Beautiful, chaotic, surprisingly good coffee, and one very ill-advised volcano climb.
Antigua is a beautiful, slow-humming Yussef Dayes track of a city. So, while reading this, perhaps put on Raisins Under the Sun by Yussef Dayes feat. Shabaka Hutchings to set the mood.
I ended up in Guatemala because I was lucky enough to secure a remote job in 2024, making a trip that combined work meetings in Mexico and Guatemala suddenly much more feasible. With Qantas points and Amex credits, the flights were essentially free, which made the decision considerably easier.
We split the month between Antigua, Lake Atitlán and El Paredón before heading to Mexico for work.
What We Expected
We expected beautiful colonial architecture, volcanoes, good food and a relatively easy-going Central American adventure.
We got most of that. The food was a little more complicated.
We also hadn’t planned on climbing a volcano. That was very much a “why not?” decision that became considerably less funny about four hours in.
What Actually Happened
Antigua sits in a spectacular valley surrounded by towering peaks, including Mount Acatenango and the actively erupting Volcán de Fuego. The city itself is historically significant and ridiculously photogenic.
We stayed at two hostels, Casi Casa and Maya Papaya. Both were excellent — clean, affordable and with genuinely great staff. Casi Casa even had a sauna. The shared dorms, however, reminded me that I am apparently too old to be locking up my belongings every time I leave a room.
The food was less successful. I found much of the local Guatemalan food surprisingly bland, although I accept that my Guatemalan friends may strongly disagree.
Our culinary highlights therefore became Starbucks, McDonald’s and Taco Bell. Antigua’s Starbucks is actually the company’s 1,500th store in Latin America, housed inside a beautiful historic colonial building. The local McDonald’s is equally bizarrely impressive, with an enormous courtyard and views towards Agua Volcano. These aren’t your standard Swanston Street specials.
For a proper meal, Masil, the Korean restaurant next to Casi Casa, was the standout. The owner is an American-Korean immigrant, and her bibimbap and pork mandu dumplings were excellent.
Then came Acatenango.
What began as an impulse decision became an eight-hour vertical punishment at high altitude. We climbed for around eight hours and descended for another four, carrying four litres of water each and all our own gear. We finished second-to-last in our group.
Beautiful? Absolutely. Fun? At times. Would I do it again? Ask me after my legs recover.
The Place TLDR
Where: Antigua, Guatemala
How to get there: Fly into Guatemala City, then take a car to Antigua.
How long: 5-7 days in Antigua; longer if combining with Lake Atitlán or El Paredón.
Best time: January was crisp in the mornings and warm during the day.
Difficulty: Easy in Antigua; very hard for Acatenango.
GE-YO GOOD TO KNOW
Don’t miss: The colonial architecture, coffee and Masil.
Worth the money? Absolutely. Antigua offers beautiful accommodation and experiences at relatively low prices.
What we’d do differently: Book the volcano trek ahead of time and research the tour operator first.
One tip: If climbing Acatenango, spend a couple of days acclimatising first. Fuego erupts frequently, and conditions can change quickly. Consider whether climbing it is smart at all.
Would We Do It Again?
Yes, Antigua is absolutely worth visiting, particularly if you’re already travelling through Central America. It suits people who like beautiful cities, outdoor adventures, coffee and a little chaos. It probably won’t suit anyone looking for a completely relaxing holiday. And Acatenango? I’m glad I did it. I just don’t need to prove anything to that mountain ever again.