santa catalina arch in Antigua

Top Things to Do in Antigua

About Antigua

Antigua is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its architectures and ruins of colonial churches. Once the capital of Guatemala, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Where to Stay in Antigua

During my time in Antigua, I stayed at Hotel Mesón del Valle on the South side of town which is a bit quieter.  Hotel Meson del Valle is one of twelve hotels operated by Antigua Hotel Solutions.  I didn’t know this at the time of booking, but think it is good to know if hotels rooms are booked during peak times like Easter. Continue reading “Top Things to Do in Antigua” →

Convent of Santa Clara in Antigua

Antigua’s Parks, Churches, and Ruins

The Parks, Churches and Ruins of Antigua

Antigua, located in the central highlands of Guatemala, was settled as the third capital of Guatemala in 1543 by Spanish conquistadors after indigenous uprisings took place in the first capital and after a volcano destroyed the second capital over a 20 year time period.  Upon suffering from multiple earthquakes and severe destruction in 1773, the capital was ordered to move to Guatemala City by the Spanish Crown.

During its time as capital, Antigua became home to many religious orders that constructed several churches and convents near the main square and parks.  As a result of the earthquakes, the colonial city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features many ruins as well.  Famous for its Spanish Baroque influenced architecture, Antigua is a wonderful place to visit in Guatemala. Continue reading “Antigua’s Parks, Churches, and Ruins” →

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A Day in Chichicastenango, Guatemala

A Tour of Chichicastenango

Today I took a tour to Chichicastenango.  It was a bit of a drive from Guatemala City and originally wasn’t in my plan. But it only cost me $15 more to do the whole tour than it did just to get to Antigua which is where I needed to be by dinner time for our volunteer project introductions.

Leaving Guatemala City

Mario picked me up at 5am.  As we exited the city on the four-lane road with a median, traffic was already mounting.  One of our two lanes was marked off by cones.  It wasn’t long before I saw cars driving on our side of the street toward us.  I gathered that this is the way Guatemala creates an HOV lane?  I’m not sure. Continue reading “A Day in Chichicastenango, Guatemala” →