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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

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How Many Days in Antigua, Guatemala? (3 Day Itinerary)

Last Updated: April 6, 2022 · Guatemala

Antigua, Guatemala is a place that, no matter how much time you spend in, will always leave you wanting more. That’s exactly the case for me and everyone I know who spends a few days in Antigua. This begs the question: Is a couple of days enough?

There are so many awesome things to do in Antigua, but you won’t be able to fit everything into a short itinerary. And sometimes, a few days is all you have to spare.

That said, how many days do you really need to see the best of Antigua?

I would recommend spending no less than 3 days in Antigua, at the very least. It would be even better if you spend 3-5+ days, especially if you want to knock out more than one volcano hike and bask in the colonial city’s charm.

Obviously, not everyone can spend a month living as digital nomads in Antigua (like we were fortunate enough to do), which is why I’ve curated this special 3-day itinerary so you can make the most of your time.

Table of Contents show
The Perfect 3 Days in Antigua, Guatemala
Day 1: Discover Antigua’s Colonial Gems
Antigua historic Walking Tour
Places to eat on day one in Antigua
Day 2 in Antigua: Hike on a Volcano
Acatenango & Fuego Volcano Trek
Pacaya Volcano Hike
Day 3: Discover Antigua Like a Local
Final Thoughts

The Perfect 3 Days in Antigua, Guatemala

Female traveler in Antigua Guatemala in front of Santa Catarina arch and Agua volcano
Santa Catarina Arch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Even though three days in Antigua isn’t an enormous amount of time, the city remains fairly small and is easily navigable. Let’s dive into this jam-packed itinerary!

Before you go…

🏡 Find accommodation on Booking.com or read my guide on where to stay in Antigua

🌋 Book your volcano day trips and activities on GetYourGuide & Viator

🚗 Rent a car to get from Guatemala City to Antigua (but then, get around on foot or via tuk-tuk!)

📸 Don’t forget your camera gear (I use a Sony A7II and 24-105mm lens)

🎒 Get around with a reliable day bag (favorites: REI, Fjallraven, & Wandrd)

Day 1: Discover Antigua’s Colonial Gems

exploring the Recoleccion ruins in Antigua Guatemala
bustling corner of the parque la merced (park) in Antigua Guatemala

The best way to kickstart your days in Antigua is by exploring the city’s colonial gems. Since it’s your first day in the city, take things slow. Luckily, Antigua is a fairly small city—you can cross it in 20 minutes on foot.

I would recommend starting out with a small hike up to Cerro de la Cruz to get a wonderful panoramic view of the city with Agua Volcano in the background. Up here, you will get a “mental map” of Antigua’s layout. Trust me, it’ll help you familiarize yourself with your new location!

Antigua historic Walking Tour

Next, get around via tuk-tuk or simply walk down 5a Avenida to these must-see Antigua sights:

  • Santa Catarina Arch (free) — famous yellow arch and iconic symbol of Antigua
  • La Merced & Convent Ruins (free/Q35) — ornate Baroque-style church, ruins, and adjacent park
  • Parque Central — Central park with fountain surrounded by shops and restaurants, and the beautiful City Hall Palace
Avenida 5a with Santa Catalina Arch in Antigua Guatemala
Avenida 5a

From here, you can either explore more of Antigua’s historic center, and visit more church ruins, or head west or east to visit:

  • Ruins of La Recolección (Q40) — incredible church ruins you can explore and walk on!
  • Casa Santo Domingo (admission ticket) — former 16th-century convent now a museum, hotel, and spa

If you’d prefer to discover Antigua with a guide than on your own, you can knock out all the top colonial attractions in a half-day Antigua walking tour.

Already, if you do the above you will have seen the heart of Antigua!

Places to eat on day one in Antigua

  • Breakfast/brunch — Café Estudio or Fernando’s Kaffee
  • Lunch — Samsara, Frida’s, Luna de Miel
  • Coffee break & treats — Artista Café
  • Dinner & drinks — Antigua Brewing Company

✨ Get more recommendations in my guide to the best restaurants in Antigua.

girl holding cold brew coffee inside artista de café shop in antigua guatemala

Finish off the day with an incredible view of the volcanoes from the rooftop bar at Antigua Brewing Company. The vibe, the food, and the drinks are on point! Psst… There’s a really cool, semi-hidden speakeasy bar tucked inside on the ground floor. 🤫

Day 2 in Antigua: Hike on a Volcano

Antigua is flanked by not one, not two, but three peaky volcanoes! Crazy, right?!

sunrise over active pacaya volcano in guatemala
woman overlooking three volcanoes of Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego while on the pacaya sunrise trek
lava flow running down the Pacaya Volcano eruption
woman looking at lava river from pacaya volcano eruption

Acatenango & Fuego Volcano Trek

What’s even wilder is that one of them (Volcán Fuego) is intensely active, and trekkers who are courageous enough to do the 2-day Acatenango trek often get to see Fuego explode in ash and lava.

If you do want to spend the remainder of your two days in Antigua hiking on a volcano, then definitely consider the Acatenango and Fuego treks.

Pacaya Volcano Hike

However, if you want to experience trekking on an active volcano without the overnight effort, then consider going on a day trip to Pacaya Volcano.

We hiked Pacaya when it was erupting last year, and it was nothing short of epic.

There are several tours you can take from Antigua that will take you there and back!

  • Pacaya Volcano Day Trip from Antigua (6am and 2pm departures)
  • Pacaya Day Tour with park entry fee included (7am departure)

Day 3: Discover Antigua Like a Local

Public laundry wash basin in Antigua Guatemala
Mercado de Artesanias in Antigua Guatemala (Market)
Iglesia La Merced Church in Antigua Guatemala
indigenous woman vendor in Parque Central in Antigua Guatemala

Depending on how your travel plans fall, use day three in Antigua to revisit the streets. But this time, let’s dive into the more local scene, shall we?

Here are a few places and things to do that will take you off the beaten path in Antigua:

  • Visit the local mercado (Mercado de Artesanías)
  • Eat street food in La Merced park — get the sweet corn drink (atol de elote) or stuffed fried plantains (rellenitos)
  • Take an authentic Guatemalan cooking class
  • Tour the Caoba organic farm; enjoy organic lunch and wellness activities
  • Make your own Mayan chocolate with a workshop at Fernando’s
  • People watch around Tanque La Union (colonial washbasin) and Parque Central
  • Tour a 150-yr-old coffee mill and plantation at Finca La Azotea 

Of course, trying to fit it all in one day would be a lot! Instead, pick 2-3 you really want to do (tough, I know) and spend the morning dedicated to one, the afternoon to another, etc.

Finally, top off your stay in Antigua with a celebratory meal and drink! Make sure to check out my Antigua food guide for the best places to eat!

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, how much time you should spend in Antigua Guatemala will vary depending on your travel style—are you wanting to eat your way through town as a die-hard foodie or follow your sense of adventure and trek up all of Antigua’s ancient volcanoes?

With more than 3 days in Antigua, you could (and should) fit in another volcano trek, check off all of Antigua’s church ruins from the list, and still have time left over to go on one of Antigua Guatemala’s best day trips (or multi-day trip), such as to Lake Atitlán or Hobbitenango.

📌 Pin this Antigua Guatemala Itinerary for later!

By: Bri · In: Guatemala

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Comments

  1. sebastian burd says

    January 5, 2023 at 5:54 pm

    Hi, thanks for the info, would u mind sharing the name of the company u decided to go hiking with, the acatenango fuego volcano hike overnight?

    Thank you
    Sebastian

    Reply
    • Bri says

      January 5, 2023 at 6:33 pm

      Hi Sebastien! I did the Pacaya Volcano hike with Wicho & Charlie’s. I’m going to do Acatenango overnight trek this March, not sure yet with who!

      Reply

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How to Vist Yelapa: Jalisco, Mexico’s Unspoiled Fishing Village

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Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨ 💻 WORKIN Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨

💻 WORKING ONLINE
While not all nomads/remote workers have online-specific jobs, it’s the easiest way to sustain an income for full-time or long-term travel. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad!

• Blogging (This is what I do full-time!)
• Content Creation / Brand Sponsorship
• Virtual Assisting
• Social Media Management
• YouTube or Podcasting
• Graphic / Web Design
• Coding / Development
• Photography / Videography
• Freelance Writing (How I started)
• Marketing / Amazon FBA / Ecommerce

📍PICKING YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION
There are many countries out there offering digital nomad visas, but you don’t even need one to just travel as a tourist and stay in-country for 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Nomads go everywhere as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, some countries you may consider are Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, and beyond! Even lesser-known places such as Namibia are starting to offer nomad visas to entice long-term travelers to visit.

🏡 FINDING HOUSING ABROAD
Read my blog post for the full guide on this, but basically, check local Facebook groups for renting local housing for extended stays and then use Airbnbs for shorter stays or to negotiate longer contracts with the owner. There are even more “nomad rental websites” these days to make finding accommodation even easier. Don’t overlook co-living/working spaces too like Selina where the digital nomad community tends to congregate.

💛 EXPLORING LOCALLY/RESPONSIBLY
As always, be mindful and respectful when you visit these communities. Many small towns are struggling with rapid growth and overdevelopment so be mindful of your choices of where you stay, how you spend your money, and who you support.

My best advice + detailed guides are all on the blog, free for you to use! Let me know if you have any questions about digital nomad life! 

Lastly, don’t overthink it. Moving countries isn’t as intimidating as you may think! It’s become second nature for us now after several years! 🐈‍⬛💃🌎✨
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover t I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover this incredible country beyond the resorts and beaches, having lived temporarily in 5 out of the 32 Mexican states (Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and now Baja California Sur) as a digital nomad who’s been slow traveling/living in and out of Mexico since 2018. 

There is so, so much cultural and natural beauty in Mexico — I wish more people could experience this country for themselves and not through the eyes of the media.

***Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!*** 

Here are the cities/towns we’ve slow traveled/lived in for extended stays.

• Oaxaca City — a colorful, historic open museum rich in indigenous culture and gastronomy 
• San Cristóbal de las Casas — an endearing pueblo mágico in the Chiapas Highlands
• La Paz — the capital city of BCS teeming with marine life, diving, fish tacos, and desert vibes
• San Pancho — an eco-conscious town in Nayarit famous for its sunsets and community
• Tulum — no introduction needed (and I wouldn’t go back here as a nomad due to overdevelopment)

Other great cities/towns/destinations for digital nomads are:

• Guadalajara (state of Jalisco)
• Santiago de Querétaro (state of Querétaro)
• San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato City (state of Guanajuato)
• Playa del Carmen (state of Quintana Roo)
• Valladolid or Mérida (state of Yucatán)
• México City/CDMX (state of México)
• Sayulita (state of Nayarit)
• Puerto Vallarta (state of Jalisco)
• Puerto Escondido (state of Oaxaca)

I’d love to know what you think about Mexico and where you’ve been in the comments! 🇲🇽💛

And for the detailed guide of 13 places to live/visit, read my blog @bucketlistbri .com (just type in “places to live mexico” in the quick search bar if you can’t find the post under my “Mexico” category).

#mexicomagico #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #mexicotravel #mexicodestinations #nomadadigital #nomada #mexicomaravilloso #slowtravelling #mindfultravel
PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will f PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will follow you around the world until you face them no matter how much you travel or move countries 🙃 

I know I’m not the only one that feels restless at times and idolizes moving to a new region/country/continent to shake my feelings of anxiety or self-doubt or fear! (Also, I tend to think about moving to another country even when I just moved to a new one 😅)

I know because I have lived abroad for 8+ years. I used to try to drown out my icky feelings and past traumas with lots of alcohol but now I carry them with me like I do my mismatched socks — they add to the quirkiness and remind me I don’t have to be, and am not, perfect. 

And that life is more interesting that way, anyway. 

Anddd that most importantly, whenever I get lost, I can and will be found again — I just may look and think differently after new adventures but I am still loved and never lost forever 🧦 ✨💛 

In sum, whether you travel full-time or not, take care of yourself ✨💛

#nomadness #nomadlife #lifeofadventure #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #offbeattravel #remoteworklife #homeawayfromhome #slowtravelstories #mentalhealthawarness
The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri: 💛 P The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri:

💛 Paul
😻 Yoda
🌍 Traveling & adventuring
👩🏼‍💻 Blogging & writing

Among other things like nature, photography, reading, animals, journaling, art, playing Zelda/games, dancing/music, culture/languages, enjoying rly good food and drinks! 😋 

What about you? What recharges you?? 

#rechargemysoul #blogging #adventures #writing #soulfulliving #mindfulliving #mindfultravel #nomadcouple #creativeliving
1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨ 🌋 ARENA 1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨

🌋 ARENAL // LA FORTUNA (2 days)
- Hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Indulge in a local chocolate/coffee tour (s/o to @northfieldscafe)
- Go on a wildlife safari float (s/o to Raúl for pura vida vibes!)
- Lounge in natural hot springs (highly recommend the budget-friendly Relax Termalitas in Fortuna)
- Visit La Fortuna waterfall
- Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

🦥 QUEPOS // MANUEL ANTONIO (2-3 days)
- Take a guided or DIY tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Chill out on the Espadilla beach
- Explore the cute towns
- Watch for wildlife in the trees!

🌿 MONTEVERDE // SANTA ELENA (2 days)
- Visit/hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Go ziplining
- Birdwatching on a canopy tour
- Monteverde coffee tour
- Do a nature night walk

My sister and I surprised our mom with this bucket list trip on her birthday, and we had a blast! 🥹

Send this itinerary to someone you know who has always wanted to go to Costa Rica 🦋💛✨🌿🦜🐒

#costarica #bucketlisttrip #puravida #costaricaitinerary #lafortuna #manuelantonio #monteverde #ecotourism
Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a q Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a quite a humbling experience, and one that’s been at the top of my bucket list for ages! 🥺

Right now is prime whale shark season in La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico, so Paul and I made sure to go before we jetted off to see family for the holidays! I’m still in awe of these gentle giants and the fact that we got to swim alongside them!

Read all about the best whale shake tours in La Paz + ethical whale shark tourism in my latest blog post! Link in bio 💛

Send this to a friend who loves whale sharks! 🐳🦈

#whalesharks #lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #ethicaltravel #responsibletravel #ecotourism #golapaz #mexicotravel #bucketlist #seaofcortez
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