It’s no secret I don’t love Antigua. I find it to be too touristy, with contrived experiences and inflated prices at “local” eateries now teeming with foreigners. I was not overly thrilled when I found myself in Antigua while in transit multiple times on my second and third trips to Guatemala. However, after numerous visits I will say Antigua is growing on me a little. I even found some agreeable things to do, and places to eat that felt less forced. To be clear, most of them took place just outside the city.
Ciudad Vieja
Ciudad Vieja is just a quick 10 minute or so chicken bus ride (or about an hour walk, for those who like exercise or are really just that cheap (read: me)). I walked there and took the bus back as it was getting a bit dark and well, you know, safety. The little town has a picturesque church and plaza, New Central Park Old Town. I had some excellent (and normally-priced) street food. While wandering around I also discovered an old cemetery, located behind an old playground, and an unexpectedly-fancy brewery, Cerveceria 14.
The town is known for coffin [and furniture, but that’s boring] making, as well as chicken bus repairs. There is a tour online which allows you to visit these places, and although this one is for a good cause (a local nonprofit), I prefer to attempt it out on my own. Wandering down the streets there are opportunities to see the coffin making…if you poke your head in enough shops, you’ll find one. As for the chicken bus repair, that was a little trickier. I saw some junkyards/repair yards with old buses around town and peered into one when no one was looking. I also glimpsed one from the bus slightly outside of town, nearby to a place called Jardin La Joya Alotenango.
Jocotenango
I walked here early one morning, and it felt like another place entirely despite its proximity to Antigua. The town is colorful, and the mountain begins to rise behind it. I walked up into a neighborhood, and along my route came across some lovely street art and people. Also a public laundry area and a muddy construction site. There is a cool cemetery, Cementerio de Jocotenango (ok yes I like cemeteries), as well as a coffee plantation called Finca La Azotea. I stopped for a Guatemalan coffee in the lush green atmosphere; the only patron as I arrived the literal minute it opened. I promptly displayed my inability to hold a cup, spilled boiling hot coffee on myself and incurring a casual burn.
More Towns Near Antigua
There are a few other towns you can walk to or take a very quick chicken bus ride to – San Juan del Obispo and San Pedro Las Huertas and San Lorenzo El Cubo. Right outside Antigua there is also Nestle Antigua (unclear if you can go inside, but I would perhaps attempt). I really like Guatemala City, so I’d say that although most people skip it, that’s a good alternative to Antigua, too. (link)
Kind of OK Things in To Do in Antigua
While I’m writing this post, I might as well mention some of the things in Antigua that I actually do like. There is the Mercado Central which has some pretty good items on offer. I also am obsessed with the food vendors at Parque La Merced. Visiting one of the many convents is somewhat cool…the first time around. The small hike up to Cerro de La Cruz isn’t bad, either, and offers a cool view of the city for free.
I do not usually write about food recommendations, but I will note that amidst the innumerable tourist places in Antigua, it is possible to find some good food. If you’re feeling hungry, you can read about those here →
