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Voykit pocket guide · Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala
Antigua is a walk-in-the-morning town: see the ruins and churches before 11:00, rest at midday, eat early, and take a pre-booked shuttle to and from the airport instead of a taxi hailed at the door.
Antigua is a small colonial grid about an hour from Guatemala City's airport, with ruined churches, a market and views of the Agua, Fuego and Acatenango volcanoes. Cobbled streets are slow for wheeled bags, the town is safest in the centre by day, and the volcano hikes and the Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint are guide-only. Four small clusters cover a first visit, and it is the base for Lake Atitlán by shuttle.
- Country
- Guatemala
- Local name
- La Antigua Guatemala
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- America/Guatemala
- Stay
- 1 days: Parque Central, the cathedral ruins and La Merced in one morning
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GTQ
- Money
- Cash for the market, comedores, tuk-tuks and small shops; cards in hotels, mid-range restaurants and larger shops. Carry small quetzal notes — street vendors and tuk-tuks struggle to change large bills.
- Daily spend
- Budget Q250–400 excl. bed · Mid Q400–900 excl. bed · High Q900+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a tourist SIM from a carrier store in town or at La Aurora airport (passport needed).
- Emergency
- Police (PNC) 110 · Tourist police (POLITUR) 1500 · Fire / ambulance (Bomberos Voluntarios) 122
- Plugs
- 120 V; US-style two-pin sockets (type A/B). No adapter needed for US plugs; everyone else needs one.
- Tipping
- Not expected at market stalls. About 10% in sit-down restaurants if service is not already added; round up tuk-tuk and shuttle drivers, and Q50–100 for a day guide.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water.
- Toilets
- Cafés, hotels and museums; carry tissues and hand gel — public toilets are scarce.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café con leche) | Q15–30 |
| Comedor lunch plate (market) | Q25–50 |
| Sit-down restaurant meal, per person | Q80–200 |
| Tuk-tuk ride across town | Q10–25 |
| Shuttle to Guatemala City airport | Q100–200 per person |
| Shuttle to Lake Atitlán | Q100–180 per person |
| Museum or church entry | Q10–80 |
| Guided Pacaya volcano tour | Q150–300 per person |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- La Aurora International Airport (GUA), Guatemala City
- GUA to Antigua: one pre-booked shuttle or private car, about an hour for 45 km — the risk is a late landing with no ride arranged and a night drive out of the city.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| La Aurora International Airport (GUA) | All international and most domestic flights | Shared shuttle Q100–200 per person, or a private car; book ahead rather than arranging on arrival. |
| Shuttle vans (door to door) | Guatemala City airport, Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, other tourist towns | Already there |
| Camionetas (chicken buses) | Guatemala City and nearby towns, cheaply | Already there |
Typical fares
- La Aurora airport → Antigua, shared shuttle
- Q100–200, about 1–1.5 h
- Tuk-tuk across town
- Q10–25
Get around
Walk inside the colonial grid — almost everything is under 15 minutes on foot. Tuk-tuks and taxis cover longer hops and night trips; shuttle vans handle anything outside town.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Everywhere inside the grid |
| Tuk-tuk (mototaxi) | Q10–25 across town | Longer hops, bags, after dark |
| Taxi | Higher than a tuk-tuk; agree first | Airport-style comfort, luggage, night rides |
| Shuttle van | Q100–200 depending on destination | Guatemala City, Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango and other towns |
| Camioneta (chicken bus) | Very cheap | Confident short hops without luggage |
| Rental car | — | Not recommended for the town itself |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Tuk-tuks and taxis are cheap; agree the fare before you get in.
- Late at night
- No rail. Tourist shuttles to Guatemala City, the airport and Lake Atitlán run by day; book the ride back before you go out at night.
See and do
01The Santa Catalina Arch at sunriseArco de Santa Catalina
The single most-used photo of Antigua — the yellow arch framing Agua Volcano, emptiest before 08:00.
Hours: best 07:00–08:30 · Price: Free · Time: 10–15 min
02Cathedral ruins on Parque CentralRuinas de la Catedral de San José
Roofless naves and cracked arches from the 1773 earthquake, a short walk from anywhere in town.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Small fee for the ruined section · Time: 20–30 min
03La Merced ChurchIglesia de la Merced
The most photographed church façade in Antigua, still active and in use.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Small donation · Time: 20–30 min
04Santo Domingo convent-hotel museumsConvento de Santo Domingo
A ruined convent turned luxury hotel with small art and archaeology collections open to day visitors.
Hours: best Any time · Price: Entry fee, check · Time: 45–90 min
05Pacaya Volcano half-day hike
The most accessible volcano experience near Antigua — roast marshmallows over volcanic heat with a guide.
Hours: best Afternoon tours · Price: Q150–300 · Time: Half day
06Cerro de la Cruz
The classic overlook of Antigua's roofs against Agua Volcano; go with a guide or group.
Hours: best Morning, guided · Price: Free; tour fee if guided · Time: 30–45 min · 14.5647, -90.7328
07Coffee-farm tour
Walk the rows and taste the cup in one of the best-known coffee valleys in the world.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Q80–200 · Time: 2–3 h
08Crafts MarketMercado de Artesanías
Textiles, jade and wooden crafts under one roof for a calmer browse than the street market.
Hours: best Late morning · Price: Free to browse · Time: 30–60 min · 14.5573, -90.7361
09Chocolate-making workshop
Bean to bar in about ninety minutes; a good rain-hour or kid-friendly stop.
Hours: best Any time · Price: Q100–200 · Time: 1.5–2 h
10Acatenango overnight hike
A hard climb, rewarded by watching Fuego erupt after dark across the ridge.
Hours: best Dry season, Nov–Apr · Price: Q400–800 · Time: Overnight
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Atitlán (Panajachel) | Shuttle van, about 2.5–3 h each way | Full day, better as an overnight |
| Chichicastenango market | Shuttle or tour, about 2–2.5 h each way | Full day — leave 07:00–08:00 |
| Pacaya Volcano | Tour van about 1 h, then a 1.5–2 h guided hike | Half day |
| Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango kite festival | Car or tour, about 45–60 min | Half day, 1 November only |
| Guatemala City (museums, markets) | Shuttle or car, about 45–60 min | Full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market comedores | Pepián or hilachas plate with rice and tortillas · Mercado Terminal | Q25–45 | Budget |
| Street tamales and chuchitos | Corn-dough parcels wrapped in leaf or husk · Street carts citywide, evenings | Q5–10 each | Budget |
| Licuados and atol stalls | Fruit shakes, corn-based atol drinks · Market and street corners | Q8–15 | Budget |
| Doña Luisa Xicotencatl | Guatemalan breakfast and lunch plates · Parque Central area | Q60–120 | Mid-range |
| Café Condesa | Coffee, baked goods, light lunch · Parque Central | Q50–150 | Mid-range |
| Fridas | Mexican-Guatemalan menu, cocktails · Near La Merced | Q100–200 | Mid-range |
| Fine-dining restaurants in colonial courtyards | Modern Guatemalan or international tasting menus · Around Parque Central and Santo Domingo | Q300–700 (check) | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate in quetzales. Addresses and hours change — check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | Q60–100 dorm bed · Q150–300 double | Parque Central, Mercado Terminal side | Hostels, family guesthouses |
| mid | Q400–900 | Parque Central, La Merced | Boutique colonial-courtyard hotels |
| splurge | Q1,500–4,000+ | Santo Domingo | Restored-convent luxury hotels |
Per room per night in quetzales, 2026 estimate; Semana Santa and Christmas–New Year add 50–150% and book out months ahead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much is this? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Not spicy, please | No picante, por favorno pee-KAHN-teh por fah-VOR |
| Delicious! | ¡Qué rico!keh REE-koh |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Please take me to this address | Lléveme a esta dirección, por favorYEH-veh-meh ah ES-tah dee-rek-see-OHN por fah-VOR |
| Stop here, please | Pare aquí, por favorPAH-reh ah-KEE por fah-VOR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Churches: Shoulders covered is appreciated; remove hats inside active churches during services.
- Photographing people: Ask before photographing Maya women and children up close, especially in markets; a polite request is usually enough.
- Ruins: Do not climb on unstable walls or lean on fragile stonework — pieces have collapsed before.
- Tipping: About 10% in sit-down restaurants if service is not already added; round up for tuk-tuk and shuttle drivers.
- Bargaining: Haggle with a smile in the market; never at a shop with printed prices or a restaurant menu.
- Volcano etiquette: Stay with your guide and on the marked path — eruptions and loose volcanic scree are real hazards, not photo props.
Red lines
- Ask permission before photographing people, especially Maya women and children.
- Dress modestly in churches; no photos during services.
- Do not climb on ruins or lean on fragile walls.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unmetered tuk-tuk rides with no price agreed first: agree the fare before you get in.
- Unregistered "guides" offering volcano or ruin tours on the street: book through a hotel or established operator instead.
- Shuttle tickets sold well under every other agency's price for the same route: book through your hotel or a known agency with written confirmation.
- Vendors at the crafts market opening with a price two to three times the going rate: counter at about half and settle in the middle.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover between Guatemala City and Lake Atitlán. Skip: A volcano hike — it needs a half day or more on its own.
- 07:30The arch before the crowds
- 08:30La Merced church
- 09:30Cathedral ruins and Parque Central
- 11:00Crafts market browse
- 12:30Comedor lunch
- 14:30Santo Domingo museums (indoor, storm-proof)
2 days
A first visit with time for one activity. Skip: Doing Pacaya and Acatenango on the same trip without a rest day.
Day 1 — Parque Central and La Merced
- 08:30Cathedral ruins
- 10:00Walk north to the arch and La Merced
- 12:30Lunch near the plaza
- 15:00Chocolate-making workshop
Day 2 — Santo Domingo and a volcano afternoon
- 09:00Santo Domingo convent-museums
- 13:00Pacaya volcano half-day tour departs
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Guatemala Tourism Board, INGUAT (official): www.visitguatemala.com/
- Wikivoyage — Antigua Guatemala: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Antigua_Guatemala
- Wikivoyage — Guatemala: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Guatemala
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Antigua GuatemalaLa Antigua Guatemala
Lléveme a esta dirección, por favor
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Arco de Santa CatalinaSanta Catalina Arch
- Ruinas de la Catedral de San JoséCathedral of San José ruins
- Iglesia de la MercedLa Merced Church
- Convento de Santo DomingoSanto Domingo convent and museums
- Mercado de ArtesaníasCrafts Market
Most embassies are in Guatemala City, not Antigua; write your own embassy's line below before you travel.
Show the street and house number; the colonial grid (avenida/calle + compass point) is what drivers use.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/antigua-guatemala). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.