I don’t know where to begin with Antigua. This city has honestly captured my heart and is the only place I’ve ever travelled too that really truly felt like home. I can’t really explain why, but this city feels like magic. A combination of feeling like you have stepped back in time, due to the buildings being UNESCO world heritage site protected, yet the streets being filled with everything you need from hip coffee shops to cool bars (all with a subtle exterior, of course). The city is so small you can walk everywhere, with all cobbled streets, and every where you look you are surrounded by volcanoes – you can even watch the active volcano Fuego erupt when the sky is clear. The climate is just right (maybe a little too rainy in summer, but the temperature is perfect.) I would recommend staying in Antigua to unwind for a few days minimum – it makes a perfect pitstop in between lots of long busses and travelling.
How to Get to Antigua, Guatemala
FLY
The nearest airport to Antigua is Guatemala City Airport, which accepts international flights from all over the world. If you are flying in, my advice would be to message the hostel or hotel you are staying at in advance to organise a shuttle to Antigua for you. Apart from that, you could organise an Uber when you land but it might be a little more expensive. Antigua is about an hour’s drive from Guatemala City. Check out aviasales or KIWI.COM for the best deal.
BUS
You can come to Antigua from pretty much everywhere in Guatemala via a shared shuttle. Just ask your hostel to help you organise one. You can also come from Mexico via San Cristobal de Las Casas (check out my San Cristobal blog post here!) – this journey is about 13 hours. My top tip is when you’re leaving Antigua to organise your shuttles and tours through Somos Hostel as they honestly have the best shuttle prices of anywhere in Antigua.
A lot of people stop off in Lake Atitlán after they go to Antigua. CHECK OUT MY LAKE ATITLÁN BUDGET TRAVEL GUIDE.
You can also take public transport on ‘chicken busses’ – pimped-out old school buses from the USA. This is a lot cheaper but can take up to 3x as long and involve a lot of bus changes. I would only recommend doing this if you speak Spanish so you can ask for directions etc.
Where to Stay in Antigua, Guatemala
SOMOS HOSTEL: I will recommend this hostel until the end of time. The only place in my travels that has ever felt like home. Small yet social, the rooms are amazing with pod-style beds and your own space, the bathrooms are clean, the showers are hot and powerful, the kitchen is fully equipped with an oven and even a blender, and they have their own cheap bar and hot-tub. I volunteered here for nearly 2 months and it really was a home away from home. Dorm beds are affordable at only 90Q (€11) a night. Free coffee in the morning too!
TROPICANA: Tropicana is the party hostel so come here if you are looking to be extra sociable. Bonus: they also have their own pool.
How to Get Around Antigua
WALK AROUND
Antigua is small – the main way to get around the town is to walk. However, it is important to stay safe, and I wouldn’t recommend walking around after about 9:30pm, particularly as a woman/on your own.
UBER
UBER in Antigua is super cheap. I would recommend getting an UBER home from any night out to be safe. You can also get it anywhere just a little bit outside the city.
Where to Eat in Antigua
This is one of my favourite cities to write about food for! Antigua is home to some of the best restaurants in Central America. Particularly great if you are vegan or vegetarian. Check out my post on the best budget friendly restaurants in Antigua for location tags and more details!
ONCE ONCE
My favourite restaurant in Antigua, and the best meal I ate in all my travels. All vegan. I highly recommend the pulled not-pork sandwich and the BBQ cauliflower wing sandwich. Main courses are approximately 70Q (€8.80).
WACHUMA
Another vegan restaurant. Super affordable with big bowls for 40Q (€5) and burgers for 50Q (€6.30).
LA BRUJA
A vegan restaurant inside a little food court. Prices are pretty reasonable (60Q-ish – €7.50).
MR TACO
A hidden gem. Incredible food for so cheap. Huge big burritos (Al pastor and also VEGGIE SOYA MEAT!) for 20q (€2.50). They also deliver!
KOMBU RAMEN
This place does amazing vegan ramen. It’s a little on the expensive side, at 70-80Q (€9-10) for a bowl of ramen, but it is so worth it!
AM BKFST
Yummy all-day breakfast/brunch spot that does customisable waffles and croissants. Most meals cost about 50Q (€7) and include a drink.
RINCON TIPICO
Come here for a cheap, huge meal of typical Guatemalan food. A huge big plate for 35Q (€4.50).
UNION CAFE
Yummy brunch spot with an amazing breakfast and coffee selection.
Where to Drink in Antigua
EL BARRIO
El Barrio is the best place to drink in Antigua. It has lots of different bars all surrounding a courtyard, so there really is something for everyone. They also run lots of activities, from karaoke on Wednesdays to Trivia on Thursdays.
LAS VIBRAS
Las Vibras is the best nightclub in Antigua. They have a great vibe and play great music and the drinks are not too expensive, even though it feels like an expensive place. On Wednesdays, it’s ladies’ night and if you get there before 10 you get 2 free drinks!
The Antigua Bar Crawl is the best night out in Antigua, as well as being the best value. For 150Q you get 2 hours of unlimited alcohol, access to all the clubs and bars and so much more. It’s such a good way to meet people who might be traveling your route too.
Things to do in Antigua
HIKE TO CERRO DE LA CRUZ
This is a great first thing to do in Antigua. Cerro de la Cruz is a 20 min walk up to a beautiful viewpoint that overlooks the whole of Antigua, where everyone gets their classic looking out into the distance at a Volcano Instagram picture. You can find the link to it on Google Maps here.
HIKE OVERNIGHT ON ACATENANGO AND WATCH AN ACTIVE VOLCANO ERUPTING
Not for the faint-hearted (or the unfit), this extreme hike is 6 hours of steep incline. You also have the option to hike to Fuego to get an up-close view of the volcano erupting (and it erupts every 10 minutes.) You will sleep in a tent at base camp, and at 4 am they will wake you for the optional hike to the summit for sunrise. I did the hike with CA travels. It costs 475Q (€61) and includes absolutely everything you could need for the 2-day trek. Make sure to check the weather before you do it – if it’s too rainy or cloudy you might not see anything. It is best to go in dry season if you have the chance.
GO TO HOBBITENANGO
Guatemala’s scenery is pretty mystical, like something from a fairy tale. That’s probably why they built their own Hobbit village in the mountains. Hobbitenango not only has hobbit houses built into the side of the mountains but also has lots of fun activities from archery to a big bungee swing. When you book a ticket there’s a shuttle that goes from the city that brings you there included in the price. Find all the details on their website.
ROAST MARSHMALLOWS ON ACTIVE VOLCANO PACAYA
If you don’t have too much time, or camping overnight on a volcano isn’t your cup of tea, then Pacaya is a great alternative to Acatenango. The hike is medium difficulty and takes about 2 hours to get to the top. Once you get up there, it feels like you’re on another planet. You also get to roast marshmallows on top on the hot rocks. I booked my tour through Somos Hostel. It costs about 115Q (€15) and another 100Q (€13) for the entrance fee to the park.
GO TO McDONALDS
This might sound like a funny one, but the Mcdonald’s in Antigua is potentially one of the nicest in the world. Not foodwise, but it is in an old colonial-style building with a beautiful courtyard and fountain – when you’re sitting outside you could fool yourself into thinking you’re in a Michelin star restaurant.
VISIT THE MARKET
The Market in Antigua is a great place to get literally anything you need, particularly homemade crafts and gifts for home. You can also get fruit and veg here for a quarter of the price of the main supermarkets. You can find the market here.
GO THRIFTSHOPPING
If you have any space in your bag, then you HAVE to go thrift-shopping in Antigua. The ‘paca’ is absolutely huge and requires a lot of patience but you can find some gems there for unbelievable prices. I got a pair of Carhartt dungarees for 10Q (€1.20). Follow the map here to get there.
DO A YOGA CLASS
Shakti Shala is an amazing yoga studio with so many different classes. It’s not the most budget-friendly option if you’re just passing through, but if you’re there for a while then the monthly pass is something that is definitely worth checking out. Apart from that if you’re looking for a cheaper option, Caoba Farms has a donation-based class at 8:30am on a Saturday morning (subject to change) followed by a farmers market.
VISIT THE SANTA CATALINA ARCH
A visit to Antigua would not be complete without an instagram story of the famous arch. This area is also super nice to explore.
GET STREET FOOD AT IGLESIA LA MERCED
The cheapest meal you will get in Antigua! On Sundays, they have a huge food market but you can get street food there any day. A meal will set you back 15Q (€2)
DID YOU LIKE THIS POST? CHECK OUT MY OTHER GUATEMALA BLOG POSTS HERE:
BEST BUDGET AND VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA.
