Antigua was one of the things that convinced me to travel to Guatemala. For whatever reason, I hadn’t ever traveled south of Texas before. Not sure if it was because I was always working or because we always traveled north to Canada to visit family instead. I was excited about exploring my first Central American country. Antigua was so gorgeous in all the photos I saw in my guidebooks and online. I loved the bold colors, the architecture, and the decayed look of the city buildings. The volcanoes in the backdrop of every photo added to the feeling of adventure.
The entire city of Antigua is a UNESCO world heritage site and has been severely impacted by earthquakes over the years. Many of the ruins have been preserved instead of being torn down, which provides ample opportunity for exploration. Unfortunately my stay here with friends only lasted a day and a half, far too little time to have solid adventures. After a boozy afternoon pub crawl, and a night’s sleep to catch up from the previous night’s overnight bus, we were on our way to Lake Atitlan to relax by the lake.
Hostel in Antigua:
I booked The Terrace Hostel on arrival in Antigua with two friends, for one night. We shared a dark, double room downstairs, near the bathroom. Not much to rave about here except a great price for those on a budget and a memorable view of Acatenango and Volcan du Fuego from the rooftop terrace.
Food in Antigua:
Dona Luisa Xicoteneatl had the best breakfast ever, so delicious. I had the eggs, black beans, and toast, a breakfast typical of Guatemala. Treat yourself to the tasty hibiscus tea – rosa de jamaica.