Ultimate Guide to Antigua

Antigua is a Spanish town located about an hour from Guatemala City. 

How to Get to Antigua

I took an Uber to get from Guatemala City to Antigua. The ride took approximately 1 hour depending on traffic and cost us about Q400 one way. The Uber vehicles were often run down and air conditioning was never functioning. If that is a problem for you, private drivers may be more comfortable. 

Where to Stay

What to See:

1. Ruins

In 1773, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake toppled the city. Antigua was once the capital city but due to the impact of this massive earthquake, the capital relocated. Now, there are countless ruins located throughout Antigua. Many of these ruins are churches and monasteries. To visit these sites, it costs Q40 each. Here are a few ruins that I visited:

• Convento Santa Clara

  → H749+2PW, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

• Ruinas de Catedral La Antigua 
  → 5a Calle Oriente 5, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

• Convento de Las Capuchinas

  → 2a Avenida Norte y 2a Calle Oriente esquina. Antigua Guatemala Sacatepéquez, 03001, Guatemala

2. Landmark

• Arco de Santa Catalina

This is an iconic archway in Antigua dating to the 1600s. By the archway are numerous shops and restaurants.

• Cerro de La Cruz

  → H779+P7H, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Cerro de La Cruz is located in North Antigua. Here, there is a stone cross on a hill that overlooks the city. To get here, one can walk from Antigua city center or take an Uber to the top. We took an Uber to the top and hiked down. The hike down took approximately 25 minutes. It has been said that there is thief at gunpoint outside of security hours. It is recommended to only visit between the hours of 7am to 6pm. 

3. Volcanos

There are three main volcanoes in Guatemala: Pacaya, Acatenango, and Fuego. Due to Fuego’s activity, one cannot hike that volcano. Pacaya is the easiest hike of the two. Acatenango is not for the faint of heart and requires athleticism. To hike these volcanoes, a guide is required, and most tours depart from Antigua.

I did a group Pacaya tour. The tour was horrible so I will not go into much detail about it. Entrance to the volcano was Q100. The hike is 2.8km on a steep incline and can take about 80 minutes. Once on top, there are incredible views of all three volcanoes. Bonus, we could even see Fuego erupt every 10-15 minutes. There are also food vendors selling drinks and fresh fruits. After admiring the volcanoes, we hiked down, enjoyed some roasted marshmallow and continued our journey back to the parking area. 

Things I disliked about the hike: Once the bus pulls up, there are countless kids running up to everyone trying to sell hiking sticks. While on the hike, there are people on horses sharing the trail with you as you’re trying to hike. They keep asking to ride the horse instead of hiking. I was absolutely annoyed. We had to keep running to avoid these people. 

4. Shopping

Antigua is the home of handmade and artisan crafts. There are so many independent shops as well as large shopping centers. There is everything you would need from coffee, chocolate, scarves, pottery, and more. 

• Products With Purpose

• Casa de Artes

→ 4 Avenida SUR 11 Antigua, Guatemala 03001, Guatemala

Sells artisan hand-made items from textiles to masks to jewelry. There is also a small museum that cost $5. Items sold are in USD. Credit Cards are accepted. 

Day Trips from Antigua:

Here are some notable places to visit from Antigua. Note that Uber is not reachable here and will require a personal vehicle or private driver. 

1. Hobbitenango

→ Antigua Vuelta Grande, Aldea El Hato, Guatemala Vuelta Grande, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Hobbitenango is a town inspired by the Hobbit located 30 minutes from Antigua. The park provides several transportation options, including shuttle, private pick up, and hostel pick up. The shuttle service departs from their Antigua office daily every 2 hours from 8am to 4pm and returns every 2 hours from 9am to 5pm for Q45 per person round trip. Text Hobbitenango via WhatsApp at +502-3918-4502 for inquiry. Once at the park, there are several free activities that are included with the Q50 entrance fee. This includes 11 viewpoints, archery, axe-throwing, seven holes of mini-golf, faire games, and the largest tree swing in Central America, to name a few. 

2. Vinedo Chateau Defay

→ Santa María de Jesús, Guatemala

Vinedo Chateau Defay is the only winery in central America and is located about 30 minutes from Antigua. They offer tours, but they are given in Spanish. Additionally, they only produce one wine in-house and do not provide a wine tasting. The workers there did provide us some samples of Argentinian wine. While our visit was a bust, we are sure that they will expand and become a must visit in the future. 

Where to Eat:

Lunch: 

1. Las Antorchas

→ 3a Avenida Sur 1, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Las Antorchas is a nice Italian restaurant located in the bustling part of Antigua. The restaurant looks like a sit down restaurant if visiting during dinner hours. Since it was lunch time, the guests sat in the courtyard area. We were facing a beautiful fountain decked with colorful flowers.

For starters, our server brought out complimentary bread with three different dipping sauces. The green sauce was my favorite. For my main entre, I ordered a pepperoni pizza, which was massive. The pepperoni was thick and tasted more like turkey sausage than what I would consider pepperoni. I did not care for my pizza but my friends enjoyed their pastas. 

2. Sobremesa

→ Parque Central, 4a Calle Ote. 4, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

After an exhausting hike in Pacaya, we decided to treat ourselves to the nearest restaurant. We initially had our sights on a nearby french restauraunt, but due to limited seating, we stumbled into Sobremesa. Sobremesa was decked out in greenery in their courtyard. They also have an upstairs dining area but due to our wobbly legs, we could not muster up the energy to climb up. 

For lunch, I ordered the Ferrara chicken salad (124) and rewarded myself to a Margarita Jamaica (55). The food was just mediocre. My salad was more of a chicken dish with a side of salad. I was not expecting that. 

3. Casa Escobar

→ 6a Avenida Norte no.3, Antigua Guatemala 03001, Guatemala

Casa Escobar is a small chain located throughout Guatemala. I was impress and would consider this as one of my top eats in Guatemala. The restaurant offers complimentary soup and dessert. When the hosts escorted us to our tables, a server was there to pour soup that tasted like tortilla soup into our mugs. It was delicious and warmed me up. For lunch, I ordered a chicken salad. I was getting over food poisoning and could not consume anything with too much flavor. The chicken in the salad was juicy and so much flavor. My stomach did not scream so that was a plus! For dessert, our server brought over marshmallow on a stick that he torched tableside. This was what I needed to complete my meal. Overall, amazing food and amazing service! Recommend

4. El Hato Verde

→ Calle del Cementerio No.22; Aldea El Hato, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

I would typically say that this is better enjoyed during dinner, but the attraction of El Hato Verde is the panoramic views of the volcanos and greenery. The vibe of the restaurant felt suited for a girls night out with friends. I rave the uniquness of this restaurant, however, I would not visit this restaurant for the sake of trying its food. Visiting this restaurant requires an entrance fee of Q115 to the center. Particularly, I do not think the entrance fee matches what it offers. The restaurant was delicious. I ordered steak tacos and a cocktail. The service was also top-notch, and the waiter was very attentive. If you find yourself at El Hato Verde, I recommend stopping by for a drink. 

Dinner:

1. Antigua Brewing Company

→ 3a Calle Poniente 4, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Antigua Brewing Company has an incredible rooftop bar with 360 views of surrounding volcanoes. During my visit, there was a DJ that played some familiar classic American songs. The music does get loud so I recommend sitting further from the DJ booth if you want to hear your party. 

The menu at ABC is limited. I ordered the Pollo Nachos Q100. The restaurant serves mostly beers but offer a few cocktail options. I ordered the Frose Q65. I could care less for the food but enjoyed the ambiance. 

2. Vinedo Chateau Defay

→ Santa María de Jesús, Guatemala

We went to Vinedo Chateau with the intentions of having a wine tasting and an early dinner. The wine tasting was a bust but dinner was satisfactory. I ordered the chicken alfredo which was shockingly delectable. Our server brought us a few samples of wine. We eventually ordered a bunch of glasses of their house reds. The winery is a bit out of the way from Antigua and we do not recommend coming here to eat unless you find yourself on that path. 

3. Cerro San Cristobal

→ Calle Principal #5, San Cristóbal El Alto, Guatemala

Since we were just at Chataeu Defay, we decided to enjoy the sunset at Cerro San Cristobal. Our driver used to take his wife here for the best banana bread. Unfortunately, they no longer serve the banana bread. Instead, we enjoyed a nice hot chocolate and cheesecake as we marveled at the view.