Things To Do in Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is a fabulous city for a leisurely stroll, and along the way you can visit a museum or do some shopping. If you want to see things on your own, the following descriptions of the main attractions will help you choose what interests you most. There are also a number of tour agencies in town, and most hotels have a tour desk. All of these offer a standard city tour, as well as visits to volcanoes, Chichicastenango market, Lake Atitlán, and 1-day and multiday trips to Tikal. If you're not happy with the offering at you hotel's tour desk, try Lax Travel Antigua, 3a Calle Poniente, #12 (tel. 502/7832-1621); Sin Fronteras, 5a Av. Norte, #15A (tel. 502/7720-4400; www.sinfront.com); and Rainbow Travel Center, 7a Av. Sur, #8 (tel. 502/7832-4202; www.rainbowtravelcenter.com).

The best city tours available are the walking tours offered by Antigua Tours (tel. 502/7832-5821; www.antiguatours.net). They offer a wide range of tour and hotel booking options, but are best known for their walking tours with longtime resident and author Elizabeth Bell, whose books about Antigua include Antigua Guatemala: The City And Its Heritage (Antigua Tours, 2005). The 3-hour tour leaves daily and costs Q150 ($20/£10). On days when Bell is not available, other well-trained and personable guides lead the tour. These folks have an office on the west side of the main plaza, inside the Café El Portal.

If you're looking for adventure, contact Old Town Outfitters (tel. 502/5399-0440; www.adventureguatemala.com) for mountain biking, hiking, and other activities around Antigua and the country.

Attractions

The Plaza Mayor is the central axis of all Antigua. In colonial times, this was the city's main market and meeting area. Today, it's a great place to grab a shady seat and watch the parade of life pass before you. The current park was built in the 20th century, and covers a full city block with towering trees, well-tended gardens, various pathways lined with sturdy benches, and a beautiful fountain at its core. Teenage boys get a big kick out of the sculpted sirens lining the inside of the fountain, which is filled by a steady stream of water shooting out of their breasts.

North of the Plaza Mayor -- The most distinguishing architectural feature north of Plaza Mayor -- even more so than the Convento de las Capuchinas and the Iglesia La Merced -- is the Arco de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina Arch). This high arch spans 5a Avenida Norte, about 3 blocks north of the Plaza Mayor. The arch was built in the mid-17th century to allow nuns to pass from one part of the Santa Catalina Convent to the other without being seen. In the 19th century, a clock was added to a large cupola atop the center point of the beautiful yellow arch. Today, 5a Avenida Norte is often called Calle del Arco.

Other Activities

There are a host of Spanish-language schools in Antigua. Most offer small group or individual immersion-style classes between 4 and 5 hours daily, as well as various other activities and guided trips and tours. Most offer the option of a homestay with a local family, or a booking at any one of many hotels around the city. The schools I recommend include Academia de Español Antigüeña, 1a Calle Poniente, #10 (tel. 502/7832-7241; www.spanish-iae.com); Academia de Español Guatemala, 7a Calle Oriente, #15 (tel. 502/7832-5057; www.acad.conexion.com); Centro Lingüístico Maya, 5a Calle Poniente, #20 (tel. 502/7832-0656; www.clmmaya.com); and Escuela de Español San José el Viejo, 5a Av. Sur, #34 (tel. 502/7832-3028; www.sanjoseelviejo.com).

Rates run Q1,125 to Q2,250 ($150-$300/£75-£150) per week including classes, excursions, homestay, and airport transfers.

If you want to do volunteer work in the area, check in with Proyecto Mosaico, 3a Av. Norte, #3 (tel./fax 502/7832-0955; www.promosaico.org), an organization that formed in the wake of Hurricane Mitch and works as a clearinghouse to connect volunteers with worthy projects and organizations around Guatemala.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

The Christian Semana Santa celebrations in Antigua are an extravagant mix of religious fervor, civic pride, and artistic achievement. Throughout the week there are a score of masses, vigils (velaciones), and public processions. The processions can vary in size, and are often made up of hundreds of worshipers, who include men in regal purple robes, women in white linens and lace, and ubiquitous incense carriers. Other processions feature men in white hooded costumes (whose style was later borrowed by the Ku Klux Klan), women in somber black dresses (as if in mourning), and the occasional horseback-riding members. Most carry large floats (andas) with sculptures of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, and other saints.

Some of the andas are enormous (as much as 3 tons) and require as many as 100 men to carry each on their shoulders. As these huge floats make their slow way down the rugged streets, they lurch from side to side, often seeming as if they will topple (they very rarely do). Individual processions can last for many hours, and you'll notice a complex choreography used to keep the shoulders and legs of those carrying them fresh.

Although the celebrations officially begin on Ash Wednesday, the real spectacle begins on Palm Sunday and peaks on Good Friday. Throughout the week, elements of the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection are reenacted and celebrated. The sheer scope and abundance of the celebrations are hard to describe. The smell of incense and a thick smoke often hang heavy over the whole city.

If you plan on coming during Semana Santa, book your room well in advance, as much as a year or more in some of the more popular hotels here. The real score during Holy Week are rooms overlooking some of the streets on the processional routes. Of the hotels listed below, Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo and the Posada del Doña Leonor both have choice second-floor rooms with balconies fronting one or more of the processional routes. Warning: Be careful as you enjoy the Semana Santa celebrations. Pickpockets and petty thieves thrive in the crowded streets. Leave your money and valuables in your hotel safe.

You Say Tamal, I Say Tamale

While most folks who come to Antigua seeking an education are learning Spanish, the Antigua Cooking School, 5a Av. Norte, #25B (tel. 502/5944-8568; www.antiguacookingschool.com), offers an alternative to the traditional classroom. Located right under the Santa Catalina Arch, these folks offer regular 4-hour classes in preparing local cuisine. Each class tackles one of five different menus and costs Q375 ($50/£25) per person. Some of the dishes taught include subanik (a chicken and beef stew that's served wrapped in a local leaf), chuchitos (a small tamal made with corn flour and dried red chilies), and arroz con leche (a delicious dessert with rice and cinnamon).

Antigua is probably the best city for shopping in all of Central America. Options range from high-end jewelry and clothing stores to fine art galleries and open-air street vendors selling locally produced crafts and textiles. There are shops to fit all budgets and tastes.

The streets closest to Plaza Mayor are peppered with souvenir stores hawking T-shirts and key chains, shops selling high-end jewelry, top-notch art galleries, and more. About 3 blocks west of Plaza Mayor is the mercado municipal, or public market, as well as an organized handicraft and artisans market.

In general, prices are higher in Antigua than anywhere else in Guatemala. The higher-end stores have set prices, and rarely budge on them. However, the handicraft and souvenir outlets, as well as the larger markets and street vendors, will all bargain.

Jewelry -- There's a glut of shops and street vendors selling jewelry around Antigua. Many specialize in jade and are truly superlative, and at the better shops, you can even design a custom piece.

Markets -- While the prices at Nim Po't are fairly solid (they will offer slight discounts for bulk purchases if you ask), the prices at the other two markets listed are very negotiable. Be pleasant, but persistent, and you should be able to walk away with your goods and a heavier wallet.

Textiles -- In addition to the places listed, the Casa del Tejido Antiguo also has a well-stocked shop. Moreover, all of the listings in the "Markets" section have ample offerings of traditional Guatemalan textiles.

Before You Buy -- If you're planning to head to the large and hectic markets -- whether here, in Chichicastenango, or around the country -- to bargain and shop, it's good to get an idea of what to look for before you dive in. I recommend visiting Casa de Artes or Nim Po't before setting out in search of any arts, crafts, or textiles. The folks at Casa de Artes carry high-end pieces, and their staff is very knowledgeable, so you can learn the difference between a quality piece of work and something that's mass produced. Be sure to ask where the different styles are from, and see if any specific town or region strikes your fancy. Their selection of huipiles is top-notch.

Green with Envy: The History of Jade

The ancient Maya, Olmec, and Aztecs all treasured jade, more so than gold, and because of its durability, it was often considered strong currency in the afterlife. The name comes from the Spanish conquistadors who dubbed it piedra de ijada (stone of the kidney, or loins) when they saw the Maya use it to cure kidney disease. This was soon shortened to jada, or jade.

There are two distinct silicate rocks that are truly considered jade -- nephrite and jadeite. Guatemalan jade is jadeite, which is the harder and more brilliant of the two. It's scarce and thus more valuable. Contrary to popular belief, jade is not always green. In fact, it comes in a wide range of colors, from lavender to black.

Be careful when buying jade, as jewelry made from lesser stones is pawned off as true jade. The more reputable shops in Antigua offer guarantees that their stones are authentic, and many can document the actual mine from which the stone was extracted.