Nestled within the lush landscapes and historic cobblestone streets of Guatemala, lies a captivating gem – Antigua. With its rich history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking scenery, this enchanting city offers a plethora of experiences for every kind of traveler.
Table of Contents
- How to get around Antigua, Guatemala
- Antigua, Guatemala Restaurants
- Antigua, Guatemala Hotels
- Things to do in and around Antigua, Guatemala
- Visit the mercados and the second hand market
- Visit Hobbitenango
How to get around Antigua, Guatemala
Getting around the city
Antigua, Guatemala is a very walkable city. The main historic area where you will most likely be staying in is small. To walk across the historic area from East to West takes about 15 minutes and to walk from North to South takes even less time. I think it’s safe to say everything you need is within walking distance. And if it isn’t you always have the option of taking an Uber or a taxi.
Guatemala City to Antigua
Most travelers who are flying into Guatemala will be flying into Guatemala City. Guatemala City doesn’t have much going on and I’ve heard too many horror stories of travelers get robbed there so I wouldn’t recommend spending a night there.
Uber
When I arrived at the Guatemala City airport, I called an Uber using the eSIM I had bought through Airalo prior to arriving. The cheapest eSIM was $8 for 7 days with 1 GB which was enough because I was only using it to call the Uber. There is wifi in the airport, however, it didn’t work for me. So I’m very glad I bought the Airalo eSIM beforehand. I didn’t see any Claro or Tigo SIM cards for purchase while I was there, but please let me know in the comments if you did. The Uber to Antigua cost me $22.
To check out the Airalo eSIMs for Guatemala, click here to learn more.
Other ways to get to Antigua
Other ways of going from Guatemala City to Antigua are with a taxi, a shuttle, or the chicken buses. Here are the details below:
- Taxi: Easiest way to get to Antigua, especially if you have a lot of luggage, but will cost you around $35-45. There are taxis waiting outside the airport. There will be people outside of baggage claim calling for taxis, so you cannot miss them.
- Shuttle: You can book a shuttle online in advance to pick you up from the airport. GuateGo has shuttles that you can book online for $19 that go at specific times. There may be other shuttle vans that you can hop on at the airport without booking, but this might require you to wait longer.
- Chicken buses: This will be by far the cheapest way to get from Guatemala City to Antigua, but definitely not the easiest. You will have to take a bus from outside the airport to the bus terminal in Guatemala City, and then catch a bus to Antigua. I’m not even sure where the bus stops are. I also do not recommend taking the chicken bus anywhere near Guatemala City because the area itself is unsafe.
Antigua to Lake Atitlan
A lot of the backpackers in Central America are typically following one route. I realized this later in my trip after running into the same people 5 times in different cities. Most people I met in Antigua were either going to Lake Atitlan next. There are two main ways to do this:
- Shuttle: Book a shuttle through your hostel or online from Antigua to Panajachel. This is a little over a 2 hour drive through windy roads, so definitely make sure you aren’t hungover beacuse you just might get carsick (not saying this from previous experience 🙂 ). From Panajachel, you will take a lancha to wherever you’re staying. I booked a shuttle with Roadrunner for about $15. GuateGo also offers shuttle for $25.
- Chicken bus: This is an easy (but long) route to do with a chicken bus. You can catch the chicken bus at the bus station in Antigua which is right next to the market. Ask around to find the bus that goes to Chimaltenango. This should take 35 minutes. Then switch buses and go to Los Encuentros, this should take about an hour. Switch again and take a bus to SolalĂ , 25 minutes. Finally, from SolalĂ take your last chicken bus to Panajachel, another 25 minutes. All in all, it should cost around $6.
Antigua, Guatemala Restaurants
Antigua is a food lover’s haven, where the restaurant scene is as diverse as the flavors it offers. From a Ramen house to French creperias to of course traditional Guatemalan meals, Antigua has it all. There’s something for the budget backpacker as well as the boujee traveler. For some great recommendations, check out this blog post.
If you prefer to do your own cooking, there is a grocery store nearby called Despensa Familiar that has nearly everything you need. And if it doesn’t there is also an organic store in town that has some of the same brands I can find in Whole Foods.
Antigua, Guatemala Hotels
Hotels in Antigua, Guatemala range from budget backpacker hostels for $7 a night to luxurious boutique hotels. I am definitely more of a budget backpacker so I spent 3 nights in Hostel Antigua, and spent almost a week in Volko Hostel. I would recommend both places, Hostel Antigua if you are looking for a quieter space.
Check out this blog for a bigger list of hotels and hostels in Antigua, Guatemala.
Things to do in and around Antigua, Guatemala
Wander the colonial streets
One of the best things to do in Antigua, Guatemala on your first visit here is wander through the streets, get lost (but not really because it’s a small town and you can definitely find your way back), and explore different places. There are several artisanal and boutique shops around town worth peaking into to grab some souvenirs. Good restaurants or food stands to check out. Here are some of the highlights:
Walk to Cerro de la Cruz to catch sunset
Cerro de la Cruz in Antigua is essentially a park on a hill with a giant cross. Just a short 30 minute hike from town, the views from here are spectacular. I was able to see the town of Antigua, along with some of the surrounding volcanoes including Acatenango. Sunset from up here is also spectacular, although you don’t exactly see the sun setting but you do see the sky change to a colorful canvas.
Calle del Arco of the Santa Catalina Arch
This is the iconic archway that you will probably see in every travel guide, brochure, or blog post about Antigua, Guatemala. This archway was originaly built from the Santa Catalina convent to the nearby school allowing the nuns to cross the street without being seen. Now it is a popular tourist attraction. On a clear day you can even see the volcanos behind it making a beautiful photo to capture.
the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world?
Yes, you read that right. Is the world’s most beautiful McDonald’s really in Antigua, Guatemala? So they say. It was quite nice to be fair. So in typical American fashion I had to add it to my list of things to see in Antigua, Guatemala. Maybe also grab a cheeseburger while you’re there exploring its beautiful gardens.
Visit the mercados and the second hand market
I really enjoyed visiting the markets in Central America. Something about walking around in busy, chaotic places seemed liked an adventure to me. Mercado Central in Antigua was exactly that. Nearby, the Artisan Market was much less busy and also had tons of small trinket souvenirs, along with bags, hats, jewelry, and shirts.
The second hand clothing market, which is just past Mercado Central, has a huge variety of second hand clothing for ridiculously cheap prices. This is a great spot to buy some warm sweaters and socks before heading off on the Acatenango hike. You may also be able to find jackets and hiking shoes here for the hike. I found a 100% wool sweater and wool socks, and paid a total of $1.28 for both. A steal. There are also some nicer brand items there for pretty cheap, I saw some North Face jackets and a Michael Kors sweater there. Definitely worth a visit if you need something, even if you don’t it’s an adventure walking through the market.
Visit Hobbitenango
A photo worthy spot that I imagine the Shire from Lord of the Rings looking like. Hobbitenango is about a 20 minute ride outside of Antigua and serves as a restaurant, park, and hotel. With several photogenic spots overlooking the Panchoy Valley, the park also has hobbit-style casitas which you can reserve for the night.
Along with the $6.36 entry fee, you have access to all the park games including axe and machete throwing, archery, and mini-golf. And of course, no visit to Hobbitenango is complete without going on the tree swing, the park’s most popular attraction. Unlimited swings are included in the entry ticket.
On weekends, venture through the artisan market and try some of the local chocolate and coffee while enjoying live music. If you are looking for some private time for you and your significant other, reserve some time in the nest. The nest is a beautifully decorated terrace with views of the valley below. Definitely a picturesque spot that you can also reserve for breakfast, lunch, and sunset.
For more information on Hobbitenango, check out their official site.
Hiking near Antigua, Guatemala
The two most popular hikes in Antigua, Guatemala are the hikes to Pacaya Volcano and Acatenango Volcano. Both hikes offer incredible views of the volcanos and the valley, allowing adventure seekers an exhilarating sense of exploration.
Pacaya Hike
Pacaya is an active volcano located only 1 hour from Antigua. The 3.5 mile volcano hike can easily be done in one day. The national park requires all visitors to be accompanied by a guide. But no problem, several hotels and hostels in Antigua offer guided tours including transportation to see the volcano. I booked a tour through my hostel, Volko Hostel, for about $22 which included everything from the transportation to the guide, however, the $13 entry fee into the park was not included.
There are three hikes per day and I decided to do the afternoon hike in hopes of seeing sunset from the volcano. Later I would find that it was way too cloudy to see anything from the top, even sunset. There are also hikes leaving very early in the morning to catch sunrise or later in the morning. Some tour companies also offer an overnight hiking and camping tour.
the hike to Pacaya Volcano
The tour picked me up from my hostel in Antigua and we drove about an hour to the hike trailhead and park entrance. At the trailhead we paid our entry fee and then followed our guide up the trail. The trail itself was fairly easy to begin and got a bit steeper as we got higher up. Overall, the hike wasn’t too bad if you are in shape. Once we broke past the tree line, it got very windy and chilly. I highly recommend bringing a sweatshirt for this portion, especially since the weather gets cooler closer to sunset.
The hike to the lava field takes about 45 minutes. Once you make it up there, you are surrounded by gray and black lava rock formations. Almost feels like you are on your way to Mordor in Lord of the Rings. In 2021, hikers were able to see lava flow from an eruption. But now in 2023, it has all cooled down and you are only able to see the steam coming up from the ground. I’m sure the views from the top would be great, but unfortunately it was too cloudy when I went. Our guide had brought marshmallows that we were able to roast in small hardened lava holes emitting steam. Super cool experience being up there on an active volcano.
The hike back down was fairly quick. We went down a different way than how we hiked up. We ended up at another parking lot where our shuttle was waiting to take us back to Antigua.
Acatenango Hike
The Acatenango Hike was nothing short of adventure. In fact, it may have been one of the hardest hikes I’ve done. There nothing like hiking an elevation gain of over 5,000 feet in less than 6 hours, seeing Volcan Fuego erupt, and then getting terrible altitude sickness all in one day. Atleast that is how my hike went. But was it worth it? YES. This hike is certainly a challenge but a very rewarding challenge. The views of the volcanoes and the valley, the volcano erupting every 20 minutes, and the sense of accomplishment of making it to the summit at sunrise far outweighs the tiredness. This is an incredible hike – a tough one – and I can’t recommend it enough. To read more about my experience hiking Volcan Acatenango, check out my blog post.
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Wow this looks so beautiful! Definitely adding this to my list of places to visit 🙂
Squeeee those hikes and scenery near Antigua with the volcanoes looks amaaaazing! (and I love the way you embedded your tiktoks to this!) After that, staying at Volko Hostel with that rooftop sounds like heaven!
p.s. lol for your cloudy volcano view (or lack thereof!) I have experienced that on so many hikes!! I hope you had fun anyway!
I didn’t realise how many amazing things there are to try in Guatemala! It sounds like an underrated destination to visit. The view from the hike looks particularly stunning! Thanks for sharing all your recommendations.
How amazing, I would love to visit. Especially being a walkable city, I find that the best when travelling because it can help save money along the way too
Loved Antigua and stayed there for 3 months! I missed the Pacaya hike though but I’ll definitely do that in my next visit! How “in shape” should you be to do the hike?
You don’t have to be too in shape! I was hiking with a much older woman who was going slow and taking a ton of breaks but she still made it to the top. If she can do it, anyone can!