Antigua, Guatemala, one of North America’s oldest and loveliest cities, is surrounded by pine-clad hills and three towering volcanoes – Volcán de Agua, Volcán de Fuego and Volcán de Acatenango. Founded in 1543, Antigua served as the seat of Spain’s colonial government. At the height of power, the city was home to 60,000 inhabitants and ruled Spanish Central America.
Despite its natural beauty and comfortable climate, Antigua is prone to earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions. After an earthquake in 1773 reduced some three thousand of Antigua’s buildings to rubble, the government moved the capital to Guatemala City. It’s only been in recent years that the Guatemalans have begun to restore this historic city, thanks to the area’s lucrative coffee trade.
Today, this enchanting town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inhabited by 35,000 people. Known for its outstanding colonial architecture, colorfully painted stucco houses, shops and galleries, nearly everything of interest is within a 10 by 10 block grid in the town. The best way to see it is to roam the cobblestone streets at your own pace, meandering past historic churches and monuments. You can also take a taxi — most taxis in town are the three-wheeled Bajaj vehicles made in India called tuk-tuks.
Historic accommodations
Hotel Porta
With some 140 hotels, hostels and posadas, the city has plenty of accommodation options. One of the nicer places to stay in town is the Hotel Porta Antigua. Once a former mayor’s residence, the hotel has an inviting pool set amid verdant gardens and a location just a few blocks from the city center. Weddings are often held on the lush grounds here, and the hotel has an excellent restaurant called Los Moros which specializes in the timeless flavor of Guatemalan cuisine.
You can also stay in a former monastery — the interesting and luxurious Hotel Santo Domingo, with its hidden courtyards and long passageways lit by iron sconces, still maintains monastic touches, yet its rooms are pure international five-star standard. Once the largest and richest monastery in Antigua, the property is peppered with archaeological relics and is now a fascinating “cultural route” through which visitors can explore.
Ruins at Santo Domingo Convent
On this route you’ll find the ruined but picturesque monastery church and underground crypts, the adjacent cloister, and the remains of candle and pottery making workshops that have been excavated by archaeologists.
The Cultural Center also houses two superb museums. The Colonial Museum, Museo Colonial, is known for its exquisite baroque wood carved figures. Many of the carvers of these pieces are unknown as they were Guatemalan slaves, taught to carve and gild by the Spaniards. Upstairs is a lovely collection of paintings, as well as silver artifacts dating from the 16th through the 18th centuries.
The Archaeological Museum, Museo Arqueológico, houses a magnificent collection of artifacts from outside of Antigua, including amphoras once used to import wine and olive oil as well as to export agricultural products to Spain.
Renowned colonial architecture
Antigua’s Colonial Architecture
Antigua is one of the western hemisphere’s great repositories of colonial architecture, and a good way to admire it is by taking a leisurely stroll through town, stopping to admire the town’s many churches and monuments, taking breaks to linger in a small café or shop along the way.
At the town’s center is Central Park, Parque Central, a tree-lined square that is the place to people-watch, as it’s a popular place for the Antiguenos to gather. Nab a bench, sit down, and sink into the relaxed pace of life here. Later, when you feel like moving on, consider taking a horse-drawn carriage ride. Drivers congregate in the park. It’s a memorable way to explore Antigua.
Horse and carriage in Parque Central
Saint Joseph Cathedral in Antigua
One fine example of the town’s renowned architecture is Antigua’s Saint Joseph Cathedral, just east of the square. It dates from 1680, rebuilt after an earlier structure erected around 1541 was demolished. The 1773 earthquake seriously damaged the building, and today, unfortunately, only half of it remains, much less elaborate than it originally was, but you can still appreciate the sculpture on the dome, columns, pillars and vaults. Beneath the Cathedral remain several crypts and the ruins of the Royal Chapel.
The town also has many stunning churches, built with extremely thick walls, giant buttresses and colossal foundations in an attempt to resist earthquake tremors. There are more than 30 ecclesiastical buildings within a few blocks of Parque Central alone.
Visit Parque Central on a tour
Those who admire handicrafts should stop at Casa de Artes, just three blocks south of Parque Central, where traditional Guatemalan Folk Art is offered on display. The folks there will tell you all about their fine variety of Mayan Textiles, wooden figures, ceremonial masks, as well as ethnic jewelry and Majolica Ceramic.
A fascinating time to visit Antigua is during Holy Week, the city’s most important festival, but be prepared for some 15,000 people to crowd the town. Taking place during Easter, it’s a time of parades and religious processions commemorating Christ’s crucifixion and related events.
Another option, if you’d like to improve your Spanish, is to take a language vacation – even if you only have one week. Antigua is one of the world’s premiere language study destinations with several dozen Spanish language schools that attract students from all over the world.
The village of Santa Maria de Jesus
Chicken Buses
The area arround Antigua has many enticing traditional villages and markets to explore.
A fun way to get out of town is to take a Chicken Bus, those brightly painted “school” buses the Maya people often take to market, bringing their pigs and chickens with them. You can take one for just a few Quetzales per person to the small village of Santa Maria de Jesus, about a 15 to 25 minute ride from Antigua.
Market in Santa Maria de Jesus
Located beneath the slopes of Volcan de Agua, Santa Maria de Jesus is known for its Cakchiquel Maya huipiles, blouses made from woven textiles. The town has an open plaza with a vibrant market where you can buy previously owned huipiles as well as fruit and vegetables.
Browse day trips from Antigua
A climb up Volcán Agua
Many people who come here don’t come for the village itself, but to climb the Aqua volcano, which offers breathtaking views over the valley.
To reach the trail, walk straight across the plaza, between the two aging pillars, and up the street opposite the church doors. Turn right just before the end, then continue past the cemetery (which is also worth exploring) and out of the village.
Volcán Agua, at 3,760 meters, is one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Guatemala. The ascent takes about five to six hours, with another three to four hours to come down, depending on your physical condition.
Weaver with backstrap loom
For those more culturally inclined, a visit to the village of San Antonio Aguas Calientes, a 30 minute taxi ride from Antigua, is a good option. Known for its weavers, the Mayan women here use backstrap looms to weave traditional patterns. You can watch a demonstration of the weaving process, as well as purchase huipils and other woven products in a market on the square.
A visit to a coffee farm or macadamia nut plantation
If you’re missing your local Starbucks you should visit La Azotea Coffee Farm . Antigua produces some of the finest coffee in Guatemala, and here you can learn how local coffee is grown, harvested, or roasted — a fascinating process even if you’re not a coffee drinker.
Also on the property is the Centro Cultural La Azotea, which offers exhibits showing the history and culture of the indigenous people who live in Guatemala’s Sacatepequez region, including intriguing exhibits about Mayan musical instruments, textiles and customs.
Valhalla Macadamia Nut Farm, a sustainable agriculture macadamia nut farm with over three-hundred-fifty varieties of macadamia nut trees, is an interesting place to visit as well. You’ll learn about the history of macadamia trees and how they are cultivated and processed, and you’ll sample macadamia nuts, chocolates and skin care products.
Don’t leave the farm without trying the mouth-watering macadamia pancakes, made with macadamia flour and nuts and served with macadamia butter and blueberry jam — a delicious way to end a visit to this scenic and agriculturally rich region of Guatemala.
Photos courtesy of Melody Moser.
- Melody Moser
Antigua, Guatemala’s Colonial Gem by Melody Moser from Viator Travel Blog