Antigua

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Our Arrival

The bus from Guatemala City dropped us at the bus station near the market. The town is a few minutes walk past the market stalls.



Where We Stayed

Hotel Posada Refugio II - Down a small street opposite the Terrace hostel on 3a Calle Poniente between Calzada Santa Lucia and 7a Avenue Norte. Q100 for a double room with private bathroom and hot showers. Kitchen available on the roof terrace. No internet but we picked up free wifi the whole time we were there. Try and get a room upstairs.

Posado Vero - Down the other small street on Calle Poniente. Q80 for a room with shared bathroom. Really strong internet and a bit of a roof terrace with laundry sink.



What We Did

Walked around town looking at the many churches and ruins.

Watched the processions for Samana Santa.

Watched Antigua play football. The stadium is walking distance from town or you can get a pickup from The Terrace hostel for Q5. Entrance is Q25. No alcohol allowed in the stadium however it is sold outside for before the game or during half time.

Watched Fuego volcano erupt. During the day you can see smoke coming out of the top and one time at night from our roof terrace we saw lava erupting from it for short bursts about 10 times.



Where We Ate

The Market - the market is massive and you will get lost. To get to the food court walk down the street opposite 3a Calle Poniente and enter the bulding on your left. Walk up and left and you should find it. We had some nice meals there for Q12-Q15.

There is a supermarket on Calzada Santa Lucia between 4a and 5a Calle Poniente and another around the corner on 4a Calle Poniente.

There is an English sports bar near La Merced church on 1a Calle Poniente which opens at 8am and shows delayed Premiership games.



Where We Went Next

TO PANAJACHEL

There is one direct bus a day to Panajachel. It leaves from a car park on Calzada Santa Lucia in between 4a and 5a Calle Poniente next to the supermarket. Alternatively you can meet at Panificadora Columbia on 4a Calle Poniente at 6:45am opposite the supermarket and a man will show you to the bus stop for no extra cost. The bus arrived at 7am. Leave your bags in a pile to go on the roof and get on quickly to get a seat. It left at 7:15am and arrived in Panajachel at 10:35am.



TO COPAN HONDURAS

We took the easy way out and booked a shuttle for $20, shop around as prices vary between agents. Our pick up was at 4am and we had to be waiting 15 mins before. After hanging around on a street corner in the dark trying to avoid the shady characters roaming the streets we were picked up at 4:10am. The minibus was luxury. This was the first tourist shuttle we have got and it was amazing compared to chicken buses. There was space for our bags, lots of leg room and no constant stopping. We had one 40 min break about 7am and the immigration forms were handed out to complete. We arrived at the border at 9:10am. The exit building is on your left. Give in your immigration form and it is Q10 for an exit stamp.

We had some trouble here as they wouldn't give us an exit stamp as we had no entrance stamp for Guatemala. We tried saying that our Nicaragua stamp was still valid and the last migration wouldn't give us a stamp but they wouldn't accept it and asked for a Q200 fine each. We didn't want to pay and tried entering Honduras without an exit stamp but they wouldn't let us. We went back to Guatemalan immigration and the fine was reduced to Q100 each. We paid and got an entrance and exit stamp for the same day.

The Honduras immigration is on the right hand side a bit down the road. They give out forms whilst you are waiting. Cost is Q30 for an entrance stamp. We left immigration at 10am. Just down the road the bus was stopped by customs and sprayed. They collected the customs forms and had a quick look inside. Copan was only about 10 mins down the road.

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