12 Best Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
Most people travel to Antigua, Guatemala because it’s the closest town to two popular hikes: Acatenango and Pacaya. Guatemala City is known to be a bit dangerous (in some areas), so most tourists go straight from the airport to Antigua. I do agree that this is the best spot to be if you want to do the hikes, because they all start there, but you shouldn’t miss out on spending some time in the town itself.
Antigua is a very beautiful town with historical sites, countless unique cafes, bars and restaurants and lots of fun things to do around the town. Especially for digital nomads, Antigua is a gem. The only coworking space is at the Selina hostel, but you can expect to have a great internet connection in every cafe. In this guide you will read about the best things to do in and around the town.
12 things to do in Antigua
1. Go on the 2-day Acatenango Hike
Once you get to Antigua you will see that most people come here to do the Acatenango hike. It’s an overnight hike where you first hike to the base camp on the Acatenango volcano. From here you get a perfect view of the Fuego volcano which is still active today. You can literally see the lava eruptions and how the lava is raining down the volcano. From the base camp you can do another hike to the Fuego volcano to see the lava from the closest viewpoint possible. In the morning you can watch the sunrise from base camp or you hike up to the summit of the Acatenango.
It’s a challenging hike, but trust me it’s all worth it. How often in life do you get to see volcano eruptions with lava? I would say that this was one of the peak travel experiences in my life! I wrote a full guide about the Acatenango hike in a separate blog post you can check out here.
2. See the Santa Catalina Arch
When you think of Antigua you will probably have this picture in mind with the famous yellow Santa Catalina Arch. The arch was built back in the 1600s and the clock was added in the 1800s. When you look through the arch you can see the Agua Volcano in the background. It’s one of the best spots in the city to take amazing photos.
3. Do a weekend trip to Lake Atitlan
People often compare Lake Atitlan to Lake Como in Italy, because it’s so beautiful and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Guatemala. If you visit Lake Atitlan you should spend at least three days there, so you can explore different towns and do some activities like hiking and kayaking. I spent a total of three weeks at Lake Atitlan and shared all my travel tips in a separate guide.
4. Visit the Iglesia de la Merced
The Iglesia de la Merced is a Catholic church built in 1767. The church underwent various renovations and rebuilds due to earthquake damage over the years. It is famous for it’s beautiful yellow facade and sculptures on the outside. Around the church is a small courtyard where you can find street food in the evenings and a small market on the weekends.
5. Walk through the Parque Central
Parque Central is a beautiful park in the middle of Antigua with a big fountain in the middle and many tropical plants. It’s especially beautiful in the morning when it’s less busy. The best thing you can do is to grab a coffee from one of the coffee shops around the park and then walk through the park or sit on a bench and enjoy the beauty around you.
6. Hike to the Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross)
The Hill of the Cross is a lookout, from where you get an amazing view of Antigua and the Agua volcano. The hike is a little steep, but it only takes about 10 minutes to get to the top. I would recommend you to go either early in the morning or in the afternoon, because it won’t be as hot and windy.
7. Visit Caoba Farm
The Caoba farm is about 30 minutes walking south from the center of Antigua. On the farm you can see the plantations, little gardens with lots of tropical flowers and herbs, visit the butterfly garden (for an extra 100 Quetzales = 13 USD) and see some farm animals like chickens & pigs. The farm also has a little shop where you can buy their organic products and a beautiful restaurant. All the food that is served in the restaurant comes directly from the farm.
My friend and I decided to share the Mediterranean platter, which was super delicious. I can also recommend the green smoothie, because it’s super fresh and tasty!
8. Buy fresh fruits on the farmers market
El Mercado in Antigua Guatemala is a huge market, where you can find everything from fresh food, clothes, accessories and DVDs to home furniture. The entrance might be difficult to find at first, but it’s located right behind Alameda Santa Lucia, a very busy road in Antigua.
The market is open on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On the other days of the week you will still find a few stalls that are open, but the main part will be closed. When I lived in Antigua I only went to the grocery store for things I couldn’t find on the market. You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables for a very low price here and once you found your favourite stalls, it will be very easy to do your grocery shopping here.
9. See the Catedral De Santiago
Antiguas cathedral was built in the 16th-century and largely destroyed by earthquakes in 1773. The cathedral was only partially rebuilt and is still a ruin today. Only the front of the cathedral looks mainly undamaged. Behind it you will see the actual ruin, which you can access from 5a Calle Oriente. The cathedral is right next to the Parque Central and with that in the center of the town.
I personally love this cathedral. Even though it’s a ruin, there’s so much beauty. It’s crazy how something new can be created out of something that broke a long time ago. Now you can see the blue sky and how the golden afternoon light shines through the cathedral.
10. Do the Pacaya hike
Pacaya is another active volcano in Antigua and the hike is much easier than the Acatenango. It’s only a half day trip if you book it from Antigua. When you look it up you will see lots of images from people who walk right next to the lava, but unfortunately there has been no lava since 2010. It’s still a beautiful hike to do and a nice day trip, especially if you love outdoor activities.
11. Visit Hobbitenango
Close to Antigua you can visit a Hobbit world! Honestly, I would have never expected there could be a Hobbit world in Guatemala, but here it is! To get there you definitely need an Uber or Taxi and I would recommend you to get the number of your driver, because it can be tricky to find a ride back. In Hobbitenango you can practice archery, eat stone oven pizza, explore small hobbit houses, meet Gandalf and drink hobbit beer. It’s a super fun place to visit, especially on a sunny day!
12. Find the speakeasy in Antigua
If you like beer (and speakeasy bars) you should visit the Antigua Brewing Company. As the name says, it’s a brewery and a bar where you can try local beer from Antigua. The bar has a rooftop terrace with a fantastic view of the town and a large selection of beer. When you are on the ground floor you will see a red telephone booth, which is the entrance to the speakeasy bar. From all speakeasy bars I have seen, this one is my personal favourite! They don’t have a menu, so you just describe what kind of taste and alcohol you like and they prepare a cocktail. All of the cocktails we ordered looked absolutely amazing and tasted really good. I can highly recommend you to see this speakeasy bar (after trying a beer from the brewery).
Getting around in Antigua
Antigua is a small town and the best way to get around is by walking! The fact that the town is laid out as a grid makes it really easy to get a good sense of orientation. If you need a ride you will also find Uber and tuktuks in the town.
Is Antigua safe?
Antigua is very safe for travelers. As a solo female traveler I can tell you that I felt totally safe in Antigua. After working in the Selina hostel I always walked home alone in the dark and never felt unsafe. I probably wouldn’t do this in the middle of the night, but I wouldn’t do it anywhere I travel. If it’s late you can always get an Uber or tuktuk.
Where to stay
Hostal Antigüeño
This is the cutest hostel in Antigua and I absolutely loved it for several reasons! The staff is young and super friendly, after living there for weeks it really felt like home. The hostel is in a beautiful old building and they have a patio inside with plenty of chairs. Besides that it’s in a quiet area that is less busy than the main roads and they have a breakfast menu with every meal for 2 USD.
Antigua is a beautiful little town that is perfect for digital nomads. I spent 5 weeks here and I can tell you, it doesn’t get boring. There are so many beautiful places you can explore outside of the town and so many hidden restaurants and bars. It’s a truly unique and special town to visit.
