A BEUATIFUL PLACE - MUST VISIT IN GUATEMALA! (Antigua Guatemala)

Member Name: poonam82

Product:	Antigua Guatemala
Date:	17/05/09 (2 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everything a tourist needs!

Disadvantages: Someone people say its too touristy BUT there are sections in Antigua to avoid this!

Antigua is the former capital of Guatemala.
It has now become a bit of a tourism paradise - BUT I don't think it's spoilt by tourism completely yet!

Having lived in Guatemala, I used to escape to Antigua for some kind of normality. It is without a doubt the safest place in Guatemala for tourists (danger/muggings at knife point-gun point-machete point...etc is still rife. In my first year, all three happened to me by living in the city) - Antigua even has tourist police protecting you.

It is filled with good places to eat, places to stay and bars to go out in at night. Granted it is more expensive than the rest of Guatemala BUT if you have limited time, it is worth spending it here. From Antigua you can do so many tours to other parts of Guatemala. Whilst I would recommend the chicken bus experience (as it has to be done just to see the dynamic on board!) I appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea. Particularly if you are limited on time or are a nervous traveller and get worried about changing, getting off at the right stop...etc

If you don't speak Spanish very well, almost all tourist places in Antigua speak English so another plus to organising things here.

Lots of beautiful old ruins to see that have been destroyed sue to earthquakes in the past, but if you go at night, they are lit up and look stunning! Lots of artisan to be bought here (although if you want it cheaper, go to Mercado Central in the capital)

There is a look out point to visit here - Cerro de Cruz - but go in a group and make sure you come back down while it is still light. Previously gangs were known to mug people as they climbed the hill - now tourist police do go up and down too but if it doesn't feel right, don't go.

You can walk around safe at night in Antigua, you can sample great Guatemalan coffee, cakes and delights here (café condesa serves amazing cakes!) you can eat Guatemalan food or have western food, you can drink Baileys or Gallo cerveza, you can stay in the hub or the tourist hustle and bustle, you can be removed form it, you can make the effort to learn the language at a language school or you can get away with not trying.

In short, it really does have everything - it is a little more expensive but if you're not extreme budget travelling, people from the States and UK will never find it as expensive as back home (unless you really are going out to town to party as there is a very upper class market end too!!)

Summary: Worth a visit! Most definately!