layout and design of this hotel was so awesome and so pretty, the rooms were big and bright and clean, I could have stayed for so much longer. The location of this place was in the most ideal spot, it was a short walk to everything and one block away from Parque Union, my favorite spot to sit out in the sun and people watch.
My favorite part of this hostel-and maybe my whole trip to Antigua-was the rooftop, and sitting and watching the lights twinkle in the mountains surrounding the city in the distance. One of my favorite sights and feelings ever, totally worth the $16/night.
THE BEST CATHEDRALS/SPANISH COLONIAL RUINS IN ANTIGUA
From 1549 but until 1773, Antigua was Guatemala’s capital until the Santa Maria Earthquakes destroyed the city and the Spanish crown moved the capital to present day Guatemala City. During those 224 years, Antigua constantly just kept getting hit with insane earthquakes after earthquakes, leaving behind a handful of Spanish colonial ruins.
Walking round the city and stumbling upon beautiful old ruins and big detailed churches in between the colonial style buildings was one of my favorite things about just walking around and exploring Antigua.
Right in the center of the city, this catholic cathedral is absolutely beautiful, over looking the Central Park. Renovated and built up in 1680 and then destroyed by the 1773 Guatemala Earthquake, the church has never been fully restored up to this day. Behind the church lays the original ruins, it costs around 40 Quetzale ($5) to visit the original ruins, and it is worth the $5 fee.
Built between the years 1690 and 1698, this church had 3 monastery wings attached to it, and it originally housed Jesuits from Europe. Not only did the building get destroyed in the San Miguel Earthquake in 1717, it also got destroyed during yet another earthquake in 1751. Though there is not too much if it still standing, the details of what is left is so interesting and pretty to see up close. I like to imagine what those pillars and statues have seen during all of those years.
Straight across the park from the Hospital de Pedro is the Union Tank, a beautiful historical structure where people used to wash their laundry hundreds of years ago. It is now a nice, shaded fountain where the local Mayan women occasionally still wash their clothes. People sit here to relax and try to escape the warm daytime Guatemalan heat, and it also provides water for the resident stray dogs of Antigua.
Right by the hostel where I stayed, St. Peter’s hospital is church as well, that stretches an entire block. At night, the beautiful yellow church lights up and I really enjoyed sitting in the park and looking at it, the energy is kind of heavy though.
The hospital was officially opened in 1663, and of course was destroyed by many earthquakes over time. Followed by restoration after restoration over the years, the hospital is still active on top of years of rubble. The hospital serves the underprivileged and houses the elderly and poor, as well as provides necessities for the residents of antigua that are in need.
CHURCH AND CONVENT OF LA MERCED (CONVENT OF THE MERCEDARIANS):
Completed in the year 1767 (and again, restored many times after many earthquakes), the Iglesia de La Merced is a two minute was from the Arco de Santa Catalina, and the detail on the front of the building is just so pretty. But as it is so close to the Arc and all of the souvenir type stores, there will most likely be a good amount of people trying to sell something to you around the church.
THE BEST PLACES TO EAT IN ANTIGUA
UNIÓN CAFÉ: This was right next to Union Park by my hostel, and while I sat out in the park writing and watching, I would stop in here to grab a smoothie or juice if I got thirsty.
CAFÉ SÓL: This spot had really great coffee and was in a really cute rooftop style place. I will always appreciate a place where I can get some nice fresh fruit and granola.
BASIL AND COFFEE: Another cute spot with good coffee and healthy meals, can you tell what type of places I was looking for and sticking to in Antigua?
THE BEST STORES/BOUTIQUES IN ANTIGUA
XIBALBA STUDIO-5 CALLE PONIENTE #7A: On the more pricer side, especially for anywhere in Central America, this little boutique was very cute with a good amount of unique pieces of clothing, accessories and classic Antigua jade jewelry.
EL MERCADITO (THE CENTRAL MARKET)-H748+Q47: Though a lot of the stalls in this market are the same goods over and over, if you take your time in here and really look around you will be able to find some very pretty pieces of jewelry.
NIM PO’T-5A AVENIDA NORTE 29: Right beside El Arco de Santa Catalina, this is a huge, open indoor market filled with awesome handmade goods, clothes, pottery, coffee, pretty much all of the options for things that you would want to bring home. Similar to the main central park market, I found that I like this one much more.
OTHER QUICK THINGS ABOUT ANTIGUA
CURRENCY:
Guatemalan Quetzal, currently $1 USD=7.81 Quetzal.
Everywhere that I went took card payments, but it is smart to carry some cash around to buy goods from people making things and selling them in the streets, and to buy goods in the market. In the center of the city there is a good amount of atms right in the center of the city around the central park.
THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO VISIT ANTIGUA:
I visited Antigua in late January of this year and it was absolutely perfect weather wise. Being 1,545m above sea level, Antigua has a nice warm, milder climate and at night it gets cooler. Even though Antigua is pretty much perfect all year round most people choose to hit the city during the dry season during November through April. During the peak of the dry season is also when the city has most of it’s important festivals, such as the semana santa festival held during the week prior to easter sunday.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN ANTIGUA?:
Again having spent only 4 days in antigua and having spent my time by simply just exploring by walking, I feel like I hit a lot, but I could’ve easily spent more days there. Because I was a little too run down and sick to hike acatenango I only stayed for those 4 short days but if I did end up doing the hike I would have spent at least one or two days more in antigua.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
Antigua is such a small, close together city, so it is easy to walk to wherever you want to go-it is pretty easy to quickly get used to the lay of the land as well. If you do not want to walk, there are tuk tuks, but you’re most likely going to be ripped off, I walked everywhere.
HOW TO GET TO/FROM THE GUATEMALA CITY AIRPORT:
The easiest, most convenient, and most popular way of getting to/from the guatemala airport is a private/shared shuttle. This is the one that I used and it was so easy. There is a great amount of options to book online, I used viator. The ride will probably cost you around $15-$30 usd. The ride is around an hour long, and guatemala’s roads are insane, curving around the volcanoes and mountains-so if you get car sick easily like me take some dramamine before you head in or out.
BUDGET AND SPENDING IN ANTIGUA:
Even though Antigua is one of the most visited cities by people who travel to Guatemala, it is not too much more expensive than the other majorly visited spots in Central America.
Meals: ∼$5-$20 USD
Hostels: ∼$10-$20 USD
Transport to/from airport: from ∼$20 USD
Coffee/drinks: ∼$2-$5 USD activities range in price, walking and exploring the city is free, entrance fees to ruins/museums are ∼$2-$5 USD, and some excursions will; cost more, such as the Acatenango hike would’ve cost me $75+.
Guatemala is so beautiful. There are so many more places there that I need to visit, I know that I will be back there before I know it. And when I am there next to hit all of those beautiful places I will spend some more time in Antigua, and I know the charm and energy of the city will still be there. One of many new favorite cities in Central America, I would recommend a trip to Antigua to anyone.
THINKING OF TRAVELING TO ANTIGUA? DO IT.
HERE IS ALL OF THE RESOURCES I USE TO PLAN MY TRIPS:
FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION: BOOKING.COM IS WHAT I WILL ALWAYS USE TO BOOK FLIGHTS AND STAYS. NEVER DONE ME WRONG.
TOURS, DRIVERS, AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF: VIATOR IS MY GO-TO.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: SAFETYWING HAS ALWAYS BEEN FABULOUS. THE BEST EVER.
RENTAL CARS: WHEN BOOKING ANY TRIP THAT YOU DECIDE TO RENT A CAR FOR, BOOKING.COM IS FABULOUS LIKE ALWAYS.
