Planning to spend 3 days in Antigua, Guatemala? Brilliant choice, this is one of our favorite cities in Central America! And why you may ask – am I the best person to tell you how to spend 3 days in Antigua? Well, I’ve visited this gorgeous, historic city a couple of times and, done all of the activities, and eaten at all of the restaurants listed below. So, I’m writing from personal experience!
Antigua looks like the set of a movie, it’s that beautiful! This small city less than an hour outside Guatemala City offers breathtaking views of volcanoes in almost every direction. The town itself is Spanish-colonial style with cobble-stoned streets. It’s one of the prettiest cities we’ve ever visited and our favorite city we visited during our two weeks in Guatemala!
I remember the first time I laid eyes on Antigua, I was literally lost for words (and that doesn’t happen too often!) We had just come off a tiring journey from El Salvador by road and were feeling pretty deflated, but when our cab pulled onto the cobbled streets and I looked up and saw the massive volcanoes in the background – my bad mood was suddenly lifted.
You’ve clicked here because you’re in search of the best things to do in 3 days in Antigua, Guatemala and I can certainly deliver on that front. Of course, I’ve highlighted the not-to-be-missed attractions – places like the Arco de Santa Catalina, the Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint, and the Acatenango volcano hike. But I’ve also included some off-the-beaten-path gems on this three-day Antigua itinerary too. Yup, below, you’ll read about the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world and the colorful Chichicastenango markets.
In short in this blog, we’ll introduce you to experiences that are not on most Antigua Guatemala itineraries.
Is 3 days in Antigua enough?
Yes, 3 days is enough time to spend in Antigua. You can pack a lot into 3 days in Antigua, Guatemala due to its compact size. You can walk the length of the city in around 20 minutes!
Because Antigua is a small city you can squeeze all the main sights into one day and then spend days two and three going on day trips to Chichicastenango Market and climbing the mighty Acatenango Volcano. However, keep in mind that the below itinerary is jam-packed and at times you will feel rushed – so, if you prefer to travel slowly then 4 or 5 days in Antigua will be better suited to you!
Keep in mind the below itinerary is for three full days in Antigua – so you will need to spend 4 nights here to ensure you get to see everything!
Day One – Get to know the city
Start your first morning in Antigua – the way I always do when I’m in a new city with a takeaway coffee and a wander around to find my bearings! We loved the coffee at Artista de Cafe on 5a Avenida Sur and Fat Cat Coffee House in La Fuente Mall & Foodcourt.
With your coffee in hand, we suggest heading straight for the main square in Antigua (called The Plaza Central Park) which is a hive of activity in the mornings. You’ll see lots of street food vendors here and local women wearing traditional Mayan clothing. It’s a great spot to get a true feel for the city as it’s where many locals work and hang out.
Afternoon – Arco de Santa Catalina & Convento Capuchinas
One of the other famous sights in Antigua is the Arco de Santa Catalina – I’m sure you recognize this yellow arch from your Instagram feed. I definitely recommend coming here later this morning to snap some photos. You could even return after dark to see how different it looks.
The arch was constructed in the 17th century, and it originally served a practical purpose, allowing nuns from the Santa Catalina convent to pass from one building to another without being seen by the public. Over the years, the arch has become a symbol of Antigua, and as you’ll see it boasts a picturesque view of the Agua Volcano in the background.
Then for lunch head to the “most beautiful McDonald’s in the world”. Now, I don’t recommend eating here as there are so many awesome restaurants in Antigua. But, it’s still worth a walk past to snap some photos! Instead for lunch, we really like Restaurante Fridas on 5a Avenida Norte.
After lunch, we suggest making a beeline for the Convento Capuchinas. This massive convent was a thriving community of nuns from 1736 until 1773 when a huge earthquake destroyed it. We loved spending the afternoon here wandering the peaceful gardens and checking out the nuns’ rooms. There’s also a fabulous view of the city from the roof.
Evening – Cerro de la Cruz
This evening (before sunset) we recommend hiking up to Cerro de la Cruz to get the best view of the city. The trail itself will take around 20 minutes to hike, but it’s quite steep with lots of steps. To get to the start of the trail from the center of the city will take a further 20 minutes.
Alternatively, a really great tour that takes you to Cerro de la Cruz on an ATV is this sunset ATV tour. I have to say, driving a high-powered ATV is one of the coolest ways to see Antigua. It’s 4-5 hours long and takes you in an ATV up to El Cerro de la Cruz. Which I mentioned above and it’s also known as one of the best sunset spots in the city. You’ll then head onto a local village and then to Hobbitenango a fairytale-like village that’s akin to Hobbiton (from the Lord of the Rings) This tour costs from $65 USD per person!
BOOK your Sunset ATV tour of Antigua here!
Day Two – Chichicastenango Market
The famed Chichicastenango Markets are around a 2-hour drive from Antigua and these colorful markets are an assault on all your senses (in the best way possible). There are bright colors everywhere and smells of fresh flowers, meats, and fresh fruit waft through the air.
‘Chichi’ as it’s affectionately known by locals is for me what I imagined Guatemala to be before I even set foot in the country. It’s jam-packed with locals carrying textiles on their heads and tourists carrying cameras. It’s exciting and stressful at the same time, as anyone who’s been to a market in Central America will attest to.
You can find yourself a great bargain too, we enjoyed bartering with the friendly locals who own the stalls. For most of them, this is their only source of income, so be fair with your prices. We’re told they drive up from the neighboring villages the night before and sleep in their stalls, before getting up at dawn to prepare.
We picked up some gorgeously colorful embroidered pillowcases, a hand-dyed blanket, a table runner, and some handmade trinkets. We were really lucky we had the space in our backpacks!
There are several guided tours from Antigua to Chichicastenango daily! But be warned these are full-day tours so you will need to put aside at least 8 hours today if you want to visit these colorful markets!
Best tour of Chichicastenango from Antigua:
This tour is well-rated and takes between 6-8 hours and it will pick you up direct from your hotel in Antigua. The tour includes a local guide who will take you around the market where you will get to try various Guatemalan snacks (included in the price). This tour costs from $155 USD per person.
So, if you’re on a budget a good way to get to the market from downtown Antigua is on the shuttle operated by Turansa which takes around an hour. Tickets cost around $20 USD per person.
Dinner – Casa Escobar Antigua
When you get back to Antigua this evening, we highly recommend heading for dinner at one of our favorite Antigua restaurants – Casa Escobar Antigua on 6a Avenida Norte. Now, it is one of the pricier restaurants in Antigua but the food and the interior are amazing!
Day Three – Climb Acatenango Volcano
Another one of the most popular things to do in Antigua is to climb the mighty Acatenango Volcano. Which is just an hour from the city! It’s a dormant volcano but from its summit, you can see the active Fuego volcano erupting in the distance! Would you believe, Fuego erupts about every 30 minutes or so?!
The hike is difficult so a good level of fitness is needed. It’s also why we recommend doing this on your third day so that you have time to acclimatize.
After all the summit is situated at a whopping 3,796 meters tall – so it’s bound to be a challenge to get to the top. But, I promise the hard work is all worth it! Your hike begins with traversing lush forests, then, you’ll climb up through a cloud forest, and finally reach the barren, rocky summit. It will take between 4.5 to 6 hours to reach the top.
And, this tour allows you to spend the night on Acatenango volcano and it’s really well rated. It’s also a bargain at just $100 USD a head. And that price includes your meals and hiking equipment! As well as experienced guides on hand to assist throughout the hike. You will need to dress appropriately for the hike (lots of layers!)
BOOK your Acatenango hike here!
Where to stay in Antigua, Guatemala
We spent our 4 nights at Francisco’s Rest House Hotel – a small hotel on Avenida Sur Casa that has a nice common patio area. Our room was comfortable and clean and we had a shared bathroom. We paid just $20 USD per night. This gave us more money to do tours and eat at nice restaurants during our time in Antigua!
Some other highly recommended hotels in Antigua, include –
- Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo – A popular option with couples in particular this 5-star property is like stepping back in time. As the hotel is tastefully decorated with the building’s important history at the forefront (it’s like staying in a museum!) It boasts a fabulous outdoor swimming pool, an excellent restaurant, and a spa. Rooms start from $200 USD per night.
- Meson de Maria – this 3-star small hotel is so quaint and gorgeously decorated. It really does keep the Spanish Colonial aesthetic the city is so renowned for. The rooms here are clean, and spacious and some feature local art. A room here starts from a very reasonable $70 USD per night.
Getting to Antigua, Guatemala
If you’re flying into La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. Which many tourists do as flights from Europe, the United States, and elsewhere in Central America fly to here on a daily basis, then, it’s super easy to get an Uber straight from the airport to Antigua. The journey should take around an hour. When you’re exiting the airport there are also stalls where you can organize a cab or even a rental car, however, Uber is easy and effective.
We came into Guatemala via the land border with El Salvador. We used the border near the Ruta de los Flores in El Salvador – the name of this border is Las Chinimas / Valle Nuevo. Once coming through immigration in Guatemala we hopped on a bus to Guatemala City, we then hopped in a taxi from the bus station in Guatemala City directly to Antigua. All in this journey took us almost a full day of travel (around 8 hours).
Is it safe to walk around Antigua Guatemala?
On the grand scheme of things Antigua is relatively safe, but like many tourist hotspots worldwide, petty crimes such as pickpocketing and bag snatching can occur, particularly in crowded areas. Therefore, it’s advisable for visitors to remain vigilant, avoid displaying valuables, and exercise common-sense precautions, especially when it’s dark.
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you enjoyed reading my guide to 3 days in Antigua, Guatemala! 3 days is just enough time to scratch the surface of this historic city – there really is SO much to do here! Don’t be fooled by its small size.
I’ve also written lots more blog posts on my travels through Central America including 10 reasons to visit El Salvador and the the Ultimate Two Week Itinerary for Belize!
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Last Updated on February 5, 2025 by snaphappytravel