7 Incredible Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
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If you are planning a trip to Guatemala, I am sure you have the colonial city Antigua on top of your to-do list.
In this blog post I share 7 incredible things to do in and around Antigua that you can´t miss!
7. Have a cocktail at the secret bar Ulew
Antigua
Antigua is a very pretty colonial city in Guatemala and probably the most touristy area in the country. You will have to add Antigua to your Guatemala itinerary!
A main reason for that is Antigua´s proximity to some of the country´s most exciting volcanoes.
Popular trips from Antigua to surrounding volcanoes include the Pacaya volcano (having pizza baked over lava here is one of my favorite bucketlist experiences in Guatemala) as well as the famous Acatenango hike.
From the top of volcano Acatenango you can witness the most insane eruptions of neighboring volcano Fuego. Don´t miss out on this once in a lifetime experience.
However not only the surrounding volcanoes are worth a visit, also Antigua itself has many great places to see and things to do.
Strolling through the colorful roads in downtown and taking pictures at the famous Santa Catalina Arch with volcan de Agua in the background are some of my favorites.
How to get to Antigua?
As Antigua is the most popular place in Guatemala, it is quite easy to get here from basically anywhere in the country.
Antigua is located relatively close to Guatemala City (about 40 minutes drive), so even if you arrive to Guatemala City by plane, it will be easy to make your way to Antigua.
Where to stay in Antigua?
Because of Antigua´s size and popularity there are lots of accommodation options.
Budget-friendly stays & hostels:
Mid-Range hotels:
Luxury lodges & stays:
1. Hike volcano Acatenango
One of my favorite bucketlist experiences in Guatemala and definitely one of the most incredible things to do in Antigua.
Hiking the Acatenango volcano should be on the top of your priority list when visiting Antigua.
Even though this hike is hard and requires a lot of effort, the views of neighboring erupting volcano Fuego are 1000% worth it!
You will hike uphill for basically the entire duration of the hike and probably you will feel like giving up and turning around at many points as well, but again – it´s all worth it.
This hike is a 2-day, 1-night adventure and you will camp at about 3700 m with incredible views of erupting volcano Fuego.
Tours mostly include meals (lunch, dinner and breakfast) as well as the tents and sleeping bags. Make sure to check in advance what is included and compare different operators.
You can´t miss out on the opportunity to hike volcano Acatenango when in Antigua!
See a more detailed blog post about this bucketlist hike HERE.
2. Visit Hobbitenango
A hobbit village in Guatemala? Yep! Hobbitenango is located about 15 minutes from downtown Antigua. A visit to this unique place is definitely one of the best things to do in Antigua.
If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings, you need to visit! Even if not (like me) it is well worth a visit. The village is full of great photo spots.
On a clear day you have amazing views of the surrounding volcanoes. Unfortunately, when I visited it was SO FOGGY, we could not see anything from the view but it gave the place kind of a mystical and moody vibe, which was nice as well!
The entrance fee is 50 Quetzales/ 8 USD (based on my visit in 2022). Make sure to visit in the morning, because the place is gaining popularity fast and especially on weekends, it can get pretty crowded.
At Hobbitenango they have several trails for walking and hiking, viewspoints, a restaurant as well as a few accommodation options.
If you want to take some cool photos or just enjoy the views from up here, make sure to visit this incredible place in Antigua! You can visit Hobbitenango also as part of a tour.
3. Have brunch at Caoba farms
If you want to have an incredible feast while in Antigua – this is the place for you! Caoba farms is located only 10 minutes from downtown Antigua but gives you the feeling of being in the middle of nature, far from the tourist crowds in Antigua.
They have a huge menu with lots of different dishes, all ingredients organically produced on their farm. The portions are HUGE and we ordered way too much, but absolutely enjoyed everything we had!
They also have a great selection of smoothies and juices!
Once you are done with your meal, you can have a walk around the farm, look at how they grow things and feed some of their animals.
I love their mission of sustainable farming and everyone was very welcoming and super nice!
Definitely not to be missed, one of my favorite things to do in Antigua.
4. Hike volcano Pacaya
This volcano is, after Fuego, one of the most active ones in the country.
We hired a guide to do the hike up the volcano (which is required, you cannot hike by yourself).
The hike itself is not too difficult (especially compared to the Acatenango hike) and only takes about 1 ½ hours.
Once at the top (which is not actually the very top of the volcano), there is a small souvenir shop and an area with small tables arranged in the lava rocks and a small stand with a man called David, making pizza baked over lava! Yes, you heard that right!
You can have pizza on top of volcano Pacaya, one of my favorite bucketlist experiences in Guatemala!
We (4 persons) shared one large pizza, the price was about 30 USD, had to be paid to David directly. Yes, quite expensive but also so cool!
I am sharing the Whatsapp contact for both down here, in case you are interested:
- Jymmy – tour guide: +502 37374128
- David – pizza: +502 57430259
Another famous thing on the Pacaya volcano is to grill marshmallows.
5. Visit the earthlodge
The earthlodge is little piece of paradise not far from Antigua. It´s located about 20 minutes from town, with incredible views of the surrounding volcanoes.
There are many different reasons to visit the earthlodge. They have some of the most unique accommodation options in Guatemala (treehouses, a-frame cabins and more), a restaurant with DELICIOUS meals, walking trails in the midst of nature, yoga classes and a temazcal.
I stayed here as part of a collaboration for 3 nights in their famous treehouse. Such a COOL PLACE TO STAY. Not luxury by any means but so beautiful and unique.
The views on a clear day are incredible and you can even see volcano Fuego erupt in the distance.
If you arrive to the earthlodge with your rental car, you need to park at a paid parking lot of a local family (about 7 USD per 24 hours) and walk the steep way down to the earthlodge. And of course back up again 😊
Make sure to pay them a visit, even if only for a meal, you won´t regret it!
The earthlodge is also located quite close to Hobbitenango, so you can easily combine a visit at both of these places.
6. Explore downtown Antigua
Antigua is a really pretty colonial city, with colorful houses and cobblestone roads.
There are beautiful photospots around every corner and exploring downtown is definitely one of the best things to do in Antigua!
Take at least a few hours to get lost in the roads and take some picture at the iconic Santa Catalina arch, the most photographed landmark in Antigua. On a clear day, volcano Agua can be seen behind the arch, which makes it an incredible photo motive.
Downtown Antigua is home to many many restaurants, bars and shops. You won´t get bored strolling around for hours. Make sure to also add the local main square, cathedral and market to your downtown itinerary.
If you´re into coffee, check out the Starbucks in town, it´s the most beautiful Starbucks I´ve ever seen!
As Antigua is very touristy, prices are also quite high here compared to most other parts of Guatemala.
Make sure to check out some good local restaurants like Casa de Sopa and Rincon Antigueno.
7. Have a cocktail at the secret bar Ulew
This place is such a hidden gem! Like actually hidden.
For people who don´t know the place exists, it´s pretty much impossible to find it accidentally.
The entrance is a phone booth inside the Antigua Cerveca: Cerveteca.
Walking into the place through the phone booth and finding this cute little cocktail bar is such a cool experience!
The bar does not have a menu, but instead you tell the bartender which flavors you like and he mixes something for you.
Ulew has a very limited amout of seats (probably 10 or so), so try to come at times that might be less busy, so before dinner time for example.
Cocktails here are (for Guatemalan prices) quite pricey, however you pay for the experience as well and I highly recommend having a great cocktail or two at this hidden bar!
Antigua definitely has some incredible things to do! I hope you added some of these things to your bucketlist and are ready to explore Antigua and it´s surroundings!
Make sure to check out other Guatemala blog posts to help plan your perfect trip:
