Ruins and convents on foot
3.8 km · ~half day · Colonial town · 7 stops
- Parque Central
- Catedral de San José
- Las Capuchinas
- La Merced
- Arco de Santa Catalina
- La Recolección
- San Francisco El Grande
117 places · Latin America's 50 Best Discovery, Lonely Planet and TikTok virals · no Eater coverage · 5 routes · tuk-tuk & on foot
Tap a route and it gets drawn on the map, stop by stop.
Tap a place to see how to get there by tuk-tuk, chicken bus or on foot.
This interactive map of Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala) brings together 117 hand-picked places: 35 attractions, 42 restaurants, 21 cafés and 19 shops. It also includes 5 walking routes with their stops in order. For every place you get what it is, a practical tip and how to get there by public transport. It is free, works on your phone and needs no sign-up.
· Curated by the HOLASIM team · How we make the maps
Tap a route to see it drawn on the map, stop by stop.
3.8 km · ~half day · Colonial town · 7 stops
5 km · ~half day · Downtown + Jocotenango · 6 stops
2.5 km · ~3 hours · Downtown · 6 stops
Varies · ~full day · Needs transport · 6 stops
4 km · ~half day · Downtown + San Antonio Aguas Calientes · 6 stops
5a Avenida Norte · Barrio Santa Catalina
Antigua's single icon: a yellow colonial arch with the Volcán de Agua peeking behind it.
Tip: Go before 7am for the people-free photo; at night it's lit up and looks spectacular.
🚇 On foot along 5a Avenida Norte, pedestrian and cobblestoned.
Featured in: Lonely Planet · TikTok viral
Show on mapPlaza Mayor · Centro
Central America's most photographed colonial plaza, with its 18th-century mermaid fountain.
Tip: On Sundays it fills with families and vendors selling tostadas with guacamole — a local classic.
🚇 It's Antigua's zero point: the whole grid is measured in blocks from here.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapAtrio del Sagrario · Parque Central
The cathedral rebuilt after the 1773 earthquake, with an active chapel next to the ruins of the original nave.
Tip: The Sagrario chapel entrance is free; access to the ruins behind it is a separate ticket.
🚇 On the east side of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapAtrio del Sagrario · Parque Central
The monumental remains of the original 1680 cathedral, with cryptos you can walk through.
Tip: Go down into the crypt: the city's old bishops are still buried there.
🚇 You enter from beside the Catedral de San José, right on Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Avenida Sur · Parque Central
Antigua's longest baroque façade, the colonial seat of government for all of Central America.
Tip: Walk under the arcades: it's the coolest shade to cross the square at midday.
🚇 It takes up the entire south side of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map4a Calle Poniente · Parque Central
The colonial town hall, on the north side of the square, still in use and holding museums inside.
Tip: Inside are the Museo de Santiago and the Museo del Libro Antiguo.
🚇 Facing the Palacio de los Capitanes, across the square.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map1a Calle Poniente y 5a Avenida Norte
An impossible-to-not-photograph yellow stucco façade, with the largest colonial fountain in the Americas inside the cloister.
Tip: Climb up to the cloister terrace: you get a close-up of the flower-shaped fountain with the Volcán de Agua behind it.
🚇 4 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet · TikTok viral
Show on map2a Avenida Norte · Barrio Santa Lucía
Antigua's best-preserved colonial convent, with the mysterious circular tower of retreat cells.
Tip: The circular tower ('la retirada') has 18 cells around a courtyard: it's the most original Instagram photo in town.
🚇 3 blocks east of the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map2a Avenida Sur y 6a Calle Oriente
Ruins of a 17th-century cloistered convent with an almost intact arched courtyard.
Tip: One of the least touristy ruins: a good spot for photos without a line.
🚇 Southeast of downtown, near La Merced.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map1a Avenida Sur y 7a Calle Oriente
Active church holding the tomb of Hermano Pedro, Central America's first saint, with convent ruins alongside.
Tip: Faithful visitors leave offerings by the tomb every day; April 30 is the big feast day.
🚇 5 blocks southeast of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map3a Calle Oriente #22 · Barrio Santo Domingo
A former Dominican convent turned hotel-museum: six museums, chapels and crypts inside one property.
Tip: At night they light candles all over the property: one of Antigua's prettiest evening walks.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central, on 3a Calle Oriente.
Featured in: Lonely Planet · Condé Nast Traveler
Show on mapCerro detrás de Casa Santo Domingo
Sculpture garden and open-air museum on the hillside, with the most panoramic view of all three volcanoes.
Tip: Go for sunset: all three volcanoes (Agua, Fuego and Acatenango) line up right in front.
🚇 By shuttle or tuk-tuk from Casa Santo Domingo, up the hill.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapCalle de los Recoletos
Antigua's most colossal ruins: earthquake-collapsed vaults that look like a movie set.
Tip: It's the most photogenic and least crowded ruin: go early to have it almost to yourself.
🚇 West of downtown, a 10-15 min walk from Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map3a Avenida Norte
A ruined baroque façade facing a crafts market; one of downtown's lesser-seen postcards.
Tip: On weekends an antiques market sets up right across the street.
🚇 3 blocks northeast of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map1a Calle Poniente
Ruins of what was the colonial Royal Customs House, with half-collapsed courtyards and arcades.
Tip: Less visited than the other ruins: ideal if you want photos with nobody else around.
🚇 West of downtown, past the other side from Las Capuchinas.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapCallejón de Santa Rosa
A former cloistered convent, its sober façade a contrast to Antigua's usual baroque flourish.
Tip: It's now partly a rehab center; you can see the façade from the street.
🚇 A few blocks northeast of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map6a Calle Poniente y 6a Avenida Norte
A small colonial church tied to the old San Pedro hospital, with a simple, warm interior.
Tip: Next door the Centro de Salud San Pedro clinic still operates, a legacy of the original colonial hospital.
🚇 Right downtown, 2 blocks from Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map1a Avenida Sur #1
A restored 17th-century colonial mansion with period furniture; an almost intact time capsule.
Tip: Climb up to the rooftop: the view of the tiled roofs downtown is one of the best in town.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central, to the southeast.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Calle Poniente · Parque Central
A museum dedicated to Central America's first printing press, set up in Antigua in 1660.
Tip: It has a working replica of the colonial press: a good short 20-minute stop.
🚇 On Parque Central, next to the Palacio del Ayuntamiento.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map0 Avenida 4-16, San Antonio Aguas Calientes
A living museum of the Maya huipil: Kaqchikel weavers demonstrate the backstrap loom live.
Tip: You can buy directly from the weavers: the original huipiles here are among Guatemala's finest.
🚇 In San Antonio Aguas Calientes, 20 min by tuk-tuk or shuttle from downtown.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Calle Oriente · Universidad de San Carlos
The building of Central America's first university, now a museum of Guatemalan colonial art.
Tip: The arched central courtyard is as pretty as the galleries: don't skip it if you're in a rush.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Calle Poniente · junto a la Catedral
Remains of the old archbishop's palace, tucked beside the Cathedral and rarely photographed.
Tip: A 2-minute detour almost nobody takes on the way out of the Cathedral.
🚇 Right next to the Catedral de San José, on Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #14
An interactive museum of Guatemalan cacao with bean-to-bar chocolate-making workshops.
Tip: The 2-hour make-your-own-bar workshop is a favorite plan with kids.
🚇 2 blocks from Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor · TikTok
Show on mapCalzada Santa Lucía Norte, San Felipe
A pilgrimage church famous for the open-air jade and silver fair in the plaza out front.
Tip: The jade stalls in the plaza usually have better prices than downtown shops.
🚇 15-20 min on foot or by tuk-tuk north of downtown.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapPueblo colonial, ladera del Volcán de Agua
A colonial village on the slope of the Volcán de Agua with a 16th-century former bishop's palace.
Tip: From the village plaza the view of Antigua and the volcanoes is panoramic, with no one else around.
🚇 15 min by tuk-tuk or chicken bus from downtown, heading up toward the volcano.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapCalle Interna Parque Cerro de La Cruz
Antigua's classic viewpoint: the whole colonial town and the Volcán de Agua from above, with a big stone cross.
Tip: Go in a group or by tuk-tuk early/late in the day: it's advised not to walk up alone for safety.
🚇 15-20 min walking uphill from the Arch, or by tuk-tuk.
Featured in: Lonely Planet · TikTok viral
Show on mapCumbre de Alux, camino a San Cristóbal El Alto
A Shire-style theme park on the mountain, with viewpoints, hammocks and a hanging bridge over the valley.
Tip: Book the shuttle in advance on weekends: it fills up fast.
🚇 30-40 min by 4x4 shuttle from downtown (arranged by the park itself).
Featured in: TikTok viral · Instagram
Show on mapFinca de aguacates, San Miguel Escobar
An avocado farm on the mountain with cabins and a deck suspended over the Antigua valley.
Tip: You can go just for the day to have lunch and use the deck without staying overnight.
🚇 25-30 min by 4x4 shuttle from downtown.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapKm 60 Carretera a San Felipe, Jocotenango
A historic coffee estate with a farm tour, zip-lining through the plantation, and the Cafetenango café with volcano views.
Tip: The coffee tour with tasting is an hour long and departs regularly; book the zip-line if you're with older kids.
🚇 10 min by tuk-tuk or chicken bus toward Jocotenango, north of downtown.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapFinca La Azotea, Jocotenango
A three-museum complex on a coffee estate: coffee, Maya music and textiles, all in one visit.
Tip: The Maya-K'iche' instrument museum has giant marimbas almost nobody outside Guatemala knows about.
🚇 10-15 min by tuk-tuk toward Jocotenango.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map6a Calle Oriente
A workshop-museum of the papier-mâché 'giants' that dance in processions and patron-saint fairs.
Tip: A good short plan with kids: you can see the giants up close outside procession season.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Avenida Norte · salida de operadores
The downtown departure point for Guatemala's most famous trek: camping face-to-face with the actively erupting Fuego volcano.
Tip: Old Town Outfitters and Wicho & Charlie's are among the most reliable operators; bring warm layers, it gets very cold up top.
🚇 Operators' shuttles depart from here, near Parque Central.
Featured in: TikTok viral · Lonely Planet
Show on mapBarrio Santa Ana
A quiet neighborhood plaza south of downtown, a jumping-off point toward Santa María de Jesús and the volcanoes.
Tip: A real slice of neighborhood life, off the downtown tourist circuit.
🚇 15-20 min walking south of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on mapJocotenango
A small museum dedicated to the history of coffee in Sacatepéquez, with roasting and cupping samples.
Tip: A good complement to the Finca Filadelfia tour if you want to understand where the coffee you drink downtown comes from.
🚇 In Jocotenango, near Finca La Azotea.
Featured in: OSM
Show on mapClaustro de La Merced
The largest colonial fountain in all of the Americas, shaped like a fleur-de-lis, inside La Merced's cloister.
Tip: It's bigger than it looks in photos: almost 27 meters across.
🚇 Inside the same grounds as the Iglesia y Convento de La Merced.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Avenida Sur #19
French-Guatemalan fine dining in a colonial courtyard, with live jazz on Thursdays.
Tip: Book for jazz night: it's Antigua's most requested romantic plan.
🚇 6 blocks south of Parque Central.
Featured in: Condé Nast Traveler · TripAdvisor
Show on map3a Avenida Sur
The roast chicken locals in Antigua love most, with a line of regulars every lunchtime.
Tip: Go before 12:30 or after 2pm: at noon the line wraps around the block.
🚇 3 blocks south of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map6a Calle Poniente
Guatemalan chef-driven cooking in a short tasting-menu format, inside a converted colonial house.
Tip: The menu changes often: ask about the daily special before ordering from the regular menu.
🚇 2 blocks from Parque Central.
Featured in: 50 Best Discovery
Show on mapCallejón Camposeco, Ciudad Vieja
A farm-to-table restaurant inside a working organic farm, with a producers' market on Saturdays.
Tip: Saturday mornings the producers' market is the best plan with kids: there are farm animals.
🚇 15 min walking south of Parque Central, or by tuk-tuk.
Featured in: Lonely Planet · TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Avenida Norte #1
An international-cuisine restaurant in a colonial courtyard, with live music most nights.
Tip: The central courtyard fills up on live-band nights; it's worth booking an outdoor table.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map1a Avenida Sur
A bar-restaurant with a courtyard fire pit, grill food and an after-hike vibe for people coming down from Acatenango.
Tip: It's the classic backpacker meeting point after coming down from the volcano: fire pit and beer in the courtyard.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map3a Calle Oriente
A Uruguayan-style wood-fire grill with a covered patio, always packed on weekends.
Tip: Order the asado to share: it comes with sides for 2-3 people.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map3a Calle Oriente
Chef-driven Asian cooking with vegan options, in a hidden courtyard with a solid cocktail list.
Tip: The vegan menu is one of the most complete in town, not just a token dish.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Avenida Norte, bajo el Arco de Santa Catalina
A café-restaurant with a terrace right by the Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua's most coveted view.
Tip: Ask for a table on the upper terrace for the classic Arch-with-volcano photo while you have breakfast.
🚇 Right beside the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: TripAdvisor · TikTok
Show on map6a Calle Poniente
Açaí and pitaya bowls, cold-pressed juices and healthy breakfasts in a small, colorful spot.
Tip: It's tiny: if you're in a group, get it to go and eat in Parque Central.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A sushi bar with creative rolls and good value, a favorite among resident expats.
Tip: It has good-value lunch combos, a better option than the dinner menu.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Avenida Norte, frente al Arco
A crêperie with a front-row terrace facing the Santa Catalina Arch, perfect for an afternoon coffee.
Tip: The second-floor terrace has the most direct view of the Arch on the whole block.
🚇 On 5a Avenida Norte, steps from the Arch.
Featured in: TripAdvisor · TikTok
Show on map3a Avenida Sur #1
Grilled meats and Guatemalan cooking in a colonial courtyard with fire pits, a classic for group nights out.
Tip: Tables around the fire pits get requested in advance during high season.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map4a Calle Oriente
A French bistro with open sandwiches, quiches and a curated wine list, in a small, intimate room.
Tip: It has few tables: book ahead for evenings or weekends.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on mapPortal del Comercio · Parque Central
An artisan chocolate and pastry shop with bonbons and tarts, tucked away near Parque Central.
Tip: The liqueur-filled bonbons are the easiest edible souvenir to pack.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map1a Avenida Sur
An intimate French bistro with just a few tables, a short menu that changes with the day's market.
Tip: There's no fixed menu: ask what came in fresh that day before deciding.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Avenida Norte #12
The classic of traditional Guatemalan cooking: pepián, kak'ik and jocón in a colonial dining room full of history.
Tip: Order the kak'ik (turkey soup in red recado): it's Guatemala's Intangible Cultural Heritage dish.
🚇 On 5a Avenida Norte, on the way to the Arch.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Avenida Norte #4 · Portal del Comercio
Antigua's classic breakfast spot since the 1980s: homemade bread, house jams and a vine-covered patio.
Tip: Bread from their own bakery is also sold to go, at the counter by the entrance.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central, on the Portal del Comercio.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
An Asian-inspired restaurant with a back garden, curries and a good tea list.
Tip: The back garden is quieter than the front room: ask for a table there.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A classic Italian trattoria with homemade pastas, one of the most loved by Antigua's foreign residents.
Tip: The day's homemade ravioli tends to sell out early: ask what's left when you arrive.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map4a Avenida Norte #7
Traditional Guatemalan cuisine with live marimba music, famous for its pepián stews and colonial courtyard.
Tip: On weekends there's live marimba music at lunchtime: a good family plan.
🚇 4 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map6a Calle Poniente #14
Antigua's first tasting-menu restaurant: 10-12 Guatemalan courses paired with house-made mead.
Tip: This is where Chilean chef Rodrigo Salvo builds seasonal tasting menus: book several days ahead.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: 50 Best Discovery · Forbes
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #44
An eight-course tasting menu of creative Guatemalan cooking, with a weekend garden brunch.
Tip: Chef Fernando Solís trained in Spain; the Saturday brunch is more casual than the tasting dinner.
🚇 5 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Forbes · 50 Best Discovery
Show on mapPanorama, Calle del Reformador
The gourmet restaurant of Antigua's Relais & Châteaux boutique hotel, in a converted glass-house building.
Tip: Their weekend brunch is in high demand; book ahead since the hotel is small.
🚇 In the Panorama neighborhood, about 10 min by car or tuk-tuk from Parque Central.
Featured in: Forbes · 50 Best Discovery
Show on mapFinca La Azotea, Jocotenango
Farm-to-table cooking with a clay oven and a communal garden, inside a historic coffee estate.
Tip: They run weekend pop-ups and outdoor brunches: follow their Instagram for dates.
🚇 At Finca La Azotea, Jocotenango, 10-15 min by tuk-tuk from downtown.
Featured in: Forbes · 50 Best Discovery
Show on map3a Calle Oriente
Antigua's most praised ramen, with hours-long broth and a wait-list line on weekend nights.
Tip: They don't take reservations: show up 15 minutes before opening to skip the line.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Forbes
Show on map6a Calle Oriente
A tropical juice and smoothie bar with a cheeky film-referencing name, ideal for the midday heat.
Tip: The pineapple-mint smoothie is the most-ordered pick in hot season.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Avenida Sur #7
A garden restaurant serving healthy food and deli items, with salads, wraps and organic products to go.
Tip: It has a small shop with local organic products to take home as souvenirs.
🚇 3 blocks south of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map7a Calle Oriente #13
Mesoamerican cooking with Texan touches, casual brunch in a bright courtyard.
Tip: Weekend brunch is their strong suit: arrive early, it fills up fast.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: 50 Best Discovery
Show on map5a Avenida Norte
A Mexican cantina with a balcony looking straight at the Santa Catalina Arch and a solid mezcal list.
Tip: Ask for a table on the second-floor balcony: it's the best night view of the lit-up Arch.
🚇 On 5a Avenida Norte, steps from the Arch.
Featured in: TripAdvisor · TikTok
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #7
A small-table French bistro with a short menu and a focus on classic technique.
Tip: Ideal for a dinner for two: there are few tables, so it's worth booking.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on mapSan Juan del Obispo, ladera del Volcán de Agua
A viewpoint restaurant on the slope of the Volcán de Agua, with the highest lunch view over Antigua.
Tip: Go early for lunch before the afternoon clouds roll in and block the view.
🚇 15-20 min by car or tuk-tuk toward San Juan del Obispo.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map7a Avenida Norte
Home-style, affordable Guatemalan food: hilachas, stuffed peppers and jocón just like grandma's.
Tip: A good budget option to try jocón without paying tourist-restaurant prices.
🚇 3 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Calle Poniente
Regional Guatemalan cooking in a colonial dining room with wifi, a good unhurried lunch spot for local food.
Tip: A good midday option if you want wifi and a quiet table to work and eat local food.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Avenida Norte
A casual restaurant near the Arch with a simplified Guatemalan menu for passing tourists.
Tip: Handy for a quick lunch before or after the Arch photo.
🚇 Steps from the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map6a Calle Poniente #11
Modern hand-made Guatemalan cooking, with a focus on native corn and milpa techniques.
Tip: A good option to try native corn varieties rarely seen outside Guatemala.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Calle Poniente #15-C
Home-style Korean cooking: bibimbap, house-made kimchi and tabletop BBQ, uncommon in the town's food scene.
Tip: The kimchi is house-made: ask if they sell it separately to take home.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map9a Calle Poniente
A neighborhood bar with craft beer and shared plates, a good night-out plan off the busiest tourist circuit.
Tip: Less touristy than the downtown bars: a good option for a drink among locals.
🚇 4 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
Mexican street-style tacos with homemade salsas, to eat standing or take away.
Tip: Quick and cheap: a good stop between churches without sitting down to eat.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map9a Calle Poniente
A taco bar with a good mezcal selection, a relaxed Mexican-cantina vibe.
Tip: A good night option to snack on tacos with a mezcal before bar-hopping.
🚇 4 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A home-style seafood spot with ceviches and seafood soups, unusual in the food scene of this mountain town.
Tip: A good option if you're craving fish and seafood after a few days of mountain-town cooking.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map7a Avenida Norte
A comedor serving highland Guatemalan food, with soups and Quetzaltenango dishes at neighborhood prices.
Tip: A good budget option to try western-highland flavors without leaving Antigua.
🚇 3 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A specialty coffee shop with its own roast, a pioneer of Antigua's coffee scene and a digital-nomad meeting point.
Tip: Good wifi and outlets: one of the best spots downtown to work for a few hours.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Calle Poniente
A café with a courtyard and minimalist look, near the Arch, with good homemade pastries.
Tip: The homemade brownies tend to sell out by mid-afternoon.
🚇 2 blocks from the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map3a Calle Poniente
A local chain of Guatemalan specialty coffee shops, with comfortable spots to sit and work.
Tip: They carry single-origin varieties from different coffee-growing regions of the country.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #12
A historic bakery-café since the 1970s, with a big courtyard and the most-ordered banana bread in town.
Tip: The freshly baked banana bread comes out in the morning: go early if you want it warm.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map1a Avenida Sur #11C
A legendary candlelit mezcal bar, birthplace of the Ilegal Mezcal brand, with live music almost every night.
Tip: Go in through the hidden hallway behind the unmarked door: that's how locals find it.
🚇 4 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Forbes · 50 Best Discovery
Show on map5a Avenida Sur
A neighborhood specialty coffee shop with manual brewing methods and a relaxed vibe.
Tip: A good place to try a single-origin coffee brewed in a Chemex or V60.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map3a Calle Oriente
A rooftop café-bar with views of the Volcán de Agua and cocktails at sunset.
Tip: Go an hour before sunset to grab a table by the railing.
🚇 4 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map5a Calle Poniente #2
A small specialty coffee bar, with brewing methods on full display and a focus on Guatemalan micro-lots.
Tip: Ask which micro-lot they have that week: it rotates often and comes from small farms.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: TikTok · Instagram
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A café with an integrated used-book shop, ideal for a quiet rainy afternoon with a book.
Tip: You can swap used books for others: a good rainy-afternoon plan.
🚇 3 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on map5a Calle Poniente #24
A new specialty coffee shop with light roasts and a bright space, part of Antigua's new coffee wave.
Tip: One of the most talked-about coffee openings on social media in 2025.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram · TikTok
Show on map7a Avenida Norte #30
A specialty coffee shop with an Arabic name (qahwa = coffee), a house roast and a cozy vibe.
Tip: One of the new cafés most mentioned by travelers in 2025-2026.
🚇 3 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram · TikTok
Show on map6a Calle Oriente
A simple, unpretentious neighborhood café, with local prices and good filter coffee.
Tip: A good budget option away from downtown's tourist prices.
🚇 3 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Calle Poniente #3
A classic colonial-salon café-restaurant, one of Antigua's oldest, with an interior garden.
Tip: The interior garden with a fountain is quieter than the front salon.
🚇 2 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Avenida Norte #1
A specialty coffee shop with a partial volcano view from its upper terrace.
Tip: Head up to the top terrace for the best angle toward the volcanoes.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A minimalist café with Scandi-tropical design, good pastry work and a photogenic setting.
Tip: It's one of the most requested cafés for feed photos thanks to its clean design.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on mapCallejón Escalonia
A café-restaurant inside a plant nursery and botanical garden, with outdoor tables among the greenery.
Tip: A good quiet plan with kids: there are short paths through the nursery's plants.
🚇 15 min walking south of Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map6a Calle Poniente
An ice cream shop with unusual local flavors: hibiscus, cashew, single-farm coffee.
Tip: The single-farm coffee flavor is the one locals order most.
🚇 2 blocks from Parque Central.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map9a Calle Poniente
A specialty roastery with its own roasting equipment on display, part of the 2025 new coffee wave.
Tip: They sell freshly roasted beans in bags to take home.
🚇 4 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A café with its own roaster and guided cuppings of coffees from different regions of Guatemala.
Tip: Ask about the guided cupping: they compare 3-4 different origins in a short session.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A small, affordably priced specialty café focused on direct Guatemalan producers.
Tip: They work with direct producers: a good option if you care about bean traceability.
🚇 3 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: Instagram
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A bohemian-vibe café-bar with a small terrace, a good afternoon-to-night option.
Tip: It works well as an afternoon café and a quiet bar later at night.
🚇 2 blocks west of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Avenida Norte #29
Antigua's great warehouse of Maya textiles: huipiles, skirts and ceremonial masks from across the country under one roof.
Tip: It's huge: go up to the second floor, that's where the antique huipil and dance-mask collection is.
🚇 Half a block from the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapCalle de Recoletos
Antigua's biggest, most formal crafts market, with hundreds of stalls selling textiles and souvenirs.
Tip: Go with time to spare and ready to haggle: opening prices drop quite a bit with negotiation.
🚇 Next to the Terminal de Buses, west of downtown.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on mapAlameda Santa Lucía
The real municipal market locals use, with produce stalls, food comedores and flowers, off the tourist circuit.
Tip: This is the everyday-life market, not the touristy one: watch your belongings like in any big market.
🚇 Behind the Terminal de Buses, west of downtown.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map3a Avenida Norte #6
A weekend antiques and crafts market, facing the ruins of the El Carmen church.
Tip: It only runs on weekends: a good spot for secondhand pieces and curiosities.
🚇 3 blocks northeast of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map3a Avenida Norte
A smaller, calmer Kaqchikel crafts market, with less aggressive haggling than the big market.
Tip: A good option if the big Mercado de Artesanías felt overwhelming.
🚇 3 blocks northeast of Parque Central, near El Carmen.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #34
A museum and workshop of Guatemalan jade with a live carving demonstration before the jewelry showroom.
Tip: The museum tour is free and explains how to tell real jade from imitations before you buy.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map5a Avenida Norte
A jewelry shop specializing in Guatemalan jade, steps from the Santa Catalina Arch.
Tip: Ask for the authenticity certificate if you buy a higher-value piece.
🚇 Steps from the Santa Catalina Arch.
Featured in: TripAdvisor
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A Guatemalan jade and silver jewelry shop with more modern designs than the traditional downtown shops.
Tip: A good option if you're after jade pieces with a more contemporary design.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Avenida Norte #4 · Parque Central
A bookshop and gift store in a colonial building on Parque Central, with books about Guatemala in several languages.
Tip: It has a good selection of Guatemala history and photography books in English.
🚇 On Parque Central, next to the Palacio de los Capitanes.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A traditional downtown jewelry shop with silver and jade pieces at more accessible prices than the big chains.
Tip: A good option for a small gift without paying luxury-jewelry prices.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map5a Avenida Sur
A shop of handmade textiles from weavers' cooperatives, with a fair-trade focus.
Tip: Each piece usually has a tag with the name of the weaver or cooperative who made it.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central, to the south.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Oriente
A gallery of contemporary Guatemalan art, with work by local painters and sculptors for sale.
Tip: A good different souvenir option: original artwork instead of the usual typical crafts.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Oriente
A design-forward gift shop with small objects, cards and souvenirs with a different vibe from classic crafts.
Tip: A good spot for a small, different gift without diving into the market circuit.
🚇 2 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map7a Calle Poniente #12
A workshop of handmade piñatas in every shape and size, a colorful classic of the town.
Tip: The small piñatas make a colorful, lightweight souvenir to pack.
🚇 3 blocks south of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Oriente #11
A historic shop of traditional Guatemalan sweets, with over a century of sweet-potato, coconut and milk-candy recipes.
Tip: The milk candies and sweet-potato 'canillitas' are Antigua's most typical edible souvenir.
🚇 2 blocks east of Parque Central.
Featured in: Lonely Planet
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A clothing boutique with designs that mix Maya textiles with contemporary fashion.
Tip: A good option if you want Maya-print clothing that isn't the typical souvenir t-shirt.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map6a Avenida Norte
A textile shop with a more modern take: cushions, throws and home accessories woven on traditional looms.
Tip: A good home-gift option beyond the typical market clothing.
🚇 3 blocks north of Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map3a Calle Poniente
A varied crafts shop near downtown, with fixed-price tags instead of haggling.
Tip: Handy if you'd rather not haggle and just shop quickly before a flight or shuttle.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map4a Calle Poniente
A small shop of carved-wood crafts and textiles at neighborhood prices.
Tip: The carved-wood pieces are cheaper here than at the big tourist shops.
🚇 Half a block from Parque Central.
Featured in: OSM
Show on map