15 Fun Things to do in Antigua, Guatemala

Take a walk down the cobblestone streets of colonial Antigua, it’s impossible not to find fun things to do. From watching (or even hiking on) active volcanoes to exploring historic ruins, Antigua is a breathtakingly unique place.

The small city exceeded all our expectations. Our only regret visiting Antigua was that we wished we’d spent more time there. Check out some of the fun things to do in Antigua below to start planning an amazing trip to this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visit El Arco de Santa Catarina

Now we mention this below when you’re exploring the city, but no trip to Antigua is complete without visiting El Arco de Santa Catarina. If you’ve ever so much as Googled Antigua (which I’m guessing you have if you’re here), you’ll see a picture of these characteristic arch. It used to be nothing more than a way for nuns at the convent to traverse across the street without leaving the convent.

But today it’s an iconic symbol of Antigua’s beauty.

Around the arch, you’ll find plenty of good restaurants, markets, and shops. It’s very touristy stop, but a necessary one when you’re in teh area.

Hike an active volcano

Antigua is surrounded by volcanos. While not all are active, there are a couple actives ones you can hike. The hardest and most explosive one is Fuego. You can hike up Acatenango (dormant) to get absolutely jawdropping views of this fiery volcano. Even if from town, if you have a view of the volcano at night, you can see it spew red-hot lava every ten to fifteen minutes, increasing in intensity until the early morning hours. Anyone with an adventurous spirit and a decent level of fitness should definitely not miss an overnight hike up Acatenango to see this magnificent display of raw nature. We loved our night on Acatenango, and we were lucky enough to even have a view of Fuego from our AirBnb’s balcony.

If an intense overnight hike sounds a little extreme, you can also visit Pacaya. There are tours that will allow you to roast marshmallows or bake pizzas on the hot lava rocks.

Whatever you do, we highly recommend a guided tour. Hiking volcanos is not without its risks, but it’s worth the tour. Definitely one of the most fun things to do in Antigua–and the most memorable, in our experience.

Explore hidden courtyards

The streets of Antigua are pretty enough. But the real magic is behind the colorful walls. You could spend a day exploring all the lush gardens, restaurants, and shops hidden behind the walls of Antigua’s buildings.

We found some of our favorite restaurants and cafes when we delved off the streets and into these courtyards. You’ll have fun entering a nondescript wooden door or a narrow passage only to be transported to some place that looks like it popped out of another space and time.

For example, La Bruja and SKÅL Antigua are both located in one of our favorite courtyards. But we didn’t have time to explore every place that exists, so explore and you might find one even better.

Chill at a restaurant or brewery with a rooftop view or live music

Antigua is surrounded with mountains and has lots of restaurants and bars with rooftop terraces. What a better way to take in the city and its surroundings than with a cold drink and some munchies! Places we’d recommend include: Antigua Brewing Co., El Barrio/Lava Terrace, Aqua Antigua, 

If you’re in the mood for trying out some local beer, check out Antigua Brewing Co. They’ve got pale ale, IPA, lager, stout, and more. And you can try a flight of them for a reasonable price while you soak in the views.  

El Barrio is a courtyard with a collection of bars and food trucks with a hipster vibe. It’s decorated in bright colors, has a variety of drink options, and string lights to make it a fun thing to do in Antigua whether you’re there during the day or evening. Lava Terrace is one of the bars at El Barrio, which has a rooftop terrace. El Barrio has more of a crowded party vibe in the evening. So if you want it to be more relaxed, daytime is better.   

If you’re more of a restaurant than bar person, check out Aqua Antigua. This restaurant has good reviews, with a rooftop deck, good food, and cocktails. You can find things a little different than the traditional Guatemalan fare, like coconut shrimp and lobster mac and cheese. It’s a beautiful restaurant, but not the cheapest. So keep that in mind. There is also a pool and jacuzzi you can use there, but make sure to check the pricing first because they do charge.  

These are just a few places to give you an idea of the various options, but if you google “rooftop bar antigua guatemala” you’ll find plenty more.   

Do a food tour

Food tours are one of our favorite fun things to do in Antigua or any new city, really. We love trying different foods and what better way than to sample a variety of different things with a local guide. And you can find all sorts of food tours to meet your needs: cocktail tours, market tours where you sample fresh produce unique to the region, street food tours, as well as fine dining. I even found one where you could specify the type of tour/cuisine you are interested in and request whether you wanted it to be focused on street food, sweets, or finer food. There are many food tours to check out, but we can suggest Taste Antigua and Antigua Foodie Tours to start.

Visit the chocolate museum 

ChocoMuseo is a chain with stores in Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. We didn’t do it in Guatemala, but we did do one in Peru and it was fantastic! The one we went to in Peru had a gallery of chocolate sculptures which was pretty cool, a cafe where you could get hot chocolate and dessert, and a shop where you could purchase white, milk, or dark chocolates, cacao tea, and different kinds of liqueur. Most importantly, you can take a chocolate making class where you learn about chocolate production and make hot chocolate and your own customized chocolate bars from scratch, which was well worth it! They gave us the option of making milk or dark chocolate and provided a variety of different fillings, like oreo, coffee beans, sea salt, and more. We both left with a bag of homemade chocolate each!      

Take a horseback ride

If you like being outside and excursions involving animals, then try a horseback riding tour. I absolutely love horses and do this pretty much any time I can. 

You can find different types of tours/options depending on your interests and budget. Some ride to coffee plantations. Others ride through the forests on the side of a volcano. Or, if you’re looking for more of a romantic evening, you can do a sunset ride with wine and dinner cooked over lava rocks. You won’t regret any of this, because Antigua just offers so many beautiful places to enjoy a good horseback ride.

Be sure to ask about experience level and freedom on the ride if that interests you. It’s no fun going at a slow pace and playing follow the leader if you’ve got more experience, but if you’re new you may not feel comfortable with a trot.  

Book a photo tour 

If you’re into photography or want to get that perfect instagram shot, book a photo tour. The guides for these tours are generally familiar with the best photo spots in the city, and you can find different tour options depending on your interests. Some photography tours focus on teaching you photography tips. Others are more like hiring your own personal photographer for an hour or two.  

Do a self guided tour of churches, monasteries, and local ruins (include picture of map with sites)

If you prefer to do things at your own pace and without a crowded group tour, check out some options for self-guided walking tours. GPSmyCity provides extensive lists of sights in the city. All you have to do is select the ones you’re interested in and it will create your own personal map and route for you. Some sights we visited on our self-guided tour were the Santa Catalina Arch, La Merced Church and Monastery, Church of Candelaria, Church of Santa Rosa, Church of Santo Domingo, and Convent of the Capuchins.   

Take an ATV tour

Beyond being fun to ride, ATV tours are a great way to have a little adventure, see some sights, and get some fresh air. We didn’t end up doing one in Antigua, but we have done stuff like this in Peru and Greece, and there’s something really exciting about zipping around on these little cars that gives you a bit of an adrenaline rush. Plus, you can find all sorts of ATV tour options through sites like Tripadvisor or Viator, like visiting surrounding mountains and towns, going to a coffee plantation, or taking a sunset cruise. 

Relax with some yoga 

Antigua definitely has a bit of a bohemian vibe and as such you can find quite a few yoga and meditation studios. Whether you’re interested in a drop in class or a multi-day yoga retreat. You’re sure to find something that fits you. You can even find some studios with amazing views like Earth Lodge Yoga Studio . Or, if you’re the type of person who prefers an organized trip, you can find yoga retreats that include your transportation, food, and other activities like going to a coffee plantation and taking a cooking class . 

Visit Casa Santo Domingo 

Casa Santo Domingo is a former convent/monastery that dates back to the 1500s. It was partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 1700s and later turned into a 5-star hotel in 1989 and has hosted celebrities and presidents, like Bill Clinton. 

The hotel has also maintained the chapel ruins and has a museum, their own candle making studio, and an art gallery. You can tour the grounds on your own or pay for a guide for a relatively low fee, which is what we decided to do. 

At the end of the tour we were also taken across the street to a jade jewelry store where they provided a brief history and explanation of the jewelry making process. If you’re looking for some new jewelry, it’s definitely a good place to go!

The hotel also has a lovely restaurant where you’re surrounded by the old stones of the church, rich wood beams, and greenery from the garden. And it’s perfect for a romantic evening when you have the glow of candlelight. We had dinner there on one of our last evenings, which was well worth it! Definitely recommend! We each had the filet mignon with asparagus and pureed cauliflower and shared the white chocolate berry panna cotta made with greek yogurt, which was a perfect light dessert. Tony also got a French press coffee made with Guatemalan beans, which was freshly ground and prepared right at the table!

Finally, if you need a little more relaxation, the hotel also has a spa where you can relax in jacuzzis, get massages and facials, and get your steam on in wet and dry saunas.

Check out Hobbitenango (Hobbit Town!)

Hobbitenango is a small tourist village 20 minutes from Antigua with hobbit-style homes and restaurants similar to what you see in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. You can stay there for the night or get a ticket to go up for the day. 

Once there you can check out the hobbit houses, wander around the surrounding forest, and take the perfect insta shot from a giant’s hand protruding from the mountain with panoramic views. The guy working there was a great photographer and took several good pictures of us in different poses and angles! 

The entrance fee also includes admission to several carnival games, like slingshot, ax throwing, mini-golf, and a giant swing. The 2500 meter high giant swing was our favorite. We did it twice and would have liked to do it more! 

You can also buy craft jewelry and sweets. We bought some good homemade chocolate and Tony got a leather bracelet. 

Before we left, we enjoyed live music from a local vocalist and guitarist and had lunch at the Hobbitenango Restaurant, which wasn’t too bad. I had the tomato, mushroom, and cheese zucchini boats with a lemon ginger rum drink, and Tony had eggplant lasagna with a tamarind drink. On holidays and weekends there is also an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. 

Try pepián

Pepián is a traditional Guatemalan stew, which has been likened to a Mayan curry. Each family often has their own unique recipe. So you can find several variations, made with chicken, beef, or pork, but it’s generally made with tomatoes, tomatillos, pepper, chilies, potatoes, and squash. Some recipes also add things like pumpkin or sesame seeds, cinnamon, and additional spices. We got a chance to cook our own and it was delicious!

Take a cooking class 

One of the best ways to soak up some local culture is through a cooking class. Not only do you get to try the food, but you get to learn how to make it so you can replicate it at home for your family and friends! 

You’ll find plenty of different options for cooking classes through sites like Tripadvisor and Viator. We opted for one through De La Gente, where we learned how to make pepián, tortillas, and a chocolate plantain mole dessert. We highly recommend them, not only because the experience was great, but they serve a good mission. Their goal is to spread money through tourism more equally to the locals who work with their tours and the coffee export business the run, which you can check out on their site.

The tour company was great and picked us up directly from our apartment. They brought us to a local woman’s home where we cooked in her family kitchen. Both of the dishes we made were delicious! Guatemalan mole was very different from Mexican mole. I had never had it as a dessert before. Interestingly, the ingredients for pepián and mole are very similar. Both use tomatoes, tomatillos, and chilis (fresh and dried). Who would have thought a chocolate dessert would have tomato in it! The chocolate definitely balanced it out and canceled the acidity. 

I also learned you should probably wear gloves when you peel squash. Apparently, it emits a kind of sap, similar to trees, to protect the fruit from injuries. Essentially, when it’s damaged the sap leaks out and hardens to create a protective barrier. Anyway, that sap is super strong! I told Tony it felt like I had glue on my hands after I got done peeling them. And it didn’t come off easily with rubbing or washing. It took all day for that stuff to gradually rub off my hands! It was worth it though, because the food was delicious!