Laid out as a grid system of brightly coloured houses interspersed with lively cafes and colonial buildings, Antigua is certainly attractive.
Once the religious, political and administrative centre of the country, its preferred occupation is now singular; namely the pursuit of time-wasting.
Antigua is a pleasure- haven, a retreat for tired backpackers to take time out and forget that they are in Central America.
Street vendors and cafes rich with books in English provide all the distraction you need to forget the dust of Guatemala.
And yet whilst it is a breath of fresh air, the swarm of Spanish schools, English speakers and other backpackers littering the streets can be slightly suffocating.
(Warning: do not come to Antigua to learn Spanish – no-one seems to speak it!).
Visiting Antigua is best left for the midpoint of the trip to ward off pangs of home sickness and take a break from ‘real travelling’.
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