How to experience the best of Central America in 50 days solo and overland – Stop 11 Antigua, Guatemala

18-20 March 2024  From El Tunco on the east coast of El Salvador, I made an ambitious attempt to reach Antigua in Guatemala on the same day. First I caught an early morning bus back to San Salvador, then a bus to Sonsonate, and finally to La Hachadura, at the border. After clearing customs, which was one of the smoothest, I caught the next bus to Escuintla. Despite the late afternoon hour, I managed to catch a chicken bus to Antigua. By the time I arrived, it was already dark. Like a horse looking for the most obstacles in a show jumping, I deserve a pat on the back.

Generations have come and gone, yet Antigua still looks like the city of old, of colonial times. The houses are mostly single-story and humble-looking. Buildings taller than two stories are uncommon. Modern glass and aluminum structures are rare. Some buildings have been spruced up to accommodate modern lifestyles, to serve as cafes, restaurants, or guesthouses, but they still maintain their historical character. The streets are still paved with the cobblestones that have survived decades and centuries of relentless pounding to become uneven. Motorcycles and cars bump along slowly. No one wears high heels here or risks being stuck between the rocks. It helps that these streets are wide, wider than most other old cobblestone streets in many historical cities. 

In the city center, indigenous women continue to wear traje, their colorful traditional dress, quietly but proudly maintaining their identity and preserving their culture. Churches, built centuries ago when Christianity came ashore, remain prominent. Some have received facelifts and still receiving their flocks, others have given up any pretense of youthfulness. 

Three volcanoes look over this city. Two are said to be dead, one still alive and often seen puffing smoke from its top. 

Antigua has been preserved as a heritage for all – where the past lives on. Great to experience these good old times.

23-24 March 2024 After spending 2 days at Lake Atitlan, I took a shuttle bus back to Antigua to continue my journey eastward.  

Today is Sunday today, which happens to be the first day of the Holy Week for the locals – Semana Santa, a religious and cultural celebration that commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. This major annual celebration is observed not only in Spain and Portugal but also in most Latin American countries.

Some streets in the city center were cordoned off. Ancient people walked around, in early Christian robes and turban. People started to adorn the cobblestone streets with spectacular alfombras – rug-like displays crafted from sawdust, grass, twigs, flowers, and natural plant-based material. Each was a unique work of art, created out of veneration.

The highlight of the day was the parades that reenacted Jesus on the cross and the resurrection of Christ. The occasion was accompanied by a loud wind band and big drums to realistic effects. I even saw a Roman soldier hanging around. The air was thick with the smoke and fragrance of burning incense, adding to the solemnity of the occasion.

To my dismay, the beautiful alfombras were soon swept away by a crew following the parade. I witnessed one of these processions in the morning and another in the early evening. It was a day of solemn rituals and joyful celebration – a true festivity for the people.

The 1773 earthquake ended Guatemala as the colonial capital of Guatemala. But it remains true to itself, to this day.

Click here to start from Stop 1 – Stop 16 of this trip: How to experience the best of Central America in 50 days solo and overland, and other trips

Click here to go to the next Stop 12 – Lake Atitlan, Guatemala