Antigua is a one-of-a-kind destination with so much to explore in nature and culture. It’s Spanish colonial, baroque-style architecture contrasts with preserved ruins from the earthquakes in the 18th century. The amazing town is surrounded by volcanoes and fertile plantations of coffee, cacao and avocados. In February 2024, I spent a week exploring most of these top 20 Antigua Guatemala attractions. So, read on to discover what to see and do here and why you should visit.
About Antigua, Guatemala
Founded in early 16th century, Antigua is 1,500 meters above sea level in an earthquake prone region. In Guatemala’s Central highlands, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was the capital for the Kingdom of Guatemala for 3 centuries. The city amassed amazing Spanish, colonial architecture and became a religious center for Roman Catholicism. However, after the 1773 Guatemalan Earthquake the capital moved to Guatemala City for a safer location with less earthquakes.
Three massive volcanoes loom nearby over Antigua, with 2 still active. Most noteworthy, Volcan de Fuego (“Volcano of Fire”) is the most famous for being almost constantly active. It emits small gas and ash every 15-20 minutes, with its most recent big eruption in 2018. Earthquakes shook much of Antigua’s baroque architecture to ruins, especially in 1773. However, many monuments are still preserved as ruins. Fairly close together, the ruins and intact baroque architecture lay out in a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance.
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Top 20 Antigua Guatemala Attractions
When visiting Antigua in February 2024, I saw most of these top 20 attractions. Antigua is a compact town making it good for walking tours. I also included some popular day hikes and sites near Antigua.
Cero de la Cruz
Walking up to the viewpoint at Cero de la Cruz is a great start to exploring Antigua. This small mountain is named after the cross on its summit guarding the city. The path of steps to the top is at the end of the 1st Avenida Norte. It takes 10 – 15 minutes to climb the stairs. Also, early in the morning is the best time to arrive for views with less crowds.
Its view offers the full panorama of Antigua and its surroundings. Here, you see the picturesque city with the backdrop of the 3 iconic volcanoes: Acatenango, Fuego and Agua. The cross was placed in 1930 and now it’s a custom to climb the hill on Ascension Thursday.
Historic Walking Tour
Antigua is a compact village with historic landmarks all relatively close together. So, it’s a wonderful place for a walking tour to learn about the cultural and architectural highlights. Just down the street from the Central Parque is the Tourist Information Centre. There, I learned about how to identify legitimate Walking Tour Guides that are locally certified. Then, I went to the Central Parque and found a certified guide for my walking tour that lasted for about 3 hours. Also, the GuruWalk App connects you with free walking tours in Antigua.
Central Parque
The Central Parque is the most significant gathering place for locals and tourists. Here, vendors sell their handicrafts and street food. In the center of the square is the fountain with the lactating sirens. As funny as this sounds, these sirens are based on Mayan folklore. A Mayan chieftain had these sirens die and serve as reminders to feed your children. Overall, the square is surrounded by landmarks according to the Spanish colonial layout.
Antigua exhibits at least a dozen monumental church or convent ruins from the 18th century earthquakes. In this blog, I mention my top 3 favorite ruins.
Antigua Guatemala Cathedral (San Jose Cathedral) & Ruins
The Antigua Guatemala Cathedral is on the east side of the Central Parque facing west. The front, white façade was built after the 1773 Guatemala Earthquake. You can visit inside the church for free. The ruins from the original church are behind and cost about 40 Quetzales or $5. These are some of my favorite ruins in the city with the broken ceiling arches and cupola revealing the sky. I find these preserved ruins almost artistic with the contrasts of creative decadence.
Iglesia San Francisco & Ruins
The Iglesia San Francisco is one of the most popular churches with the locals because it’s the shrine for Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur. Also, one of the largest churches in Antigua, its façade is Spanish-American baroque. Damaged by the earthquakes, there are ruins from the bell and clock towers. Alongside the church is a convent that you can pay to tour. The church and convent are open Tuesday – Sunday from 8 am – 5 pm.
Convento de Santa Clara Ruins
The Santa Clara Convent and Church was my favorite ruins in Antigua. There is a calming presence here that relaxed me into a meditative mode. After the 1773 Guatemala Earthquake the church and convent became demolished into ruins. It was home to the Roman Catholic nuns for the Order of the Poor Clares. Today, there’s a beautiful garden within the ruins and a fountain in the center. This is the only convent in Antigua with the church façade hidden inside the convent from outside view. Today, the site is often used for weddings. It is open Monday-Saturday, 9-5 and costs 40 Quetzales or $5.
Casa Santo Domingo
The Casa Santo Domingo complex is many things in one with a church, convent ruins, crypts, hotel, spa, restaurant and numerous museums. You could literally spend a whole day here. It was founded by Dominican friars in the 16th century and became the largest monastery in Antigua. Like many buildings in Antigua, the 18th-century earthquakes damaged the site leaving ruins of the convent.
In 1970 an American archeologist bought the site and made significant excavations. Later, it became the site for the Casa Santo Domingo Hotel and ruined monastery. The free exhibit of Jose Gregorio Leiva, the “Picasso of Guatemala” is spectacular. Within the complex are 6 museums: Museo Colonial, Museo Arqueologico, Museo de Arte Precolombino y Vidrio Moderno, Museo de la Plateria, Museo de la Farmacia and Museo de Artes y Artesanias Populares de Sacatepequez.
Museum of Jade Maya with Factory and Store
The Jade Museum is a wonderful place to learn about the unique gemstone, jade and its place in history. This museum retraces the timeline of jade going back to the Mayan culture. The original source of jade for Mesoamerica was in the Motagua River Valley in Guatemala. The jade was used in Mayan rituals, symbology, art and even dentistry for teeth implants. Today, there is an onsite jewelry factory and store to sell jade items.
At the museum, be prepared to be guided to the factory and store. Here, I discovered my Mayan sign as the Jaguar. They provide a book that lets you know your Mayan sign corresponding with your birthday and year. So, I bought a gorgeous necklace with jade jaguars for $117. Being an astrologer, I couldn’t resist this rare opportunity to get this meaningful gift for myself.
Jade Fun Facts: Guatemalan Jade is made from the friction of the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates. Also, besides the common dark green color, the rare jade rocks also come in lavender or black.
Iglesia La Merced
The Iglesia La Merced Church was rebuilt in 1767 after the earthquakes to its current baroque style with yellow and white façade. Visitors can visit the interior and even go to the rooftop for incredible views of Antigua. Its surrounding area is a big gathering place for locals and tourists. Especially at nighttime, vendors line up outside the church with street food, textiles and souvenirs.
El Arco de Santa Catalina or Santa Catalina Arch
The Santa Catalina Arch is a symbol of Antigua and right down the street from the Iglesia La Merced. Painted in yellow and white, the nuns crossed the street to their convent through the enclosed bridge arch to avoid being seen in public. It’s a fun place to get an iconic photo with the Agua Volcano in the background. There are numerous street vendors and performers with restaurants nearby. It’s best to go in the morning before the crowds arrive.
ChocoMuseo – Bean to Bar Workshop
The ChocoMuseo is on the square of the Central Parque. It only makes sense to go here since Guatemala is the “Birthplace of Chocolate.” I did the 2-hour Bean to Bar Workshop and learned a lot about the history of chocolate. The Aztecs and Mayans considered Cacao as sacred and handed down by the Gods. The Mayans even used the cacao as currency or money. Also, there’s no better way to understand the process of making chocolate then through doing it yourself. In the fun and upbeat workshop our instructor took us step by step through the Bean to Bar process.
Chocolate Fun Fact: Cacao flowers are very small and only pollinated by tiny insects, like mosquitoes! Nice to know the little buggers are good for something.
Rooftop Cafes and Bars
With the backdrop of the 3 volcanoes among the incredible architecture, rooftop bars and cafes are a great way to enjoy the scenic atmosphere. One of my favorites is the Café Sky for sunset. With the rooftop seating facing west, this is incredible for watching the sunset. The Antigua Brewing Company offers a great terrace for views along with locally brewed craft beer. Los Tres Tiempos is another rooftop restaurant with authentic Guatemalan food.
Shopping for Guatemalan Souvenirs
The Mercado Central is an excellent place to shop for handicrafts, such as, Mayan textiles, jewelry and souvenirs. This is where I purchased Mayan shirts, hair pieces and scarves. The endless tunnels of colorful textiles make for fun and interesting shopping inside the shade. Alongside the handicrafts is more shopping for street food and produce along with a variety of items.
Sim Pot is another good place to shop for souvenirs alongside the Santa Catalina Arch. Many of the handicrafts here are of good quality and fun to shop for vibrant, Guatemalan items.
Dive into Guatemalan Culture with Spanish, Cooking or Weaving Classes
Antigua is one of the best places in the world to learn Spanish with numerous schools in the area. They are relatively inexpensive and you choose from private one on one or classes. With numerous to choose from, 2 good ones are La Union and Ixchel Spanish Schools. Guatemala’s Spanish accent is said to be one of the most neutral in the world.
With many Guatemalan cooking schools to choose from, 2 good ones are La Tortilla and Cuscun Cooking Schools. If you don’t have time to take a cooking class, at least try the national dish, Pepian or Guatemalan Stew in a local restaurant.
By taking a weaving class with the San Juan La Laguna you support the future for the Maya weavers while learning valuable insights to the ancient art of weaving. Learning from these artisans is an incredible opportunity to discover about the hands-on craft in an authentic way.
Things to Do Near Antigua
R. Dalton Coffee Plantation
Antigua is known for growing some of the highest quality coffee in the world. The mineral-rich volcanic soils, temperate weather and high altitudes make for ideal growing conditions for coffee. Just outside Antigua, the R. Dalton Coffee Plantation is a family-run business offering tours to learn about the farming practices for coffee. Since 1870 this family business has mastered its comprehensive process for making gourmet coffee.
I really enjoyed my tour here with a guide explaining the coffee plantations, mills and drying process. Our tour ended with coffee sampling to bring to life the aroma and flavors of this amazing gourmet coffee.
Coffee Fun Facts: The dark roast has less caffeine than light roasted coffee. Also, the higher the elevation, the more anti-oxidants in the coffee.
Caoba Organic Farm
This is a must-see destination for health-minded foodies! The Caoba Organic Farm provides tours for 60 Quetzales of their farm products, such as, honey, fruits, vegetables and free-range meats. For 135 Quetzales, the tour finishes with a meal. On Thursday night there’s live music and a Farmer’s Market on Saturday. A shuttle picks up those interested in Antigua on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 pm and Saturday at 10 am. I heard a lot of good things about this farm and regret that I didn’t make it there. Next time I go to Antigua, this farm will be on my itinerary.
Stay in a Treehouse at Earth Lodge and Avocado Farm
The Earth Lodge is a setting for accommodations, retreats and day visits. It offers private treehouses and cabanas for accommodations, along with a spa and a Mayan Sweat Lodge. Being on an avocado farm, the restaurant offers fresh farm-to-table cuisines and smoothies. The views of Antigua from here are stunning. The site also provides numerous hammocks for lounging and walking trails.
I enjoyed one night here in my own cozy treehouse with incredible views of Antigua and the volcanoes. Overall, I rejuvenated my health here with the Mayan Sweat Lodge (Mayan Temazcal), massage, relaxation and deliciously, healthy meals/smoothies in my earthy treehouse.
A shuttle picks you up for the 15-minute drive up the mountain from Antigua to Earth Lodge. However, the walk down to the lodge is not for those handicapped or physically challenged. You need to make the steep walk up and down to the lodge. However, you can arrange a porter to carry your luggage.
Day Trips from Antigua, Guatemala
Pacaya Volcano Hike
Between Guatemala City and Antigua stands the active Pacaya Volcano at 2,552 m (8,373 ft) high. After being dormant for many years, it began erupting in 1961 with the most recent eruption in 2015. The hike to the view point is a moderate hike that is only allowed with a certified guide. There are 2 hikes per day: morning and 2 pm for sunset views finishing in the dark.
I arranged this hike through my motel. It has significant elevation gain the first 1.5 hours of the climb. We even enjoyed roasting marshmallows at the top with the thermal heat radiating from the lava field. This is a wonderful opportunity to see an active volcano close at a moderate level of hiking difficulty.
Acatenango Volcano Hike
One of the most amazing things to do in the area is to hike to the top of Acatenango for night views of the joined and very active Volcan de Fuego or “Volcano of Fire.” This volcano complex stands more than 3,500 m above the Pacific coastal plain. Fuego is famous for constantly being active with small explosions of gas and ash every 15 to 20 minutes.
The hike is notorious for being very difficult. I did not do this hike. Everyone that I talked with about it, said the reason it’s so hard to hike is because the steep path is sandy and unstable, requiring many attempts to gain traction and momentum upwards.
Here’s a good link for more information:
Choosing the Best Acatenango Volcano Hike | centralamerica.com
Atitlan Lake
About a 2-hour drive from Antigua is Lake Atitlan, the deepest lake in Central America. Located in the Guatemalan Highlands, the name means “between the waters.” This crater lake is surrounded by unique villages with lanchas or small boat taxis taking visitors to the lakeside villages. The Mayan culture is preserved here with traditional dress and customs. Overall, there are 11 villages on the lake with the most popular ones being Panajachel, San Marcos, San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna.
I just did a day trip here and visited 3 villages. Normally, to really take it all in, you need at least 3 days here to see all the villages.
Accommodations in Antigua
I stayed 6 nights at the Yellow House Hotel and loved my stay there. It offers rooms with shared or own bathroom. It is conveniently located a couple blocks from the La Merced Church. Also, I spent a night at the Earth Lodge mentioned above in my own private treehouse. This lodge is on an avocado farm with fantastic views of Antigua along with a spa and deliciously heathy restaurant. If you want to splurge, the Santo Domingo Hotel (explained above) is the most iconic accommodation in town alongside its museums and ruins.
Enjoy Antigua!
Antigua, Guatemala is one of the most unique destinations in the world. One of the things that I love most is that there still is so much Mayan culture preserved here in the traditional dress and handicrafts. The Spanish colonial architecture is spectacular and it all blends in wonderfully with the Mayan culture, volcanoes and fertile landscapes. I am honestly considering going to Antigua for a long stay to learn Spanish. If your travels bring you to Antigua, please share any tips below in the comments.
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