Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala)

...the the mighty they call Antigua of Guatemala, after living there for nearly 4 months I relised why it is considered to be one of the jewels of Central America.

So lets be honest I could write volumes for this but I will try to avoid covering standard issues which you will find in travel guides.

On first glance Antigua can seem like a beautiful but sleepy location as this is the impression I got on my initial visit passing ...
...a good indication of what Antigua has to offer the traveller/tourist/culture vultures! But on my more extended visit a few weeks later I saw that with a little time, research and 'getting to know the locals' mission, it can be an amazing stop for people of all ages weather you are there for 4 days or 4 months.
Bascially you need to get stuck in to see the truley stunning and charming qualities Antigua can expose.

So the 'trend' ... more

So I feel I should write a review of the the mighty they call Antigua of Guatemala, after living there for nearly 4 months I relised why it is considered to be one of the jewels of Central America.

So lets be honest I could write volumes for this but I will try to avoid covering standard issues which you will find in travel guides.

On first glance Antigua can seem like a beautiful but sleepy location as this is the impression I got on my initial visit passing through for just 1 day, but you see Antigua is the type of place you need a little more time to appreciate the fruits which it has to offer, and so my 1 day experience was not really a good indication of what Antigua has to offer the traveller/tourist/culture vultures! But on my more extended visit a few weeks later I saw that with a little time, research and 'getting to know the locals' mission, it can be an amazing stop for people of all ages weather you are there for 4 days or 4 months.
Bascially you need to get stuck in to see the truley stunning and charming qualities Antigua can expose.

So the 'trend' if you like is the oppurtunity to study spanish in Antigua as firstly it has a zillion(slight exaggeration) language schools and they are some of the cheapest you may find in Latin America. All varying in in a number of different factors such as price, standard, depth of language, teaching methods. Here I could recomend half a dozen schools but everyone is different in what they look for when learning so best bet is to pick out about 6 (they all in close proximity) and then choose the one which best suits your individual profile and preferance. Accomadation is normally a family stay (great pratcice and cultural experience), student house (good mix of different nationalities and experience) or hostel( hard to study). Its a truely fantastic place to learn spanish, and any language for the that matter as the setting is truely stunning and the atmosphere relaxed enough to allow you to fully concentrate on leanring combined with the pleasure and madness of that well known latin fever. That and the fact that learning even some spanish can enhance your Latin American experience 10 fold, local people seem to have much more time for you when you make the effort to communicate in spanish, thus warm to you far quicker, therefore help your limited but amazing intergration within the local community.

So whilst most of your day might be taken up with learning spanish if you are planning on sticking around for awhile there are a number of other fabulous 'activities' which can keep you occupied when your trying to wind down from intense classes and homework of spanish
verb conjugations and vocabulary or just on a short few day visit.

Volunteering is always a possibility, there a number of organistaions which will allow you to help out and volunteer your services, normally these places are happy for you to come in on and as and when basis, as to when you are able to give the time. Normally a few checks are done such as your residence in Antigua, passport details (photocopy) and if you are studying the details of the school. The organistaions are mainly working with children, orhpans and those with disabilities although there is one organisation which is a hospice/orphanage who care for both adults and children. These can be located through your spanish school or tourist informaion.

Now as Antigua is surrounded by a number of mountains and volcanos there are numerous treks which can be done and sorted at any one of the many travel agent based around the main square (Parque Central). There is the wonder of the active volcano Pacaya which you can take a trip up to and come right up close and personel to flowing lava! now I dont know about you guys but thats not something I see everyday! Other inactive beasts are volcan Agua, Acatenango and Fuego. A definate activity on the itinerary for anyone looking for that extra experience. Plus its a relatively cheap tour, as are most of the treks on offer. Other such activities include cycling tours, white-water rafting and horse-back riding. If your feeling like a brisk walk and spectacular view waiting for you at the end of it, head to Cerro De La Cruz which is on a hill north east of the city. Once you've reached here sipping your bottled mineral water you'lle find a spectaular view overlooking Antigua with Volcan Agua as the back
drop....amazing. Around the main square a.k.a Parque Central you can get involved in realxing doing the 'hang with your mates in funky cafe thing' sipping tastey coffees and reading your latest novel, all museums and arty type place are all within short distance along with endless shopping opputunities at reasonable prices. This is accompanied with a wide range of excellent dinning establishments all ranging in price offering local and foregin foods. If you want true tradional guatemalan food, which will outstand your taste buds and make your wallet or purse smile as its cheap as chips, then head to the market where you can find all sorts of weird and wonderful foods just waiting for you. This is located just a few blocks west of the Parque Central. Whilst your there you can pick up some top bargins on the many stalls around, dont forget to barter like mad! Also around the square you can check out the Palacio De Los Capitanes and Catedral De Santiago. And bascially all your tourist needs banks, tourist office, the lot!

Now latin amercia is a haven for festivals mainly religious, but even if you not religious its still an experience to behold. The one to check out here is the Semana Santa celebrations, immerse yourself in the processions and marches in memory of Christ around holy week, this is normally around the end of march but check dates in advance. The sight is truley magnificant. Along with numeruos beautifully designed churches in the area, recomended are La Merced and San Francisco.

Do you dance? see I did'nt really have a clue, but since my time in central and south america, I'm lets say more proffiecient on the dance floor. Salsa is the one everyone bopping to and lessons are available at many of the bars and clubs. Private or group classes are on offer which you can book in advance, or you can just turn up to certain bars, around 8 or 9pm and get involved in the free group lessons. The 2 big ones for this are La sala and Latinos. As for nighlife well if you want Antigua can be party central, head to Riki's bar, Monoloco, Reilly's, Onis, Estudio 35, La Sala or La Casbah and a few more. There is a
schedule for party nights in that each bar holds party nights with cheap drinks and happy hour etc on specific nights of the week, that way your always in the 'happening' bar each night, just pick the right bar! There is the issue of early closing in Antigua i.e clubs close around 1am, but there are numerous 'after parties' if you did want to continue the fun, normally run on the quite till the early hours ofthe morning. Very easy to locate, you just need to ask your new local friends, bar staff or there are normally promotors outside the usual clubs handing out flyers with little maps, they are normally just 1 block away.

Just a quicky on travelling out of Antigua, the best bet is find out if locals buses service the destination you require as its easy to book from agents near the Parque Central, but they are normally heavy on tourist prices and sometimes you can end up paying 3 times what you should be paying.

And all this coupled with the friendly local people of Antigua makes this spot in Central America an awsome travel/short trip destination.

In conclusion..............Check it out! 

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