Antigua’s cobblestone streets are lined with charming architecture patterned in faint pastel colours. The town’s parks and plazas are dotted with great fallen pillars, the remnants of the 1773 earthquake. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city has been protected from the scars of neon signs and modern tower blocks, frozen in the 17th century colonial era. Days are spent wandering through a maze of ornate churches, bell-towered cathedrals, archways and convents; tied in with stops at our favourite craft shops, cafes, courtyard restaurants and artisan workshops.
Colour bursts from every corner of this small town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. From traditional Guatemalan dress, street-food vendors smoking deep red tortillas, and buzzing markets where you can haggle for crafts and textiles from dawn to dusk. A couple of nights exploring by bike, getting your first taste for the local food, hiking nearby volcanoes, enjoying leisurely rooftop breakfasts from your boutique hotel and visiting the surrounding coffee plantations, makes a great start to a journey through Guatemala.