Antigua

By Christopher Minster

Minster

First founded in the early sixteenth century by victorious Spanish conquistadores, Antigua soon became an administrative center for the Spanish Empire, overseeing all of Central America as well as the Chiapas region in what is now southern Mexico.

The city is located in a gorgeous valley surrounded by three volcanoes: Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango. Unfortunately for the citizens of Antigua, this beautiful location also makes the area very prone to devastating earthquakes and the city was destroyed on several occasions, notably in 1717 and 1773, and the capital was moved to its present location at Guatemala City.

Antigua has worked hard to retain its colonial identity and heritage. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979, and local ordinances make it impossible for stores or restaurants to use neon or garish signs or obstruct anyone’s view of the marvelous colonial architecture. Even the McDonald’s is low-key and almost invisible without its trademark bright colors.

Highlights around Antigua

Antigua is a must-see for any visitor to Guatemala. It is quite popular with travelers as well as ex-pats for good reason: it is a pleasant, beautiful, relatively safe city that has a lot to offer. There are good restaurants and bars, lively nightlife, and many activities. The Serpetarium boasts many Guatemalan snake species as well as vampire bats and hummingbirds in their natural habitat. The mercado central has excellent Guatemalan handicrafts (particularly worth a visit if your tour will not take you to Chichicastenango) as well as a picturesque local section full of fruits and vegetables. Numerous bookstores and cafes make it easy to pass a pleasant afternoon there.

One of the best ways to see Antigua is simply to wander around. It is a very small town, and it is difficult to get really lost. Because of its history – a mixture of Spanish colonial with frequent earthquakes – there are a number of very interesting ruins of colonial-era structures within the city. One such site is the Santa Clara ruins, where the visitor can wander through tranquil gardens and marvel at the toppled masonry of what was once a convent. The monastery next to the La Merced church also is in ruins, and makes for an interesting visit. There are many more, and usually the entrance fee is quite low.

Antigua is also famous for Spanish schools. All told, it is one of the least expensive and most beautiful places to learn Spanish in Latin America. There are literally dozens of schools, which vary greatly in quality, price and accommodations. If you’re interested, a number of these schools have web sites, but that isn’t even really necessary: almost all accept walk-in clients, and the city is plastered with advertisements. Several even hire local children to pass out fliers to passengers on arriving buses.

When to Go

If you’re going to be in Guatemala for Semana Santa, or holy week, be sure to visit Antigua. Remember to make your reservations ahead of time, however, as the hotels fill up quickly. The streets are full of processions and picturesque carpets of colored sawdust of an incredibly intricate nature. Summer - June through August - is the other peak tourist season in Antigua.

Getting to Antigua

Buses leave regularly from Guatemala City (1.5 hours by bus). Alternatively, tour companies regularly run vans from Copan, Honduras and Tikal.