It was time to head to the fourth country of my Central America backpacking trip! I started with my partner in Panama, the easternmost point of the trip, before traveling by bus across Costa Rica. We finished our portion together with three stops in Nicaragua from where he flew back to Germany for work and I flew on to Guatemala for the adventures to continue.
I quit my job last July and decided to take what I coined an "adult gap year", given I was taking it aged 28, instead of the typical gap year age of 18. I went back and forth for months on exactly when I would go, which countries I would visit, for how long I wanted to travel, with whom I wanted to go - if anyone...
My Central America trip would turn out to cover five countries in five weeks; the first three (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua) with my partner Tobi and the last two (Guatemala, Belize) with Ina, a friend from Salzburg.
As with most people who arrive in Guatemala, our first stop in the country was a few days exploring the stunning city of Antigua. Although it was a lot of work, I made daily vlogs on Instagram reels of every single day of my Central America trip which I branded "the backpacking series".
→ Check out an episode of the Backpacking Series of visiting Antigua!
By flight: The closest airport to Antigua is in Guatemala City. Antigua is the most common starting point for travelers visiting Guatemala. I flew in from Nicaragua, with a layover in El Salvador.
I booked a shuttle with GuateGo who picked me up outside arrivals and dropped me off at my accommodation in Antigua for USD $18. They were a bit late in picking me up, but that's just the way it is in Central America!
By bus: You can arrive in Antigua by bus from Guatemala City, known as a "chicken bus" but it is generally not recommended, especially with all your belongings. We never used public buses in Guatemala, therefore you'll need to do your own research here.
By private shuttle: This is my recommended method of transport throughout Guatemala. I used GuateGo to book my shuttle from Guatemala City airport to Antigua; they have lots of routes throughout the country. We also arranged a shuttle from Antigua onward to our next destination of Lake Atitlán which we booked in Antigua at a local transport company after comparing prices between a few vendors in town; the communication and confirmation then all happened via WhatsApp which is common for Central America.
→ Check out my episode of the Backpacking Series of taking the shuttle from Antigua to Lake Atitlán!
A shuttle in Antigua
By car: If you have decided to travel through Guatemala or Central America by car, you can also travel to Antigua with your own wheels. I don't have any experience with driving or parking in Antigua or Guatemala so please do your own research here.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Guatemala City.
Antigua is a beautiful city and very much compact and easily walkable. I found that it was set up on what felt like a grid layout, with streets intersecting each other in easy squares that made getting around relatively straightforward. One thing to be prepared for: the streets of Antigua are cobblestoned, so they are really uneven and bumpy to walk on. Totally doable, you just want to take care and pack good walking shoes!
You might also want to join a walking tour of Antigua to get a really good insight from a local of the history and learn a bit more about the city.
We didn't use any public transport while in Antigua, but there are plenty of tuktuks roaming around if you need a ride somewhere! Just make sure you agree on the price before your journey commences.
There are plenty of different types of accommodation in Antigua. We spent three nights at the Maya Papaya, the best hostel in Antigua. I genuinely loved it here. While it's definitely on the pricier side when you're looking at hostel options in Antigua, you'll quickly realize you are seriously getting bang for your buck. Maya Papaya has the comfiest hostel beds I've ever slept in, beautiful bathrooms, free breakfast, fast wifi, events and socializing opportunities, tons of little extra details and the perfect location just a few streets away from the Arco de Santa Catalina.
→ Book your stay at Maya Papaya.
→ Check out other places to stay to suit your budget and accommmodation type.
Maya Papaya
Breakfast
The main area
There are SO many incredible places to eat in Antigua. As a very popular spot on the travel route in Guatemala, you'd be hard pressed to find someone visiting the country and skipping Antigua. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and cute places to hang out. No matter what you're after, you'll find something to suit you in Antigua!
It's also worth noting that Antigua is one of the world's most famous sources of coffee beans so coffee culture is taken very seriously here. The very first Starbucks in Guatemala was opened in Antigua as a nod to the region's importance. And trust me, it's worth a visit.
Awakana Superfood Bowls
Located at: 3 Avenida Sur 1A
This adorable shop shares a space with a few other yummy restaurants serving up smoothie bowls, avo toast, smoothies and delicious coffee.
Cafe Boheme
Located at: 5, 5a Calle Poniente #12B
Immediately upon arriving in Antigua, we bee-lined it here for a delicious, healthy and filling lunch with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. A cute terrace upstairs seals the deal from this unassuming yet delightful spot.
Once Once
Located at: 2a Calle Oriente #22
Oh boy. This place was incredible. A fully vegan menu, an aesthetic interior, wonderful staff and mouthwatering food? Sign me up. I could have eaten every single thing off the menu.
Starbucks
Located at: 3 Avenida Sur 1A
You might be wondering why I'd recommend a chain coffee shop as a must-do in Antigua? Trust me on this, this Starbucks is quite possibly the most beautiful one in the entire world. Antigua is one of the world's most famous sources of coffee beans so coffee culture is taken very seriously here. The very first Starbucks in Guatemala was opened in Antigua as a nod to the region's importance.
El Bowl
Located at: 1a Calle Poniente 25
After we finished our overnight hike to the Acatenango Volcano, we came here for a big lunch spread to refuel. El Bowl offers a casual Asian fusion menu; I recommend the summer rolls and the pad thai!
Street Food at Iglesia de la Merced
Located at: 1a Calle Poniente
Super cheap, super fresh and super delicious is the best way to describe the Guatemalan street food found in the evenings outside the colourful Iglesia de la Merced. You'll need to do your best with ordering in Spanish here!
Before you start shopping, since most transactions are in cash in Guatemala, head to the BAC ATM on the edge of the Parque Central, the only ATM I found on in Guatemala that didn't charge a fee for cash withdrawals!
BAC ATM
Guatemala in general is known for fantastic shopping and especially for secondhand clothes. While in Antigua, make sure to visit Xibalba, a beautiful concept store. We found a secondhand closet shop upstairs and I snagged a gorgeous 100% wool cardigan for the cooler evenings.
I also recommend stopping in at the massive market where the locals do all their shopping from clothes to household goods and every fruit and vegetable you can imagine.
Xibalba
Mercado Central
I truly loved Antigua. It is such a gorgeous, welcoming city and you can spend days just wandering the little streets, popping into cute cafes and boutiques and visiting museums and viewpoints. We only had two full days in Antigua and I wish I had had more! Here is my guide for everything I did while in the city:
Wander the colourful streets
My favourite thing to do in any new place is simply to wander around, turning left and right down whichever street takes my fancy and get a bit acquainted with the area. I loved walking through the colourful streets of Antigua with its colourful buildings, cobblestoned roads and pretty flowers.
Walk under the famous Arco de Santa Catalina
The Arco de Santa Catalina is probably the single most famous spot in all of Antigua, its sweeping yellow archway popular with photographers at all hours of the day. The arch was built in 1694 at the end of the 17th century, connecting the Convento de Santa Catalina to the school across the road so that nuns could go between the buildings in privacy.
See the yellow Iglesia de la Merced
Built by architect Juan de Dios Estrada from 1749, this beautiful church and convent features bright yellow exterior walls. Just six years after construction was completed, strong earthquakes rocked the region which the church withstood thanks to the use of the latest construction methods. There are often markets to be found in the gardens outside with trinkets, souvenirs and delicious street food.
Take in the view from Cerro de la Cruz
This is the best viewpoint in the entire city of Antigua. A short hike up a hill from Gradas del Cerro de la Cruz brings you to an incredible view over Antigua with the majestic Volcan Agua standing in the backdrop.
Looking down 1a Avenida Nte from Gradas del Cerro de la Cruz
The walking path up to Cerro de la Cruz
Visit the Convento de Santa Clara
This was definitely one of my favourite discoveries of Antigua. The Convento de Santa Clara is a gorgeous former convent, opened in 1700 and destroyed not much later by an earthquake in 1773. The ruins are in impressive shape today and have been beautifully restored as a popular event and wedding venue. For a few dollars, you can visit the convent and wander at leisure through the grounds, learning the history and snapping photographs of arguably the most aesthetically beautiful building in Antigua!
→ Check out my guide to visiting the Convento de Santa Clara!
Wander the Parque Central de Antigua Guatemala
This park is located in the centre of Antigua and is a hub of markets, pigeons bathing in the fountain, locals cooling themselves in the shade and simply beautiful greenery. I spent a pleasant few hours just wandering this park, soaking in the beauty. It's like a little oasis in the heart of busy Antigua.
You can see the Fuego Volcano smoking from Antigua!
Do an overnight hike to the Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes
One of the main reasons people come to Antigua is as a starting point to hike the incredible and active Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes. This is a strenuous and rewarding hike and it was a highlight of my entire Central America trip.
→ Check out my complete guide to hiking Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes!
Acatenango base camp
Fuego Volcano
Sunrise from Acatenango
We spent 10 days exploring Gustemala as part of a backpacking trip through Central America. I wrote a complete guide on how to visit Guatemala, including:
- where to go in Guatemala
- how to get around
- where to stay
- where to eat
- all the best things to see and do in Guatemala
→ Check out my complete guide on how to spend 10 days in Guatemala!
Acatenango and Fuego Volcano Hike
Lake Atitlán
Flores
Tikal
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
