Ruins, Volcanoes and Textiles in Guatemala
Central America Part I
Cerro de la Cruz, Volcán Agua.
Church and Convent of Santa Clara Ruins, Antigua
Central America Part I
Guatemala
July 15 - 18, 2017
When deciding where to go in Guatemala, we kept going back and forth between Tikal and Antigua. Many of my friends had recommended Antigua, so we took the advice and decided to start our 15 day trip throughout Central America in Antigua. (To follow our entire journey check out my Costa Rica & Nicaragua post)
Antigua is a small city in Guatemala surrounded by volcanoes. It is famous for its Spanish influenced architecture, as well as its colonial ruins following the 1773 earthquake.
Lago Atitlán, Guatemala
Our Journey.
We flew from Oakland to Guatemala with Volaris and paid $156 (one way). Volaris has good deals, but everything is extra, food, luggage, seat assignments, etc. Since we only took a backpack with us, we were able to save on that. From the airport we took a cab that we shared with two other tourists to Antigua. The cab ride was equivalent to $10 USD per person, and due to traffic in the city, it took us about an hour plus to get to Antigua.
Our Stay.
We stayed at the cutest Boutique hotel called; Good Hotel Antigua. I booked the hotel thru Expedia. We paid about $300 for 3 nights for 2 people. Great location, the hotel was walking distance to everything.
Must Do’s.
First day we walked around Antigua. Tho it is not a huge town, there are so many places to see. To start you can’t miss the opportunity to check out the ruins. If you are interested you can ask someone at the ruins to give you a tour and explain the history of the building. Payments are based on tips, so definitely worth checking it out.
If you are up for a short hike, I recommend you check out “El Cerro de la Cruz.” You can see the whole town of Antigua, including an amazing view of Volcan Agua. Warning, do not go there at night.
Surrounded by Giants
Lago Atitlán, Guatemala
Antigua.
You cannot leave Antigua without going to Lago Atitlán, we got a tour of one of the shops near our hotel. Our tour took us to three different areas, Santiago Atitlán, San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna. During our tour, we did coffee tasting, visited some galleries and learned about homemade textiles. I have attached a really cool video of my experience, learning how to make thread from cotton.
Try the coffee!!
Don't leave Lago Atitlán without enjoying a cup of coffee, as well as learning about the process.
Best Must Eats.
Every place in Guatemala is delicious. Definitely taste the Pepián and eat popusas. My favorite place in Guatemala was Frida’s. I ordered the Octopus tostadas, they were to die for. Not to mention the black corn tortillas, are also delicious.
What is Pepian?
Pepián is a traditional stew. It is meaty and spicy, it reminded me a little of mole. The consistency is a thick and it's often served as one meat, that could be either chicken, beef or pork. All you need to enjoy this dish is a side of rice, and tortillas. Your trip will not be complete if you don't try this delicious dish.
QUICK LINKS:
Airline: Volaris https://www.volaris.com/
Hotel: Good Hotel Antigua http://www.goodhotelantigua.com/
Restaurant: Frida's https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g295366-d1636200-Reviews-FRIDAS-Antigua_Sacatepequez_Department.html
OVERALL COSTS
Volaris Flight: $156 one way PP. Save money by NOT checking a bag.
Good Hotel Antigua: $300 for 3 nights - 2 people ($50 per night PP)
Tour to Lago Atitlan: $70 PP
Total: $526 ($263 PP)