What else could I call a well maintained colonial city, laying underneath a majestic volcano, where you can safely walk in the streets while enjoying the immense history each house, building or church has to tell you, where wide clean cobalt streets lead you almost every time to hidden jewels, where you can feel there's a special cultural vibe in the air? I can only call it Antigua!
This city has totally stolen my heart, I can say with no doubts it's the best place I've visited during my "Mezcalzo Tour". I did fall in love with every aspect, every particular stone I found my self staring at and, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty sad I spent only two days there! I'm sure if I would have been there more, in a different way, I could have given much more to this place...and maybe the other way around. I can not spot one place in particular, as I did for Oaxaca, as my favorite one because every time I found my self looking at things I had that stupid face only surprised people have. I just couldn't stop saying how much I loved Antigua in front of each colored house, each church (restored and non) and each patio I would see sneaking into some open gate. Visiting this place is like living in the past!
But let's get practical and see where you can stay in order to verify all I'm tellin' ya! My choice was "hostel Antigua".
Only a few meters away from the main square, this clean hostel is just perfect for budget travelers, thanx to the free wi-fi and the kitchen located in the roof top veranda. Antigua is not that big but from here you can easily reach all the points of interest such as "la Merced" or the well furnished market in case you're in a shopping mood. If you want to eat tasty and cheap I really recommend "El Rincon Tipico" where with 20Qs you'll eat loads (plus unlimited refills of juicy refrescos) and will breath a real Guatemalan atmosphere! Opposite story a restaurant called "Sovremesa". Located right next to the cathedral and run by a gringo, this place is hands down not worth the money you will be spending, considering how cheap is life in this country.
Coffee in Antigua deserves a couple of specials lines! Everyone should know that Guatemala is one of the greatest producers of coffee in the world, but that doesn't always means they serve you a good coffee in the bars or restaurants. Oh well..."Cafè El Portal" has given me one of the greatest joy of my trip with its superb espresso! If you visit this place, you'll be sipping on a delicious creamy espresso just under the shade of Antigua's porticos while admiring the sparkling life of the main square. Espresso.What else?
Do we wonna talk about night life here? Oh well, as I said I didn't spend that much time here but it was enough to run into a place called "No se caffè". UNBELIEVABLE! This tiny bar had the power to amaze me at first for its atmosphere and furnitures and then with its totally unique way of being divided into three completely different places but at the same time linked together. The beers are cheap, the live music was superb and the Mescal room is what makes the difference!
Antigua is one of those places you will miss once back home!
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