May 17, 2025
ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
The six of us started out on what we thought was a little over an hour ride in an AC van to
Antigua from the
Port of Puerto Quetzal. Let's just say the smiles didn't last the whole trip! The AC was not good; the seats had very little in the way of cushions/ padding but the worse was the traffic - the port area is incredibly busy and roads are under construction. The ride took closer to 2.5 hours! Next van we will check out more closely for AC and cushions! Along the way, we saw
Mirandilla Guatemala,
it's a natural rock formation that looks like a woman's face. We also stopped for a scenic overlook over the former capital city of Antigua, which was largely wiped out by an earthquake in 1773 and therefore moved the capital to Guatemala City.
The old city of Antigua is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is stunning small city! Surrounded by volcanoes at 5000 feet above sea level, it had a cool breeze and is renowned for its Spanish colonial architecture and baroque churches. Our first stop was the gorgeous Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.
The hotel was hosting a wedding later that afternoon and the decor was amazing - the flower budget $$$$$. WOW!!
Next we explored the streets and squares of this enchanting town. I wanted to spend the night and see it all lite up and later found out that the next day was a Flower Festival there. I sooo wished I had known and planned accordingly. I will definitely want to come back here next time around.
The ice cream vendors have the most adorable carts!
Another wedding in town!
