For many, if not most, visitors to Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala (literally Old Guatemala) is their first stop. The former colonial capital is a touristic center, boasting cool history and architecture, access to stunning natural beauty, and a ton of great shops and restaurants. Many spend just a day or two here, but I’ve now spent more than a month over two trips in Antigua, and while most of the highlights can be done in a short period, the city also holds enough charm for a longer visit.

So today, let’s talk about Antigua Guatemala, so that whether you have just a day or a much longer time, you can make the most of your trip.

Don’t forget to click on the links throughout this guide to read more in-depth articles on specific aspects of life here. And if you enjoy the guide, click here to see our Ultimate Guides from all over the world!

Getting There

Antigua Guatemala is a small town, so it doesn’t have its own airport. If you visit, the odds are overwhelming that you’ll have flown into Guatemala City. From that airport, it is about an hour (depending on traffic) to Antigua. You can book a shared shuttle, a private transfer, take a chance on a public bus, or just order an Uber.

An Uber is easiest and cheapest, running around $40-50 for the transfer. Just note that you’ll want to pay via the app with a credit card, as there have been reports of drivers not properly inputting cash payments and then having them requested again.

There is a small chance you’ll go straight from the airport to another location in Guatemala, like Lake Atitlan, and then from there to Antigua. If so, shuttle companies run reasonably priced transfer services. Panajachel, on Lake Atitlan, to Antigua Guatemala will be $20 per person one way, taking about three hours.

Getting Around

Antigua Guatemala is a small city, and while it extends outside the former colonial core, the overwhelming majority of what you’ll want to do and see doesn’t. That colonial grid is of numbered streets, basically 1 through 8 for both east-west and north-south. The central square, Parque Central, is the block between 4 and 5 in both directions. It is about a mile to get from 1 to 8 along a single street, so it’s really quite compact.

So that being said, you’ll almost certainly walk around the city core. Basically every street has a sidewalk, which is great. However, please be careful. Antigua Guatemala has kept its cobblestone, including on some of the sidewalks, so watch your step carefully.

If you don’t feel up for walking, you can use Uber, or a taxi. Taxis in Antigua are three-wheeled tuktuks.

What to Do

Antigua Guatemala is not known for its world-class sights. Indeed, there is probably not a single thing you’ll know of before coming. That’s because the highlight of the city is the city itself. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a restored colonial gem that is just pleasant to walk around. (Click here to read more about Antigua’s colonial history.)

Start at Parque Central. On one side is the facade of the city’s partially restored (more on this in a sec) cathedral, and on another, the former home of the captain-general, now MUNAG, the Guatemalan national art museum. This free museum is worth a visit, with a decent collection spanning pre-colonial days to modern art.

This entrance to the cathedral can be ignored. The real gem on the cathedral grounds is around the corner. That is because like most of the city, Antigua’s cathedral was destroyed in a 1773 earthquake that led to the total abandonment of the city as a whole. It is Q20 (about $3) to enter the ruined portion, and you’re in for a treat.

If you like ruins, there are a ton here to explore. I wrote about a few of them here, but you can pick your own highlights. All that you can enter seem to have entrance fees, but these max at about Q50 ($7). I’ve visited five now over my two trips, and enjoyed each experience.

Of buildings still standing, the highlight is the Iglesia de la Merced, a beautiful yellow (Catholic churches here seem to be yellow) church on the northern end of the city. You can pay a bit to see a ruined convent attached, or just enjoy the facade for free. There is also some solid street food here after dark.

A block down is the most photographed spot in Antigua, the Arco de Santa Catalina. It doesn’t actually do anything, but use it to frame Volcan de Agua.

Speaking of volcanos, there are three around the city, and a fourth not far off. If you are in better shape than I am, you might want to consider climbing one, either Acatenango (a two day hike with a night spent at the top to watch the active Volcan de Fuego erupt next door) or Pacaya.

If you want to do a shorter hike, 20 minutes up the hill via a paved path with lots of stairs takes you to Cerro de la Cruz, one of the best lookouts over the city.

You can also do a coffee tour at any of a number of local farms or plantations. (Click here to read more about coffee tours in Antigua.)

Where to Stay

If Antigua Guatemala lacks in a single area, it is this one. There are a reasonable number of boutique hotels, plenty of hostels, and some Airbnbs (which I’ve used on both of my visits). But large properties are rare, and American brands are nonexistent. Literally nonexistent.

On the plus side, hotels are relatively affordable. A quick search had rooms at the aforementioned boutique properties ranging from about $60 to $250, with most in the cheaper half of that.

When it comes to location, you want to be as close to Parque Central as possible, just for ease of use. But as long as you are within that basic city grid, you’re in a safe area and can feel comfortable walking around after dinner.

What to Eat

Antigua Guatemala, as a major tourist hub and expat landing zone, has everything, from Italian to Mexican to Japanese. But I’ll assume if you’re here that you’d like to try Guatemalan food. So I’ll focus there.

Guatemalan cuisine is similar to Mexican in many ways. Lots of grilled meats served with rice, beans, and tortillas. But add to that the tropical influences; plantains are common, for instance, and are a mandatory part of a traditional Guatemalan breakfast (along with eggs, black beans, bread or tortillas, and coffee).

For the best grilled meat sort of meal, head to Rincon Antigueno. It is cash only, and lines can be long, but Q40 (about $5.50) for a plate of meat, sides, tortillas, and a drink is a steal. And it’s good!

Beyond that, this might be the best cuisine in the world, in my opinion, for soups and stews. One pot cooking is always a delight, and offerings range from pepian (the national dish, a stew of chicken) to jocon (green stew), and so many more. La Casa de los Sopas is my favorite in town, although it can take a while to get food.

Coffee goes without saying. Guatemala has some of the best. My favorite cup was at 12 Onzas, but I didn’t have a bad one ever.

I didn’t eat a ton of sweets in Guatemala, but if you end up at a bakery, grab a package of champurradas. They are basically sugar cookies that go insanely well with the coffee.

Other Useful Information

I mentioned it above but I’m going to talk a bit more here about the cobblestones. I’m reasonably young, in decent shape, and my balance hasn’t totally left me. And even so, I lost count of the number of times I nearly rolled an ankle or tripped over a stone sticking out a bit further than I expected. Be careful.

English is pretty widely spoken within Antigua Guatemala, so you shouldn’t have any issues navigating. But as always, learning a few phrases in Spanish helps.

If you are sensitive to air quality, be aware that emissions on vehicles here, especially on buses, aren’t really regulated. You might get a lungful of whatever is coming out the back end of a former yellow school bus.

Conclusion

I really like this city. I get good vibes from Antigua Guatemala, and have thoroughly enjoyed the weeks spent here. No, there aren’t the world class sights that other parts of Guatemala have. But it’s a darn good home base for a trip, full of wonderful people and some pretty solid things to do.

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