Antigua is a UNESCO-listed colonial city of ruined churches, cobbled streets and pastel buildings beneath three volcanoes. It is a base for Pacaya hikes, coffee farms and Lake Atitlan.
Good to know
- Pickpocketing is rare in Antigua, but use caution at night outside the center.
- Dry season is November to April.
- Hike Acatenango with a guide and warm gear; temperatures drop at altitude.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Yellow colonial arch over a main street, framing Volcan de Agua; the town's most photographed spot.
Ruined baroque church and monastery, and the tomb of Hermano Pedro, a saint venerated across Guatemala.
Colorful stalls selling Mayan textiles, ceramics and jade jewelry in a covered market.
Maya music museum and a jade workshop where you can watch artisans carve and learn about the stone.
Colonial plaza with fountain and cathedral ruins.
Terrace bars catch the sunset behind Volcan de Agua; the best views come with a glass of local rum.
Hill with a cross and views of the city and volcano.
Hike on lava fields and roast marshmallows on hot rocks.
Hard overnight hike to a camp facing Fuego volcano, with eruptions lighting the night sky.
Learn to roast and taste at a farm outside town.
Volcano-ringed lake with Mayan villages, 2.5 hours away.