Things To Do
Carol's Guatemala Itinerary Recs
Carol has put this itinerary together with suggestions of activities, things to do and places to visit in Guatemala
Pacaya
Hike the Volcano Pacaya and roast marshmallows in lava- you'll need around 6 hours for this activity
Restaurants
Click the "View" link below for a list of our favorite spots to eat!
La Casa del Ron
Do the Ron Zacapa flight tasting and try Smoked Cacao Old Fashioned By Zacapa. Also ask them to check out their rum cellar.
Antigua Guatemala - Things to See
Things to do: -Try Guatemalan traditional candy at Dona Maria Gordillo -Arco Santa Catalina -Iglesia San Francisco Apostol -Catedral de San Jose -Iglesia la Merced -Parque Central -Sunset At Cerro De La Cruz - it is a hike- it was recently remodeled, probably it would take a few hours -Hotel Casa Domingo- museum -Convento Santa Clara -Las Capuchinas -Ayuntamiento -Universidad San Carlos -Obras sociales hermano Pedro -Tanque la Unión -Artisan Markets: -El Mercadito -Mercado de artesanías El Carmen -Mercado Nim Pot -Mercado Municipal de Artesanías -Remains Of Cathedral De Santiago -Choco Museum -cerro santo domingo- shuttles every 20 min from casa santo domingo -El Prado - park with restaurants and bars
Coffee Shops
The culture is strong in Guatemla, centered around going for a coffee and snack with family/friends: Fat Cat Caffee El Refugio Union Cafe antigua Bella Vista Starbucks- has beautiful art, worth walking in to see the art San Martin- One of our favorite, great for coffee, breakfast, lunch, or quick snack Barista
Bars
-Antigua Cerveza- the forest -Chermol- largest selection of craft beer -La Taverna- has live music -Cafe no se- has a speakeasy mezcal bar in the back -Cafe Sky - has a nice rooftop -Antigua Brewing Company - beautiful view of antigua
Spots open after 11pm
Most bars and restuarants in Antigua close at around 11pm, but there are a few that stay open until 1am: -Las Vibras de la Casbah- has a DJ and dancing -El Barrio- it is like a courtyard with a bunch of bars, some have djs and space to dance. We went to Lava there try a Granizada de naranja with quezalteca de naranja pepita -La Sala- has salsa nights -El Ilegal bar -Monoloco Antigua -Reilly's Irish Tavern -Doce Bar - also has a DJ on the weekends -Rama Cocktail bar -Bullseye Sports Pub
Coffee Farms
Guatemala is well-renowned for its gourmet coffee. In. fact, it is one of the top ten coffee exporters in the world. And Antigua is one of Guatemala’s premier coffee-growing regions! There are a bunch of coffee farms in the vecinity of Antigua if you want to see how coffee is made: -La Azotea -Finca Filadelfia
Aldea El Hato Sacatepéquez:
It is about 15 min away from Antigua but up the mountain, the view from this area is insane and worth the trip. We tried to get there by uber but would cancel on us so better to go with a local taxi and get their number to pick you up if you want to go see some other places in the area and bring you back to Antigua -El Hato verde- reservation in advance required (through insta dm or whatsapp). www.elhatoverde.com -Hobbitenago www.hobbitenango.com no reservation needed -Alta Mira
Traditional Guatemalan Food to try
-Tradicional Guatemalan Candy (Dulces): Canillitas de leche, higos en dulce (figs), -Traditional guatemalan breakfast: eggs, refried beans, cheese, maduros, you can add steak or chorizo -Granizadas -Zapotes, chicos, jaimitos (fruits) -Mangos de paiste -Jocotes -Helados de fruta -Chocobananos -Choripan -Chuchitos -Tamales -Pepian -Chillies rellenos -Rellenitos de plátano -Tostadas con salsa, frijoles, or guacamole -Garnachas -Naranja con pepita
Lake Atitlan
The lake is formed from the caldera that resulted from the powerful Los Chocoyos eruption that occurred some 85,000 years ago. Lake Atitlán is flanked by three volcanoes: Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro — known as the Three Giants. Atitlán translates to “the place where the rainbow gets its colors.” -2.5 hours away from Antigua Guatemala -Panajachel is the easiest town to get to, you can make it your home base recommend to spend at least two nights here -There are a bunch of little town around the lake to explore, some of them only accessible by boat. You could spend a day doing this. some of the biggest towns to visit: San Pedro la Laguna, Santa Catarina Papolo, San Juan La Laguna, San Marcos La Laguna - There are also beautiful Airbnb all around the lake, just be careful and make sure you are confortable with how to get there
Tikal
Tikal was once one of the largest and most powerful cities among Mayan civilizations. Experts believe there could be ruins of as many as 3,000 structures here. For around 700 years, the city of Tikal was the Mayans’ economic and political epicenter making it the capital city during that period. -12 hour drive from Antigua Guatemala -1hr flight from Guatemala City to the Flores Airport, usually around $99 -The easiest way to Tikal is through the Town of Flores -There is a shuttle bus that runs to and from the National Park multiple times a day to Flores -The entrance fee to get into Tikal National Park is 150Q per person, which is equal to around $20 USD. Children under 12 are free. There is no way to buy tickets online (see itinerary for more info). Must bring passport to enter! -recommend booking a guided tour, some travel companies offer same day back and to tours of Tikal -There are also hotels inside the Tikal complex like the Jungle Lodge there are also hotels in Flores
Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey means “where the river hides under the earth”. In fact, it is a natural bridge formed by collapsed rocks from the surrounding hills on which natural pristine green water pools sit, while the Cahabón River runs underneath and continues its flow through the lush and green valley, home of a huge variety of birds and wild fauna. 8 Hours away from Antigua Shuttles are offered from hotels and hostels daily from Antigua to Lanquin The hike up to the viewpoint is muddy and slippery, https://www.roadaffair.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-semuc-champey/