Antigua, Guatemala means Old Guatemala, and was the capital of Guatemala until 1773. That was when a lot of the city was destroyed by an earthquake, and the new capital was relocated to Guatemala City. Today, that is where the closest airport is located, which is about an hour drive, without traffic (but there will likely be traffic). Antigua is located 1500 meters above sea level, and about 15 miles from an active volcano, Pacaya. We spent about 2.5 days in town, which was more than enough time to explore everything we wanted.
1. Check out all of the colorful produce for sale at Mercado Central
The market is open daily from 7 AM to 6 PM and you’ll find things like live chickens, fresh tortillas, and household goods like shampoo/soap, since most locals do their shopping here
2. Go souvenir shopping at Mercado de Artesanías El Carmen
You’ll find clothing, totes, ponchos, and magnets, just to name a few things. If you’re looking for a gift, this is the place to buy it
3. Take a stroll and admire all of the colorful homes
4. Keep an eye out for chicken buses
These are buses with bright colors and lights used for public transportation. They get their name from foreign travelers, who named it after seeing the buses transport live chickens. It also transports other merchandise, like produce, and textiles. The buses are actually old refurbished school buses from the United States, that are typically about 10 years old, but have been given a new lease on life. Here is a good article if you want to learn more about the buses
5. Check out the ruins of Cathedral San Jose
This was one of the buildings destroyed in the earthquake of 1773
6. Snap a picture of the Santa Catalina Arch
Today, you’ll find it plastered all over postcards. But back then, there was a convent and a school on either side. The nuns had taken vows of seclusion and needed to cross back and forth without being seen, thus the arch was built. It was damaged in the earthquake of 1773 but because most of it has survived, it became a symbol of the city’s resilience. Fun fact – the French-style clock in the middle of the arch needs to be wound every three days
7. Make some chocolate at ChocoMuseo
You’ll learn about the origin/history of chocolate and chocolate-making. You’ll also get to make a traditional drink that the Mayans used to make/drink
8. Hike up the Hill of the Cross (Cerro de la Cruz)
It’s a paved pathway you can walk up to get a view of Antigua and the Agua Volcano
9. Roast marshmallows on the active volcano, Pacaya
Antigua and Guatemala City are both good jumping points to join a tour (which I would recommend – we booked one through Viator). Both cities are about an hour to hour and a half drive to the volcano, according to Google Maps. But this is really just on the way there since it’s early and there’s less traffic. On the way back, it was so jammed up that it took us three hours to get back, so just make sure you don’t have anything planned for afterwards. We hiked for about 3 hours roundtrip, which wasn’t too bad. I would say the hike is between beginners and intermediate
how to be a traveler 