2 Days in Antigua
Antigua is probably the top place people go to when visiting Guatemala. It is about an hour from the capital city of Guatemala City, and full of culture, incredible food, and amazing views. There are 3 volcanoes surrounding the city and vast mountains.
The city itself reminds me so much of the French Quarter in New Orleans. The Spanish architecture is so prevalent and the city feels very much like the French Quarter.
Where We Stayed
Rooftop terrace at El Convento Boutique Hotel
We stayed at El Convento Boutique Hotel. This was by far the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed at, and probably will ever stay. The least expensive room was $180/night, with the most expensive being $280… So I figured we might as well splurge a bit and get the largest room :)
We ended up leaving Lake Atitlan a day early, so we got another room a day early, and honestly both were beautiful. We had the Grand Suite and then the Grand Master Suite.
The Grand Suite was a one bedroom suite with one king bed, two chaise loungers, a fireplace, giant bathtub, separate shower, private courtyard with jacuzzi. It was amazing.
The Grand Master Suite was a 2-story suite with one king bed, two double beds upstairs (connected by a spiral staircase), 2 bathrooms with giant bathtubs, separate showers, massive vanities, and a private courtyard with jacuzzi.
The Grand Suite ended up being $285 including breakfast room service for 3, multiple waters/sodas, and taxes. The Grand Master Suite ended up being $350 with all of the extras included again. Overall, this was probably more than what I’d typically pay for hotel rooms, but I don’t regret it one bit. The whole property was incredible, the service was unparalleled, and the rooms were beautiful.
Where We Ate
We ate breakfast at the hotel both days. I got the granola and yogurt parfait the first day, then the nutella + strawberry stuffed French toast the next day.
Cameron and I had some amazing pizza and cocktails at Vice Pizzeria the first night. It’s right next to the arch that is famous in the town, but is a bit difficult to find. You need to look for Las Vibras and then go to the rooftop. It was some great Neapolitan pizza, which is my favorite.
Prior to Vice, Cameron and I went to Queso y Vino. We got the margaritas, and a board with pecorino and prosciutto with some homemade bread. It was sooo good, but very filling.
We ate dinner at Casa Escobar the first full day we were in Antigua. It was beautiful with views of some incredible ruins. It is a steak house so we started with the queso con chorizo, Cameron got the wagyu steak with mashed potatoes, then my mom and I both got the 6 oz steak filet with potatoes and veggies. We also had wine with our meal. The steak filet my mom and I got were just okay! The wagyu was amazing though. It was so tender and the presentation was beautiful.
Views from Casa Escobar
The best meal though was Bistro Cinq. It’s rare that every single thing on a menu appeals to me, but this restaurant knocked it out of the park. We got a charcuterie and wine to start. Then Cameron and I split the sirloin burger, macaroni and bacon gratin and mashed potatoes (we obviously love carbs), wedge salad, and mom got the shrimp in a lemon butter sauce. We ate every single bite.
What We Did
The most exciting thing we all did was the ATV tour with Simoon Tours. It was $65/person and 5 hours and we visited an overlook over the entire city in the mountain, a chocolate farm, winery, honey farm, jade museum and shop, textile commune, and then lunch at the very top of the mountain.
We ended up buying chocolate, wine, honey, and jade jewelry :)
We also walked around Antigua, looking at ruins and shops. The Santa Clara ruins were by far my favorite. We had it virtually to ourselves. Cameron fell down some stairs and really messed up her foot unfortunately :(
The last thing we did in Antigua was visit Hobbitenango (80Q or $10.43 per person). This about killed me. Our driver FLEW up the mountain, giving me no time to catch my breath or attempt to acclimate to the elevation. We got to “base camp” where cars park and I literally just crawled out of the car and laid on the grass trying to catch my breath. I finally got enough strength to get onto the truck to take us even higher.
The truck was packed and we went another 2,500 feet up the mountain (7,800 feet altitude total, which I understand isn’t crazy high but I’m from Tennessee with no altitude lol). When we finally got to the very top, I had to lay on the gravel to catch my breath. My legs felt so weak, I was getting tunnel vision, and could barely breathe. I had to relax for about 15-20 minutes to try to get some life in me before I met up with my mom and Cameron in the park.
It was very pretty and fun, but I’m not sure if it was worth it.
What Else We Could Have Done
There are so many things to do in Antigua. There are 2 options for hiking volcanoes - an overnight hike and a quicker (7 hour) hike to see a volcano erupt. Seeing as how I reacted with Hobbitenango, I’m not sure I could’ve done the hike with that elevation and physical exertion. I would’ve loved to have seen the volcano erupt though!
Simoon offered a variety of ATV, motorcycle, and walking tours. They were very professional and kind and I’ll definitely book any tour with them in the future!
We were supposed to meet our new friends at El Barrio on Monday for Ladies Night where ladies get free drinks!
Restaurant Recommendations from an Expat
We met a woman named Kerry who lives and works in Antigua now! She was a godsend for us and gave us some incredible tips. Here are some recommendations from her:
Casual Restaurants:
Mi Vietnamese Kitchen (amazing terrace)
Tacorazon
Mulan
The Snug (Irish pub with great terrace and atmosphere)
Rincon Tipico
Drinking:
El Barrio
El Milagro
Skal
Coffee with views:
Bella Vista
Cafe Boheme
Fat Cat
“Fancy” Restaurants:
Fermento
Hector’s (she recommends the duck)
Bistro Cinq
Welton (she says the food isn’t incredible, but it’s the most beautiful restaurant in Antigua)
Casa Escobar
Fridas
Maxan
Las Palmas (live music and dancing)
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