Antigua Guatemala Itinerary: What to Do in 3, 4 or 5 Days

The colourful city of Antigua is on everyone’s Guatemala itinerary. It’s possibly the most beautiful city in the country, is located close to Guatemala City but is much safer than the capital, and let’s not forget that Antigua is also the launching off point for the unforgettable Volcan Acatenango and Volcan de Fuego overnight hike. Plus, you can even hike up Pacaya Volcano, another active volcano, from the city.

It depends on your interests but we recommend spending a minimum of 3 days in Antigua Guatemala. Ideally you’d want to spend around 4 to 5 days there though because there’s a lot to do in Antigua. In this blog post we’ll share a 3, 4 and 5 day itinerary with you. We’ll also discuss how you could possibly cram or switch things around to create your perfect itinerary.

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.

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. If you want to do it, you’ll have to set aside 2 days for that alone.

However, 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 time 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 as much as possible, 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.

How to Plan Your Days in Antigua Guatemala

How could you reduce our 5-day itinerary to 4 days? To fit the below activities into a 4-day itinerary you could spend your first morning wandering around Antigua, then go on the Pacaya Volcano hike in the afternoon. The next morning you could spend a few hours at Hobbitenango and the rest of your afternoon back in Antigua. Then the following two days you would complete the overnight Acatenango hike. If you’re going in the rainy season, perhaps go for the early morning Pacaya Volcano hike and spend the afternoon in the city instead.

How could you reduce our 5-day itinerary to 3 days? It’ll be trickier to fit the below itinerary into only 3 days, especially if you want to hike Acatenango. You would probably need to skip either Volcan Pacaya, Hobbitenango, or both.

Do you have longer? If so, then you could take a few more day trips from the city to places like Chichicastenango Market. Unless you’re heading to Lake Atitlan for a few days because visiting Chichi is much easier from there. However, there are still plenty of small towns near Antigua to visit, not to mention all the things in Antigua itself, which you could do at a much more relaxed pace.

Antigua Guatemala Itinerary: Things to Do in 3, 4, or 5 Days

Day 1 – Spend a Day in Antigua Guatemala

Morning: Wander Around Antigua

Start your first morning by going for a wander around Antigua’s colourful streets. The city is pretty walkable, so you can cover quite a lot of ground in just one day. Below are some must-see points of interest:

We suggest checking out the iconic Santa Catalina Arch first, before it gets too busy. If you go early, you may even get the chance to admire Volcan de Agua towering behind the famous yellow arch.

From there, La Merced Convent and Church is just a short walk away. A visit to the church is free, but we recommend paying to enter the convent ruins too. Here you can access the church’s rooftop, where you get a great view of Antigua and the Santa Catalina Arch.

If you enjoy a bit of shopping, browsing through Antigua’s artesian markets should definitely be on your list. 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 you can consider stopping by:

• Mercado de Artesanias El Carmen.
• Nim Po’t.
• Mercado Central.
• Parque Central (during the weekends).

Afternoon / Evening: Enjoy the Sunset in Antigua

A must visit place in Antigua is the main square (Parque Central). This leafy plaza is the beating heart of the city, which comes alive in the afternoons and evenings. So we recommend coming here later in the day for the best atmosphere. It’s surrounded by some important buildings too such as the City Hall, the Palace of the Captains General and the new San Jose Cathedral. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the old cathedral right behind it. It’s one of the best church ruins in Antigua.

There are many places you can enjoy the sunset from in Antigua. If Volcan Agua is clear on your first evening, we highly recommend heading up to Cerra de la Cruz viewpoint. It’s a good 25-30 minutes’ walk from the main plaza but is easily accessible on foot. You could also get up there in a tuk-tuk or taxi as well though. However, if you’ve signed up for either the Pacaya Volcano hike or the overnight Acatenango hike, we definitely recommend hiking up there for practice!

Don’t forget to stop by the Ruinas de la Iglesia de la Candelaria on your way up. It’s one of the many church ruin façades dotted around Antigua.

Day 2 – Roast Marshmallows on Pacaya Volcano

Morning: See More of Antigua

Start your second morning in Antigua by walking to Parque Union. This small, palm tree lined park is where you’ll find a few historic landmarks such as the Union Tank, a historic public laundry pool, the Iglesia San Pedro Apostol, a beautiful yellow church that looks similar to La Merced, and the Santa Clara Convent which is one of the most beautiful convent ruins in Antigua.

Speaking of church and convent ruins, there are many of them scattered around the city that you should try to visit during your stay. They are the result of many devastating earthquakes, which led to the city being abandoned for a while, the buildings being left to decay, and the capital city being moved from Antigua to Guatemala City. Thankfully, people never fully abandoned Antigua and over the years they rebuilt it into what it is today. Below we’ll list our favorite ruins so you can add them to your Antigua itinerary:

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

No too far from Parque Union is the Jade Maya museum, which offers a free tour where you can learn about the production and importance of jade in Maya history, as well as see some Maya artifacts. After touring the museum, make sure to browse through their store. Although we didn’t end up buying anything, we were actually able to look up our ‘nahual’, aka our Maya zodiac sign.

Afternoon / Evening: Sunset Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Volcan Pacaya is not only one of the 37 official volcanoes in Guatemala, but is also one of only 3 active ones. The other two are Fuego, which you’ll no doubt have seen erupting from the city, and Santiaguito, which is located close to Xela (Quetzaltenango).

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

Since reaching the trailhead would take a long time on public transport, plus the fact that you’re required to hike with a guide 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 too, which we thought would’ve been pretty cool.

If you’re here in the dry season, we suggest going on the afternoon hike for the chance to experience a beautiful sunset. However, if you’re visiting in the shoulder or rainy season, perhaps go for the early option because rain is always more likely in the afternoon.

Overall, Pacaya Volcano is a fantastic acclimatisation hike to add to your Antigua Guatemala itinerary, especially if you’ve signed up for the overnight Acatenango hike.

Day 3 – Day Trip to Hobbitenango

Morning: 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 short trip from Antigua. 

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.

We suggest visiting in the morning for a quieter experience. There’s quite a few things you can do in the theme park, which we’ve summarised in our Hobbitenango travel guide. We also discussed whether it’s worth a visit or not if you’re short on time.

Afternoon / Evening: Relax in Antigua

After returning from Hobbitenango, you can spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing in Antigua. It’s a good opportunity to visit one or two more interesting church ruins such as Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, where you can visit the ruins of the Santo Domingo Convent as well as some museums.

You can finish the day with an evening drink at one of the many rooftop bars. They’re a great place to enjoy the sunset with views of the city and its surrounding volcanoes.

• Cafe Sky Bar is a popular rooftop bar in the vicinity of San Francisco the Great Sanctuary with some 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 Volcan 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 views of the three volcanoes from their rooftop.

Note. Don’t forget to allocate some time to packing and mentally preparing for your overnight Acatenango hike. Some tour companies may even have a briefing the night before the trek, so incorporate that into your schedule if needed.

Day 4 – Hiking to Volcan Acatenango Base Camp (+ Fuego Volcano)

Here it is! The main reason many people come to Antigua Guatemala. This is one of the best experiences in the country, so you want to be as prepared as possible so you can enjoy the hike to the fullest. Before booking your overnight adventure, make sure to read our guide on everything you need to know about hiking Acatenango and Fuego.

Morning: Hike to Acatenango Base Camp

It’ll be a relatively early wake up call in Antigua, after which you’ll go to your tour office of choice, organise your bags with everything you need for the Acatenango hike and drive to the trailhead in La Soledad. Then you’ll spend most of your day hiking up Acatenango, passing through different biomes along the way, from cloud forest to temperate coniferous forest and finally tropical dry forest.

You’ll reach basecamp by mid afternoon, where you can settle in and watch Volcan de Fuego erupting. It makes all the effort worthwhile!

Afternoon / Evening: Watch Fuego Erupting from Base Camp

You can either stay at base camp and watch Fuego erupt next to a cozy campfire, whilst drinking hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows. Alternatively, you can go on an additional hike to Fuego’s iconic ridge to get even closer to the eruptions.

No matter what you decide to do, you’ll definitely need an early night and can fall asleep listening to Fuego erupting every 15-20 minutes.

Day 5 – Summiting Acatenango Volcano and Return to Antigua

Morning: Sunrise Hike to the Summit of Acatenango

You’ll be up before dawn the next morning to start the hike to the summit of Acatenango. In the dark, watching Fuego erupt is even more impressive, as you see it spitting out red hot lava.

Once you reach the top after a short but hard hike up a slippery path, you’ll sit down and watch the sun come up. Then you’ll make your way back down to basecamp, have breakfast, and pack your backpacks ready for the descent.

Afternoon: Relax in Antigua

You’ll return to Antigua from your once-in-a-lifetime adventure around lunch time. Unless you’re hitting the road to your next destination later that day, such as Lanquin or Lake Atitlan, we recommend taking it easy and spending the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the city. Go for a well-deserved nap in your hotel or hostel, then come out again in the evening. Visit one of the rooftop bars and enjoy the sunset, or relax in one of the parks.

Places to Eat in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua is filled with places where you can try traditional Guatemalan dishes as well as international cuisine. Below are some of the places we enjoyed eating breakfast, a quick lunch or a hearty meal.

• Bella Vista Coffee (Rooftop Antigua). Great spot for a coffee. On a clear day you can see Volcans Agua, Acatenango and Fuego.
• Café Condesa. Another lovely spot to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. They do coffee refills which we always appreciate.
• La Bruja. A lovely vegan restaurant serving some delicious food. We stopped here for tacos and a burrito bowl, which were really filling.
• Rainbow Café Antigua Guatemala. We ended up here by chance and got a fantastic lunch deal. It was a set menu but the prices were much more affordable than at other places.
• Wachuma. A really nice place serving healthy, delicious buddha bowls. Their kombucha was also really tasty.
• Samsara. We ate at Samsara in San Marcos on Lake Atitlan a bunch of times and really love their food and kombucha.
• Cafe Sky Bar. A popular rooftop bar, where you can grab a drink and enjoy the sunset.

Final Thoughts on our 3, 4 or 5-Day Antigua Guatemala Itineraries

We hope our 3, 4 or 5-day Antigua Guatemala itineraries have given you a good idea of how to plan out your time in the city. There’s a lot to do in Antigua, which you can read more about in our detailed guide. These two guides combined should really help you select all the things you’re interested in so you can add them to your own map. We loved our time in Antigua and would definitely suggest spending longer there if you can.

Have you ever visited Antigua Guatemala before? If so, how long did you spend in the city? If not, how many days would you allocate to Antigua? Let us know in the comments below.