5 days in Antigua

Day by day

1. Day 1: Parque Central and Antigua Cathedral

   Parque Central, Antigua Cathedral and Casa Santo Domingo, then Santa Catalina Arch in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Parque Central

      Sit on the upper arcade of the city hall side late in the afternoon for a view across the square to Volcán de Agua. (30–60 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Antigua Cathedral

      Enter the ruins from the side street, 5a Calle Oriente, and look up at the collapsed domes, where carved stucco details are still visible. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pepián

      Traditional restaurants and comedores across the centre; set-lunch comedores near the market serve it at the lowest prices.

   4. Afternoon

      Casa Santo Domingo

      Ask at reception for the museum circuit ticket; it also covers the satellite galleries the hotel runs in the same complex. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Santa Catalina Arch

      Stand a block north and shoot south towards the volcano just after sunrise, before cars and crowds fill the street.

2. Day 2: Iglesia de La Merced and Cerro de la Cruz

   Iglesia de La Merced, Cerro de la Cruz and Convento de las Capuchinas, then 5a Avenida and around Parque Central in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Iglesia de La Merced

      Pay the small fee to climb the cloister's upper level for a view over the fountain and the church domes towards Agua. (45 minutes, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Cerro de la Cruz

      Walk up in daylight with others and go early in the morning, when the air is clearest and the volcano is least likely to be in cloud. (1–1.5 hours return, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jocón

      Guatemalan restaurants and some comedor set lunches; it appears on menus alongside pepián.

   4. Afternoon

      Convento de las Capuchinas

      Go down into the vaulted basement of the round tower, where the acoustics and the ring of cells are easy to miss. (1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      5a Avenida and around Parque Central

      Rooftop bars, mezcal bars and pubs within a couple of blocks of the square, popular with travellers and language students.

3. Day 3: Iglesia de San Francisco and Tanque La Unión and Santa Clara ruins

   Iglesia de San Francisco, Tanque La Unión and Santa Clara ruins and La Recolección ruins, then Calle del Arco area in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Iglesia de San Francisco

      Visit the side museum devoted to Hermano Pedro, then walk through the monastery ruins at the back for quieter views of the church domes. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Tanque La Unión and Santa Clara ruins

      Come in the morning on a market day, when women wash clothes at the basins and the park is busiest with local families. (30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Kak'ik

      Restaurants specialising in Guatemalan cooking in the centre; less common in comedores.

   4. Afternoon

      La Recolección ruins

      Combine it with the municipal market next door, and visit in the late afternoon when low sun lights the fallen arches. (45 minutes, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Calle del Arco area

      Wine bars and cocktail bars in colonial houses near the Santa Catalina Arch, with a calmer, more grown-up crowd.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Pacaya volcano

   About 1.5 hours by shuttle each way. Getting there: Organised half-day tour with shuttle from Antigua.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Pacaya volcano

      About 1.5 hours by shuttle (Organised half-day tour with shuttle from Antigua); about 45 km.

   2. Day

      Pacaya volcano

      Pacaya is an active volcano near Guatemala City with a guided trail of about 1.5–2 hours up through farmland and forest to black lava fields. Best for families and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Antigua

      Dinner: try Desayuno chapín.

5. Day 5: Municipal market and handicraft market and Casa del Tejido Antiguo

   Municipal market and handicraft market, Casa del Tejido Antiguo and ChocoMuseo, then West side hostels in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Municipal market and handicraft market

      Monday, Thursday and Saturday are the busiest market days; bargain politely in the handicraft section, but not for food. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Casa del Tejido Antiguo

      Ask about the patterns of a specific village, such as Santiago Atitlán or San Antonio Aguas Calientes, before you visit those markets. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Desayuno chapín

      Almost every café and comedor in town serves it all morning.

   4. Afternoon

      ChocoMuseo

      Book the hands-on workshop rather than just the free exhibit; children enjoy taking home the bars they made. (2 hours for a workshop, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      West side hostels

      Hostel bars near the market host social nights, live music and drink specials for backpackers.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Centro around Parque Central keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, La Merced and Calle del Arco ($$$) suits couples, first-timers and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–14 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.3 hours in December to 13 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Antigua
• 2 days in Antigua
• 3 days in Antigua

Questions travellers ask