Awesome Things to Do in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala is one of the most visited cities in the country. It’s filled with history, colours, beautiful architecture, fantastic viewpoints, artesian markets and great food. In addition, the city is surrounded by three impressive volcanoes, two of which are some of the most active in the world. So as you can see, there’s no shortage of awesome things to do in Antigua.

In this blog post we’ll list some of the top things to add to your own Antigua itinerary, ranging from relaxing activities to historical sites, and fun theme parks to unmissable volcano hikes.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in the city, then make sure to watch our dedicated Antigua video on our YouTube channel. For more Guatemala videos, you can also check out our Guatemala series.

A Short History of Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala is located about 40 km to the west of Guatemala City, the country’s modern-day capital. The city was in fact the capital of Guatemala from the 1500’s to the 1700’s. It was first founded in 1524 and called ‘Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala’. After being briefly abandoned, it was founded again in both 1527 and 1543. For over 200 years it was a cultural, economic, and political centre of Central America, as well as being one of the earliest examples of urban planning in Latin America.

The city sits 1,545 m (5,068 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by several volcanoes, including two of Guatemala’s three active volcanoes: Fuego and Pacaya. As a result of its close proximity to volcanoes, Antigua is prone to natural disasters. There have been many devastating earthquakes over the years, especially in the 1700’s. The first major one occurred in 1717, damaging thousands of buildings. Then two more massive earthquakes hit the city in 1751 and 1773, destroying most of Antigua.

At this time the government decided to move the capital to the modern-day site of Guatemala City for safety reasons. A lot of people left Antigua and the city became known as ‘La Antigua Guatemala’, or ‘Old Guatemala’. This meant that most of the buildings were left to decay. Luckily, people didn’t completely abandon the city and over the years they’ve rebuilt Antigua around the ruins.

Antigua was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Things to Do in Antigua Guatemala

1. Admire the Iconic Santa Catalina Arch

The most famous landmark in Antigua Guatemala has to be the yellow Santa Catalina Arch (Arco de Santa Catalina).

It was built in the 17th century to enable nuns living in the Santa Catalina Convent to cross the street without being seen. After the earthquake in 1773, the arch was reconstructed and a turret was added. The clock tower was added in the 19th century.

You really can’t visit Antigua without snapping a photo of this iconic structure. From one side you can enjoy the view of Volcan de Agua behind the arch and from the other side you’ll see the beautiful La Merced church in the background.

Note. A lot of the time, Volcan de Agua is hidden in the clouds. The arch is impressive enough to see but we recommend walking past it a few times to get that iconic view with the volcano behind it.

2. Relax at Parque Central

Every main square in Latin America is the beating heart of that city or town. Parque Central in Antigua is no different. Here you’ll see a blend of tourists and locals, as well as street vendors, restaurants and other shops. This is also where you’ll find some of the most important buildings in the city, such as City Hall to the north and the Palace of the Captains General to the south.

Here it’s easy to just sit on a bench and watch the world go by. The square really comes alive in the afternoons and evenings. In the middle of the leafy plaza is the beautiful Fountain of the Sirens. It was designed by Diego de Porres in 1738, then restored by Rodolfo Galeotti Torres in 1949 after the original fountain was damaged in the 1717 earthquake.

We also recommend a visit to the Catedral San Jose, which is the new cathedral that was built after the earthquake. It’s free to enter. Behind it is the old San Jose Cathedral, one of the most visited church ruins in Antigua. For an entry fee of Q20 you can walk around the small but impressive ruins, admiring tall archways and missing domes.

3. Walk up to the Rooftop of La Merced Convent and Church

La Merced is a beautiful yellow church with convent ruins on site, located only a short walk from the Santa Catalina Arch.

You can visit the church and the ruins through two separate entrances. The ruins are really beautiful, with an impressive fountain in the central courtyard. What we loved most about La Merced was that we could walk up to the roof of the church, where we got beautiful views of the Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua and Volcan Agua in the background.

The entry fee to the ruins is Q20 per person, which is totally worth it for the views you get of the arch. The church is free to visit but you can’t take photos inside.

Top Tip. From Parque la Merced, the small park in front of the church, we could also see Volcan Fuego and Acatenango on a clear day.

4. Visit the Best Church Ruins in Antigua

Visiting church and convent ruins in Antigua is actually one of the best things to do in the city. In fact, Antigua had probably the largest number of church ruins of any of the cities we’ve visited in the past, which isn’t surprising due to the city’s history. Luckily, we could go inside many of them for a small fee. However, there were also many ruins where we could only admire the façades. We wrote a detailed guide on the best church ruins in Antigua where we include their exact location, entry fee and whether each one is worth visiting or not. Below we’ll only list our favorites if you want to add them quickly to your Antigua itinerary:

• Santa Clara Convent (the most beautiful church ruin),
• La Recoleccion (the most authentic church ruin),
• San Francisco the Great Sanctuary (great views of Volcan de Agua),
• San Jose Cathedral (small but conveniently located just off the main square),
• Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (the most beautiful façade).

5. Join a Free Tour of the Jade Maya Museum

There are plenty of museums to visit in Antigua. One of our favourites was Jade Maya, located only a 10-minute walk from the main square.

Jade Maya offer a free tour where you can learn about the the importance and production of jade in Maya history, and see some Maya artifacts.

We learnt that Jade is actually a generic term which describes two different minerals: Jadeite and Nephrite. Jadeite is the rarer and more valuable type of jade found in Guatemala. It’s known for its vibrant green color that can be both pale and a deep emerald. However, you can also find it in lavender, black, white and different shades of blue.

Our favourite area was probably the workshop, where we could watch workers cutting raw jade and making it into jewellery. After touring the museum we also browsed through their store. Although we didn’t end up buying anything, we enjoyed looking up our nahual, aka our Maya zodiac sign.

6. Check Out the Artisan Markets and Shops of Antigua

If you enjoy shopping for souvenirs, definitely check out some of the artisan markets and shops around Antigua. You can find some really nice textiles, hand-made items and jewellery, as well as your typical souvenirs. Below we’ve listed a few markets worth checking out:

• Mercado de Artesanias El Carmen is located right next to the beautiful church ruin of Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen.
• Nim Po’t is a huge gift shop conveniently located between the Santa Catalina Arch and La Merced church.
• Mercado Central is located about a 10-minute walk to the west of the main plaza, right next to the main chicken bus stop.
• At Parque Central during the weekends we saw lots of stalls where vendors were selling their handicrafts, so it’s worth stopping by the main plaza in the morning.

7. Visit Hotel Casa Santo Domingo

A visit to a hotel isn’t something we’d normally include in a ‘things to do’ guide unless there’s something special about it. Inside Hotel Casa Santo Domingo you’ll be able to visit the ruins of the Santo Domingo Convent, as well as a number of other museums.

The convent was once one of the biggest and richest monasteries in Antigua. However, along with most of the buildings in the city, it was seriously damaged during the earthquakes. In the 1970’s, an archeologist bought the site and presided over excavations before the Casa Santo Domingo Hotel took over.

Today, you can still only access the ruins via the hotel. We could see some parts of the ruins for free, but we had to pay an entry fee of Q50 if we wanted to visit the museums and see more of the area. There are six permanent museums and two art galleries with temporary exhibits in this hotel-museum-spa complex, making it a unique thing to do in Antigua Guatemala.

8. Check Out the Union Tank (Tanque de la Union)

One of our favourite historic landmarks in Antigua, apart from the church ruins and the Santa Catalina Arch, was the Union Tank (Tanque de la Union). It’s located on the eastern end of Parque Union, which is lined with palm trees and street vendors.

The Union Tank is actually a historic public laundry pool where most locals used to wash their clothes. Back in the day only the wealthiest could afford to have private laundries, so most people would use these communal laundry spots. We actually saw a couple of these still being used in tiny towns as we travelled through Guatemala.

Whilst you’re in the area, don’t forget to check out Iglesia San Pedro Apostol, a beautiful yellow church that looks similar to La Merced, as well as the Santa Clara Convent, which is one of the most beautiful convent ruins in Antigua.

9. Enjoy the Views from Cerro de la Cruz

There’s no shortage of viewpoints in Antigua Guatemala. From the top of a church to roof top bars, you can get a glimpse of the city and its surroundings from multiple spots.

However, to appreciate the scale of the city and the size of Volcan Agua, Fuego and Acatenango, you should take the short walk up to Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint. Cerro de la Cruz means ‘Hill of the Cross’, which refers to the huge cross that was erected at the viewpoint in the 1930’s. The site underwent a large renovation recently, and now looks way more inviting.

The viewpoint is a 25-30 minute walk from the main plaza, so it’s easily accessible on foot. Don’t forget to stop by the Ruinas de la Iglesia de la Candelaria on the way, one of many church ruin façades in Antigua.

You can also get up to the viewpoint by tuk-tuk or taxi if you wish. However, if you’ve signed up for either the Pacaya volcano hike, or the overnight Acatenango hike (more on these later), then you should definitely hike up there on foot!

Top Tip. We recommend walking up there when Volcan Agua is clearly visible for the best experience. It was a bit hazy during our visit, so we didn’t have the perfect view with the volcano. It’s also very beautiful during sunrise or sunset, so consider visiting around those times too. Just make sure not to leave too late for safety reasons.

10. Enjoy a Drink at a Rooftop Cafe or Bar

As mentioned before, there are many great vantage points across Antigua. So why not relax at a rooftop bar with some lunch or a drink during sunset, whilst enjoying the views of the city and its surrounding volcanoes.

• Cafe Sky Bar is a popular rooftop bar in the vicinity of the San Francisco the Great Sanctuary, with great views of Volcan Agua.
• Bella Vista Coffee is a nice spot with a view of the Antiguo Colegio de la Compania de Jesus ruins, as well as views of Volcans Agua and Fuego.
• Cafe Boheme is located close to the main square and serves food and drinks. Their rooftop bar is very beautifully decorated.
• Cafe Estudio is located close to the Santa Catalina Arch. You can enjoy the views of the three volcanoes from their rooftop.

11. Get Lost in the Cobblestone Streets of Antigua

A great thing to do in Antigua is just to wander around its colonial streets. Whilst Antigua is without doubt the most touristy city in Guatemala, we fell in love with it thanks to its colourful streets and historic landmarks.

So we highly recommend just going out and walking down some of its less popular streets. On a clear day, Volcan Agua in the background will make the street views even more beautiful.

Day Trips from Antigua Guatemala

12. Visit Hobbitenango Theme Park

Did you know that Guatemala has its own version of Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings? It’s called Hobbitenango, meaning ‘the Place of the Hobbit’, and whilst it’s not as famous as the Hobbiton set in New Zealand where the original movie was filmed, it’s still considered a fun day trip from Antigua. 

It’s not just a theme park but also an eco-park aiming to preserve the natural environment and support the local community.

Don’t expect Hobbitenango to be an exact replica of Hobbiton in New Zealand though. This park is just Guatemala’s own version of it. For example, there are other activities you can do here, such as archery and axe throwing, as well as a few hobbit houses.

It’s located in Vuelta Grande, about 8 km (5 miles) to the northeast of the city. The easiest and most convenient way to get to Hobbitenango from Antigua is on their dedicated tourist shuttle. These leave every day at 8AM, 10AM, 12PM, 2PM and 4PM from the office in Antigua. The return shuttles leave at 9AM, 11AM, 1PM, 3PM and 5PM back to Antigua. A round-trip costs Q95 per person, which also includes your entry fee. 

13. Visit the Valhalla Macadamia Farm

Another short half-day trip you can do from Antigua is to the Valhalla Macadamia Farm. It’s located just outside of San Miguel Dueñas, to the southwest of Antigua Guatemala.

If you don’t have a hire car you can easily reach the farm from Antigua by chicken bus. Just walk to the bus terminal (located here on Google Maps) and hop on a chicken bus going to San Miguel Dueñas. Tell the bus attendant that you’re going to Las Macadamias. A one-way journey should cost Q7 per person. The ride can take a little while because the bus will pick up and drop off a lot of people along the way.

The driver will drop you off at the side of the road in front of the entrance. On your way back, just stand in front of the farm entrance and flag down a bus going back to Antigua.

Once you’re at the farm, go to the ‘tienda’ and ask when the next one starts. We had an English tour but you can also join a Spanish one. The tour is very short and only lasts about 15 minutes. It was pretty informative though.

At the end of the tour, we got to try some macadamia nuts and a few of their products, such as oils and lotions. As always, if you like something then it’s available to purchase there too. You could also get a macadamia oil massage if you wanted.

Our favourite thing to do there though was to grab some food at their restaurant. We ordered the iconic macadamia pancakes. The portions were huge, delicious and very filling.

13. Roast Marshmallows on Pacaya Volcano

Volcan Pacaya is one of the 37 official volcanoes in Guatemala. In fact, it’s one of only 3 active volcanoes in the country along with Volcan de Fuego and Santiaguito, located close to Xela (Quetzaltenango).

Thankfully, Pacaya Volcano is one of the most accessible volcanoes to hike and, due to its close proximity to Antigua, it’s also one of the most popular day trips from the city. Oh, and did we mention that you can roast marshmallows from the heat of the ground there?

Since reaching the trailhead would take a long time on public transport, and you would need to hire a guide to hike Pacaya when you got there anyway, it’s best to book an organised tour. Most tours offer either a 6 AM / 8 AM start or a 2 PM start. Note that at neither of these times will you be able to see lava due to the lack of heightened volcanic activity since 2021. There are some companies that offer an overnight camping experience, which would have been pretty cool in our opinion.

It’s definitely a fantastic acclimatisation hike, especially if you’ve signed up for the overnight Acatenango adventure.

14. Day Trip to Chichicastenango Market

Colourful textiles, clothing items, wooden masks, the smell of burning incense and the noise of vendors and visitors. This is Chichicastenango market, one of the largest and most colourful in Guatemala.

Chichicastenango (or Chichi, as most people refer to it locally) is located about 105km to the northwest of Antigua. Every Thursday and Sunday this small town hosts one of the most colourful open-air markets in Central America. Thousands of people come to Chichi to either sell or buy various products, from colourful textiles and traditional clothing to ornate pottery and other goods.

If your visit coincides with the market days, you should consider joining a tour there from Antigua. It’ll be a long day though, so if you’re also planning on spending a few days around Lake Atitlan you should consider visiting Chichi from there, since it’s located much closer.

16. Overnight Hike up Volcan Acatenango

A must-do activity from Antigua is the 2-day hike up Acatenango Volcano. With a height of 3,976 m (13,044 ft), Acatenango is one of the highest stratovolcanoes in Central America. It’s twin is Volcan de Fuego (Volcano of Fire), which is currently one of the 3 active volcanoes in Guatemala.

You’ll be climbing Acatenango on this multi-day trek, however you’ll also get the chance to hike up to the ridge of Fuego too. This is the closest you can possibly get to this active volcano. You’ll spend the night at a base camp on the side of Acatenango from where you can enjoy the frequent eruptions of Fuego. The next morning you can even summit the volcano and watch the sunrise from the top with Fuego erupting in the background. It’s definitely an unforgettable adventure.

We put together a few different guides that we recommend reading before you book your overnight hike. These guides go into more detail about the things you should know, as well as giving you a day-by-day itinerary and a detailed packing list.

How Many Days Do You Need in Antigua Guatemala

When planning your trip to Antigua Guatemala, it’s important to decide whether you’d like to complete the overnight Acatenango hike or not. Then you’ll have to set aside 2 days just for that.

If you’re short on time, and just want to do the Acatenango hike and have a little wander around the city, then 3 days is probably just about enough in Antigua Guatemala. If you don’t think that hiking Acatenango is for you, then you can do quite a lot in 3 days, including a few short day trips. However, if you want to do pretty much everything on our list, then you would need a minimum of 4 days, ideally 5, in Antigua Guatemala.

That being said, you could easily spend way longer in the city, so if you have time to spare we highly recommend booking a few extra nights there.

We put together a 3, 4 and 5-day Antigua Guatemala itinerary for you, so you can see how best to manage your time.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Antigua Guatemala

As we mentioned above, whilst Antigua Guatemala was the most touristy place we visited in Guatemala, we couldn’t help but fall in love with it. After all, we got to visit two of the three active volcanoes in the country from this city. What’s not to love about that?

In addition, we also enjoyed wandering through its colourful streets, and visiting its church ruins and other historical landmarks. Hanging out at one of the rooftop bars, whilst watching the world go by and seeing Fuego erupt every so often, was also one of our favorite activities. So, overall, we really loved our time in a very touristy city, which doesn’t happen for us very often.

Have you ever been to Antigua Guatemala before? If so, what was your favourite thing to do there? If not, what would you add to your Antigua itinerary from our list? Let us know in the comments below.