Antigua, The Prettiest Town in Guatemala

 I arrived at Guatemala City airport tired and jaded after approx 28 hours of travel however that wasn't enough to dull my excitement and the anticipation of traveling to five countries of Central America on an Intrepid Tours trip.

Guatemala city was an eye opener.  At 5am the traffic was already gridlocked, my driver telling me gridlock starts as early as 4.30am and some people spend up to 5 hours a day stuck in traffic. Imagine that? The buses, lit up with flashing lights and decorations making them look for all the world like mobile Christmas trees, made a cheerful sight against the rather drab city scape.

But I wasn't there to spend time in Guatemala City, I was heading 25 miles out of town to the UNESCO World Heritage city, and former capital, Antigua. My tour wasn't to start for a couple of days so I had plenty of time to explore this lovely city on my own.

Antigua

Located in the mountains of Guatemala and surrounded by three volcanoes Antigua was founded by the Spanish in 1543 so has many fine examples of buildings of Spanish Baroque design.  It is also peppered with ruins from severe earthquakes from the 18th century, which caused the capital to be moved to Guatemala City. It is widely recognised as one of the most beautiful small cities of Central America. The streets are cobble stoned, lined with colourful casas and laid out in a grid pattern making it very easy to find your way around. I couldn't wait to explore.

Santa Catalina Arch, the famous Antigua landmark

Heading off on my walk I came to the most famous symbol of Antigua, the Santa Catalina Arch which was built as a covered walkway for cloistered nuns to give them privacy from prying eyes.  Beyond the arch the 12,000ft volcano, Vulcan Awa, towers above the city.  The buttercup yellow of the arch is duplicated on the facade of the beautiful church of La Merced.  The pretty white detailing on the exterior a unique feature.

The pretty church of La Merced

Next I came to the former Jesuit monastery of Compania de Jesus. Badly damaged by earthquakes and now restored as an art gallery, events centre and conference hall it is really beautiful and in my opinion a must see. I visited the art gallery and lingered for a while in the cloisters and garden enjoying the tranquility.

The Compania de Jesus

The day was moving on so I returned to my hotel, Posadita Casa Maria Jose, to check in and then found one of the many lovely cafes nearby for lunch and coffee. Despite all that I still wanted to see I just had to rest as I was exhausted and grateful to have the next day to continue exploring the city.

My Hotel, Casa Maria Jose

My breakfast at Fernando's Kaffee ( highly recommended)

After a delicious breakfast in the pretty courtyard at Fernando's Kaffee the following morning I visited the ruins of the convent of Santa Clara.  Although there are many ruins dotted around the city this is said to be the best one to visit.  There is a modest entry fee but it is well worth it.  Despite suffering damage in earthquakes of 1717 and 1773 there is still plenty to see.  The shell of the chapel is almost complete and you can walk among the damaged cloisters and galleries. There is also a peaceful garden complete with working fountain to sit, relax and meditate in.

The ruins of Santa Clara

For people watching you can't go past the vibrant and colourful Central Plaza, a hive of activity with hawkers, traders, tourists and people simply enjoying time relaxing on benches near the fountain. Unlike other places I have visited the hawkers and traders were not pushy in fact I found all the people I met in Antigua to be friendly and polite.

  Bucket on her head, both arms full and a toddler asleep on her back.

On one side of the square are the ruins of the ornate San Jose Cathedral, its facade unspoilt. It can be visited but was closed when I was there. On another side is the arcaded City Hall Palace where the city's administration offices are housed.  I visited the Real (Royal) Palace (1743) on a third side of the square which now houses the National Museum of Art enjoying the art and artifacts on display and the lovely view across Central Plaza.

Later in the day I met my fellow travellers  and guide who would be my companions for the next 17 days as we continued on our Intrepid journey. They were an excellent group of 7 - 6 women, 1 man plus our Guatemalan guide. I could see fun times ahead. We enjoyed a meal together at a nearby restaurant and went to bed early for a 6am start the next day.

At 2am we had an authentic Antigua experience. An earthquake shook our hotel violently, a pretty scary experience as the heavy rafters above my bed creaked and moaned. Our guide told us later that these earthquakes are a regular occurrence  in Antigua. All part of the adventure  I guess.