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

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Have you ever visited a place that you couldn’t get enough of? Antigua, Guatemala, is one of those destinations that will always leave you wanting more. 

That’s the case for everyone I’ve met who’s traveled there! There’s something simply magical about this Central American city. 

But this begs some questions: Is a couple of days in Antigua enough? How many days do you really need to see the best of Antigua?

There are so many awesome things to do in Antigua that it can be challenging to fit everything into a short itinerary. Still, sometimes a few days is all you have.

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

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

Here’s the perfect three-day Antigua, Guatemala itinerary!

The Perfect 3 Days in Antigua, Guatemala

Although three days in Antigua isn’t an enormous amount of time, the city remains fairly small, which makes it easy to navigate. You can see a lot in just a few days.

Let’s dive into this jam-packed Antigua 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 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

The best way to kickstart your time 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 the Agua Volcano in the background. 

Up here, you’ll get a “mental map” of Antigua’s layout that you can reference for the rest of your trip. 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) — The famous yellow arch and an iconic symbol of Antigua
• La Merced & Convent Ruins (free/Q35) — An ornate Baroque-style church, ruins, and adjacent park
• Parque Central — Antigua’s central park with a fountain surrounded by shops and restaurants, and the beautiful City Hall Palace

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 (Q48) — Former 16th-century convent now a museum, hotel, and spa

If you’d prefer to discover Antigua with a guide rather than on your own, you can knock out all the top colonial attractions in a half-day Antigua walking tour. As an alternative, you can also hop on a free walking tour of Antigua with Strawberry Tours or Free Walking Tours.

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.

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?! Being in such close proximity to these smoldering giants, one of the best things to do in Antigua is hike up one.

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

Pacaya Volcano Hike

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

We hiked Pacaya when it erupted, and it was nothing short of epic.

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

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

Day 3: Discover Antigua Like a Local

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 Mercado de Artesanías to hunt for handmade souvenirs
• 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 to 3 of these activities that 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—do you want 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!