Guatemala > Antigua

Top Things to Do

Just wandering around Antigua you will be sure to run into more than a few ruins of churches and convents destroyed hundreds of years ago by earthquakes. Antigua was once the capital of most of what is now Central America. Earthquakes ravaged the city but instead of rebuilding, many were left as they were so that bigger and more elaborate churches could be built. But in 1773 the earthquake was so devastating that the capital was moved to Guatemala City and Antigua was left mostly abandoned.

The ruins are now a part of what gives Antigua its unique charm. Visit the Casa Santo Domingo, a five star hotel built on what was once an ancient convent. Past the reception in the back courtyard is the entrance to two museums (Q10 to enter each) where you can visit the ruins or an art gallery. The ruins of the convent Capuchinas and La Merced are also worthy of a visit.

At any travel agency in town (you will see signs everywhere!) you can join a group to hike Pacaya. It is usually $6 for the morning tour and $4 for the afternoon but visibility is better in the morning. Make sure you go with one of these groups for safety—they are accompanied by the tourist police. The shuttle will pick you up at 6 am or 1 pm and it’s about an hour ride to the volcano. The hike lasts about 2 hours and is fairly easy at the moment since groups can not climb to the top due to safety reasons. Don't worry though, you will see plenty of hot lava! OX Outdoor Adventures is now offering overnight trips to Pacaya - the lava show makes for quite an experience. $59. Visit www.guatemalavolcano.com for more information. If you are interested in a more difficult hike try going to Old Town Outfitters to check out their tours to Acatenango or Agua Volcano. Old Town is located on the northwest corner of 5th Avenida and 6th Calle. Here is a video lava flowing on Pacaya.

If you want a real cultural experience, take the public bus to Pastores. To do this, go to the bus station behind the market and ask around for Pastores—the drivers and their helpers are usually yelling out where they are going. To be sure, every bus has a sign above the front window that says where they go. You will go through Jocotenango and when you start to see signs with boots on them you are there. Tell the ayudante (driver’s helper) that you want to get off at “la pila (washing fountain) en Pastores.” If you speak Spanish, ask someone on the bus how much the fare should be to make sure they don’t try to charge you more. It should be under Q2.

There are boot stores all around but make sure you really look around and bargain before you are pressured into buying! You can usually purchase them for between Q200 and Q300. Don’t go alone or wander too far off the main road or away from other people. Pastores was severely affected by the rainstorms from Hurricane Stan and is gradually rebuilding. Most of the stores are still open and would appreciate your business more than ever!

Every day at 10 am and 3 pm the tourist police lead a group up to the cross north of town. Make sure you go with them and not alone as there have been muggings in that area. They meet at the tourist police office just north of the park not even half a block away on 4th avenida on the left hand side. It’s only about a 15 minute walk up the hill and from there you get great views of Antigua.

The local market is where Guatemalans do their grocery shopping and buy roses for only Q 4 a dozen (that’s 50 cents!). The market is on the west side of town (head down 4th calle from the park), just west of the main road called Calzada Santa Lucia. Spend some time getting lost in the market and watch Guatemalans do their shopping. Big market days are Monday, Thursdays and Saturdays. Behind the covered part is where people set up fruit and vegetable stands—make sure you don’t eat anything that you don’t peel yourself!

Even further back is the public bus station— a good opportunity to get a picture of the infamous chicken buses. Just south of the main market is the artisan’s market where you can shop for Guatemalan crafts and souvenirs.

Families and couples come to Antigua from the surrounding towns and Guatemala City to “dominguiar” which translates to “wander around on a Sunday.”

Check out an Art exhibit or take a yoga class at El Sitio, located at 5a. calle poniente #15. There is always an art exhibit on display or a free movie being shown.

Join Felix Poron for a lesson on coffee, one of the most important exports to the Antigua valley and all of Guatemala. Most Guatemalans are involved in coffee in some way-- either by picking or processing. Learn why Antigua produces such great coffee and make your own! Click here to read more about the tour.

Café Sky is located on the corner of 1st Av and 6th Calle and has a terrace and bar on the roof where you can sit and have a liquado (fruit smoothie) or a drink with a great view of all three volcanoes that surround Antigua: Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. If you are sitting on the roof facing the street below, Agua is the enormous one to your left. Fuego and Acatenango are straight ahead but in rainy season sometimes you can’t see them because of the clouds. There’s a good chance that you will see Fuego shooting out puffs of smoke. When it is more active you can even see the lava running down Fuego’s side at night. Make sure you get there early—sunset is between 6:30 and 7:00 pm but Café Sky gets pretty crowded by about 5:30.

You can get fresh tortillas plain or with beans right off the fire from the woman in the store on the northeast corner of 6th calle and 3rd avenida. Head over to the park called la Tanque Unión across the street to eat them while women come by to wash their clothes in the pila (fountain).