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Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala, often simply known as Antigua, is a charming city nestled in the central highlands of Guatemala, surrounded by three majestic volcanoes. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is renowned for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture, cobbled streets and picturesque ruins of colonial churches. Antigua is also renowned for its vibrant local markets, art galleries, boutique hotels, aromatic coffee plantations, and a wide range of culinary delights. Visitors can explore vibrant colonial history, participate in traditional Mayan ceremonies, or embark on hiking trips to nearby volcanoes, offering a blend of cultural depth and natural beauty that is truly spellbinding.

Antigua Guatemala is currently ranked #17 best place for solo female travellers. Check full ranking.

4.5 /5

Based on 13 experiences

3.9 /5

Based on our research

4.3 /5

Based on safety reports

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Safety:Safe

Antigua, Guatemala is generally safe during the day where the streets are vibrant and bustling with locals and tourists. As anywhere, caution should be exercised, especially at night. Always be aware of your surroundings, keep your valuables hidden, avoid less-trafficked areas, and take reputable taxis. Street crime like pickpocketing and bag-snatching can happen, however, serious crime against tourists is considered relatively low.

Transport:Easy

Antigua Guatemala provides a navigable experience for travelers. The city is small enough to be explored on foot, with most attractions clustered around the central area. Its grid-like layout also makes it easy to not get lost. However, the city's cobblestone streets might be quite challenging to traverse, especially during rain. Additionally, the city is served by colorful chicken buses and tuk-tuks for longer distances or tired legs.

Things to do:Interesting

Antigua Guatemala is a city of rich historical significance with remarkable Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture and vibrant street life that will fascinate solo female travelers. You can explore numerous art galleries, artisan markets, coffee farms, and cuisine reflecting local culture. Volcano hiking and jade workshops are popular activities. However, things can get quiet after dark which may affect the vibrancy of nightlife experiences.

Food:Above average

The food scene in Antigua Guatemala is quite remarkable with a good balance between traditional Guatemalan culinary offerings and international cuisine. A mixture of flavors can be found here, with ingredients that range from the locally grown coffee to the freshest fruits and vegetables. Street food stalls are also common, offering a simple yet tasty perspective of Guatemalan cuisine. Overall, the food scene has a diverse palate that caters for those who enjoy local, international or fusion dishes but it could use more varieties of international cuisines.

Budget:Affordable

Antigua Guatemala provides a budget-friendly travel experience. The cost of lodging, dining, and entertainment can be quite affordable. As you balance cost and comfort, hostels or budget hotels are widespread. Eating local food is cheaper and exploring the city by walking is not only free but also a great way to experience the local culture. However, some tourist attractions like historical monuments may have entrance fees and extras such as language classes or volcano hiking can increase costs.

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 13 experiences

Rating summary

Things to do

4.6/5

Safety

4.3/5

Food

4.6/5

Budget-friendly

3.7/5

Couple travel experience

Beautiful place full of history. Most of the structures are colonial in this city, you can easily get to other locations like Atitlan, there is also a street market nearby where you can find a lot of locals selling handicrafts.. :)

Posted: March 16, 2024Experienced: March, 2019

Things to do: 3/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5

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Solo travel experience

Guatemala is a destination abundant with natural places to explore. Throughout my trip, I felt safe even though I was travelling alone. The best experience was climbing the Volcano of Fire and Acatenango. I highly recommend it!

Posted: March 5, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 5/5

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Andressa

Brazil

Solo travel experience

The city is extremely pretty, all cute with colonial houses. To eat I highly recommend the street food in front of Iglesia de la Merced. Everything is delicious and really cheap. During the day is always super safe and people are really friendly. During the night I did not felt as safe to walk alone too far from my accommodation, but did not have any incident.

Posted: February 21, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 2/5Safety: 3/5

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Solo travel experience

I traveled to Antigua Guatemala and it was my first solo trip. I hiked Acatenango Volcano, what a challenge, and, view but it was worth it. I felt super safe in Antigua and walked almost everywhere.

Posted: February 8, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Ames

Canada

Solo travel experience

I love Guatemala! I did 10 days solo! I spent most of my nights in Antigua at Somos Hostel. I walked around the markets and ate some local food. I visited a few monumental sites. I completed Acetenango volcano over night on my birthday with the best views. I went to panajchel and stayed on the island for a bit and travelled around by boat. Paddle boarding was so much fun on lake atitlan. Only thing I didnt like was that there wasnt a lot of street food around Antigua. Didnt feel all that safe in Guatemala city when I was catching my flight back home. Other than that it was so much fun!!

Posted: December 31, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 4/5

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Solo travel experience

Antigua seemed very safe. I only spent two days there, which were good for exploring the city, but I regret not adding another two for hiking up the Acatenango volcano. I heard it's amazing but also challenging.

Posted: December 25, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Solo travel experience

I never felt unsafe, but I didn't go out after dusk. It's a beautiful place. There are many places to visit and eat in the city. The museum was great. There is the Patronato Cathedral, which I loved to walk by. The churches in the main square are beautiful. Two restaurants I highly recommend are Cafe Condesa and Rincón Antigüeño. Really good roast chickens.

Posted: October 17, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Solo travel experience

Antigua is amazing. I am a solo traveling woman, so I don't really go out in the evenings abroad, but I did there. I felt 100% completely safe.

Posted: September 3, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Solo travel experience

Antigua Guatemala is beautiful, perfect for walks, has many wonderful places for taking photos and is characterized by charming ruins. The cuisine is diverse, and if you're looking for nightlife, you'll find that too.

Posted: September 3, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Solo travel experience

I highly recommend Antigua Guatemala for solo travelers and digital nomads. The views are beautiful, there is a lot to do, plenty of great food, the internet connection is reliable and the city seemed very safe (even during night walks).

Posted: August 15, 2023

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5

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Meet local women in Antigua Guatemala who are open to meet up for a coffee or a drink, show you around, give local advice or practice a language with.

anna

About Me

heyy, i’m Anna from Germany, 20 years old an planning on being in and around Antigua in February!! i’m solo travelling but don’t want to make all these great experiences alone, so if anyone would be open to making them together, let me know!!:))

Speaking

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Britany

About Me

Soy Mariana, me gusta hacer arte, estar en paz y comer rico

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Stay with local women in Antigua Guatemala who offer free accommodation as part of cultural exchange. Couch surfing is a great way to meet new people, learn more about new cultures and experience destinations like a local.

Britany

Antigua Guatemala