Antigua

Currency

Quetzales are needed for markets, tuk-tuks and small restaurants. Banks give better rates than hotels. US dollars are accepted at tour agencies but at a poor rate.

ATMs & cards

Use Banco Industrial, BAC or Banrural machines, preferably inside a bank or a guarded shop. Withdrawal limits are low and fees around Q30. Avoid street machines after dark.

Withdrawal limits are low and fees around Q30. Use machines inside a bank or a guarded shop during opening hours.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Antigua itself is one of the safer towns in the region and comfortable to walk by day. Take a licensed shuttle rather than public buses between towns, and only climb Acatenango with a reputable operator — the overnight hike is demanding and cold.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

• Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies for rural or long stays

Getting treated

Antigua has private clinics adequate for everyday problems; anything serious means Guatemala City, where the private hospitals are decent. Public facilities are poor. Evacuation cover is worth having.

Do not drink the tap water. Altitude in the highlands is mild but noticeable. Volcano tours are unregulated — check the operator.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Pepian, a rich seeded stew, is the national dish. The market on the west side is where locals eat for a few quetzales. Guatemalan coffee is world class — buy it from a finca, not a souvenir shop.

Getting around

• Walking — Antigua is small, flat and entirely walkable, though the cobbles are brutal on wheels
• Tuk-tuk — a few quetzales anywhere in town
• Shuttle bus — the standard way to reach Lake Atitlan, Guatemala City and the volcanoes
• Chicken bus — the painted former school buses, cheap and an experience in itself
• Airport: Guatemala City is about an hour by shuttle

Must-see

Things to do

• Photograph the Santa Catalina Arch at dawn
• Hike Acatenango for the Fuego eruptions
• Climb to Cerro de la Cruz
• Tour a coffee finca
• Take a Spanish course
• Day trip to Lake Atitlan

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Spanish (Latin American)

• HelloHolaOH-la
• PleasePor favorpor fa-VOR
• Thank youGraciasGRA-syas
• Yes / NoSí / Nosee / no
• Excuse meDisculpedees-KOOL-peh
• How much is it?¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta
• The bill, pleaseLa cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta
• Cheers!¡Salud!sa-LOOD

The c and z are said as an s here, not the Spanish "th" — gracias is GRA-syas.

Religion

Catholic and Evangelical, with Maya tradition

Roughly split between Catholic and Evangelical, with Maya spirituality practised openly, sometimes in the same building. Ask before photographing ceremonies.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Greet with buenos días and a handshake
• Ask permission before photographing indigenous people; many object strongly
• Dress modestly, particularly in highland towns and churches
• Take shuttles rather than public buses between towns

Don't

• Do not photograph children under any circumstances without a parent’s clear permission — this is a serious sensitivity
• Do not drink the tap water
• Do not discuss the civil war casually; it is recent and personal for many families
• Do not haggle aggressively with artisans over small sums