For our family and friends from out of town, we want you to enjoy Guate as locals. Here are some of our favorite spots to eat, drink, and explore in Antigua.

What to Do & See

Parque Central (Central Park): One of our favorite things to do! Grab a coffee or an ice cream, find a bench, and enjoy some people-watching!

Pacaya Volcano: Hike to the top and enjoy some lava-cooked pizza! There are also ATV (4×4 quad bike) tours that take you through the volcanic landscape.

Acatenango Volcano: Definitely more hardcore than Pacaya - a challenging overnight hike. You'll camp facing the constantly erupting Fuego Volcano, the views are worth it!

Santa Catalina Arch: Antigua's most iconic landmark. Originally built so cloistered nuns could cross between buildings without going outside.

La Merced Church: A stunning yellow church with beautiful architecture (it looks like it was decorated with royal icing!). Make sure to check out the roof and the courtyard behind it!

Nim Po't: A great place to shop for handmade textiles, souvenirs, ceramics, and traditional Guatemalan crafts.

Doña María Gordillo: An Antigua institution - a tiny historic shop famous for traditional Guatemalan candies. They've been making them since 1872.

ChocoMuseo: Learn about cacao and make your own chocolate during one of their fun workshops.

Casa del Jade: Discover why jade was so important to the Maya, visit the museum, or even carve your own jade piece. You can also get amazing already made pieces!

Coffee Tour: Guatemala produces some of the world's best coffee! Several nearby coffee farms offer tours where you can learn about the entire coffee-making process (and enjoy plenty of tastings!).

Shopping: Antigua is full of well-curated design shops, vintage stores, leather goods, handmade crafts, and the prettiest textiles. Some of our favorites are Xibalba, Wakami, Taraba, Marias Handcrafted Goods, Aruma, Luna Zorro, Estudio Gascon and The Leather House.

Casa Santo Domingo: Part luxury hotel, part museum, and part historic ruins. Definitely worth visiting, even if you're not staying there. The spa is insane! Totally worth it!

Walking Tour: One of the best ways to learn about Antigua's fascinating history while exploring the city with a local guide.

ATV Mountain Tour: A fun way to explore the mountains surrounding Antigua while visiting scenic viewpoints and nearby villages.

Hobbitenango: Basically, the Guatemalan Shire 😜 A mountain park inspired by The Hobbit, with incredible views, giant swings and restaurants.

Canopy Tour: Zipline through the forests surrounding Antigua for a fun adventure with incredible scenery.

Food and drinks

Breakfast

  • Cafe Boheme

  • Caoba Farms

  • AMBreakfast

  • Union Cafe

  • Zenique

  • El Comalote

  • Los Tres Tiempos

Lunch & dinner

  • La Cuevita de Los Urquizú (Real traditional Guatemalan food, very tasty! Best for lunch.)

  • Tartines (A special place for us, this is where Carlos asked Ariane to be his girlfriend 12 years ago 💁🏻‍♀️ Pretty good French cuisine, with stunning views of the illuminated ruins, just wow! Best for dinner.)

  • Fridas (Great Mexican food! The margaritas are pretty good!)

  • Nanik (One of Antigua's best restaurants. Modern Guatemalan cuisine - if you're looking for a special dinner, this is it!)

  • Suelo Vinos (Best pizza in Antigua!)

  • Kombu Ramen Shop (Seriously good ramen!)

  • Barriga Llena (A fun spot serving street food from around the world!)

  • Clio’s (Fusion cuisine... we know "fusion cuisine" sounds a little pretentious 💁🏻‍♀️ but the food is seriously soo good!)

  • Nokiate (Great Asian food 🤤 One of our favorites!)

  • Santo Espiritu (Italian food. The food’s great and the place is pretty!)

  • Masil (Awesome Korean food!)

Coffee

  • Cafe 12 Onzas

  • Fat Cat Coffee house

  • Cafe Raiz

  • Artista de Cafe

Bars & Rooftops

Guatemala has a lot to offer! If you have a few extra days, we highly recommend exploring some of the country's other incredible destinations, like:

  • Tikal (an ancient Maya city hidden in the rainforest)

  • Lake Atitlán (just wow! A breathtaking lake surrounded by volcanoes)

  • Semuc Champey (a series of stunning turquoise limestone pools nestled in the jungle)

  • Río Dulce (a stunning tropical river where the jungle meets the Caribbean, you can visit Livingston or continue on to Belize)

  • El Paredón on the Pacific Coast (take a surfing class and help release baby sea turtles!)

*If you'd like help planning your trip, feel free to contact Gaby from Global Travel at +34 603 806 941 or gaby@globaltravel.com.gt

She can help you book flights, arrange transportation within Guatemala, and organize tours, activities, etc :)