Guatemala Travel Guide: The Best Things To Do In Guatemala From A Local (Updated for 2026)

if you are traveling to Guatemala, here are the best things to do in this beautiful country. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxing on an exotic beach, or planning a family vacation, there’s something for everyone. This Central American country is one of the most exciting and colorful. Guatemala offers everything from lush rainforests and active volcanos to colonial architecture and ancient Mayan cities. So if you wonder what to do in Guatemala, here is the best guide to making the most out of your visit to this captivating country.

Travel in Guatemala: A Complete Guatemala Travel Guide From A Local

Colorful and magical, Guatemala is one of the most diverse and engaging countries in Latin America. As a native Guatemalan (now an ex-pat living in Florida), I have compiled a list of my favorite destinations in Guatemala. You will find many lists of the best things to do in Guatemala. 

I promise this list will continue to grow as I discover more beautiful Guatemalan destinations. If you’re looking for the best things to do in Guatemala with kids, you can get some ideas here. As I travel with my kids to Guatemala a couple of times a year, we love discovering new things to do as a family.

Often overlooked by travelers who think it is a destination meant for the adventurous, Guatemala has something for everyone. Guatemala has everything. From solo travelers to families, budget travelers, digital nomads to sightseers looking for unique experiences!

Take A Trip Back in Time: The Best Things To Do in Antigua Guatemala

Walking through Antigua Guatemala’s cobblestone streets feels like a trip back in time. This 500-year-old city has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But much more than being a historical treasure, Antigua is a humming city. Surrounded by majestic volcanoes, this charming city is full of Spanish Baroque churches, some of them in ruins. Bright-colored mansions with walls framed by flowing bougainvillea give postcard-perfect views around every corner.

Here are some of the best things to do in Antigua Guatemala:

• Explore Antigua’s Best Colonial Ruins: Las Capuchinas, Santa Clara, and San Francisco el Grande are the ruins I always recommend because they’re easy to reach, beautiful, and full of shaded spots when the weather gets warm. Capuchinas has quiet courtyards and long arch-filled hallways, a perfect place to explore slowly. Santa Clara is wide and dramatic, especially early in the day. La Recolección is open and peaceful, and one of the best places to visit when you want to walk without crowds. Check out my full list of Antigua’s best colonial ruins to find all the info you need to visit them.

• Taste the Local Street Food: Street food is part of daily life in Antigua, and the best flavors come from family-run carts near Parque Central, church exits, and busy corners. Some of my favorites are tamales colorados, chuchitos, tacos, tostadas, rellenitos, rosa de jamaica and of coarse, the unique piloyada antigüeña. If you see a line of locals waiting, it’s a good sign you should stop too. Check out my article for the best street food in Antigua for all the local favorite spots.
• Shop at Local Artisan Markets: Mercado de Artesanías is my favorite place to shop for hand-woven bags, candles, embroidered blouses, and traditional textiles. The main Antigua Market is where local life happens every day. Here you can find flowers, produce, snacks, and handmade goods all in one place. Buying from these markets helps support local artists and maker families directly.
• Enjoy Volcano Views From a Rooftop Café: For views and coffee breaks, Café Sky, Bella Vista Coffee, and El Tenedor del Cerro are easy to plan into any itinerary. Café Sky gives you the classic Antigua rooftop experience. Bella Vista is calmer, full of plants, and perfect for a quiet stop. El Tenedor del Cerro sits higher up, surrounded by pine trees and cooler air. It’s not really a rooftop cafe, but one of my favorite restaurants with a view, although it’s packed on weekends. Mornings are clearer for photos, afternoons are cooler for conversation.
• Take in the Views of the City from Cerro de la Cruz: Cerro de la Cruz is one of the best viewpoints in Antigua, and the hike is short, safe, and easy to plan into any day. From the top, you see the churches, the volcanoes, and the full Antigua skyline. The mornings are clearer, but sunset is a favorite time to go, the sky turns pink and orange behind the volcanoes and the view becomes unforgettable.

• Indulge Your Sweet Tooth with Traditional Guatemalan Candy: Antigua has some of the best traditional Guatemalan candy shops in Guatemala. Doña Maria Gordillo is the most famous, with more than one hundred years of making the best traditional candy but other stores like El Sombreron are also a great option. My favorites include canillitas de leche, colochos de guayaba, candied figs and cocadas reales. Check out this guide to Guatemala’s traditional candy to find your own favorites.
• Hike the Pacaya Volcano: Pacaya is about one hour from Antigua and one of the most accessible active volcano hikes in Guatemala. Guides are available at the base every day, and horses too if you want help on the steepest parts. It’s easy to plan, adventurous without being extreme, and on clear days, you can still see lava. I hiked for the first time with my dad when I was twelve and loved sharing it with my teen son a couple of years ago.
• People Watch at the Parque Central: Parque Central is where I always tell travelers to start. The fountain, the Cathedral, cafés around the square, and vendors selling flowers and snacks give you the best first impression of the city. Sitting here for 10 minutes helps you understand the rhythm of Antigua: families talking, birds flying over the water, and everyday life happening around you.
• Tour A Coffee Finca Near Antigua: Coffee fincas are easy to add to your itinerary because they’re only 10–20 minutes outside the city. Filadelfia and the De La Gente Cooperative tours are favorites because you walk the plantations, learn the process, and end with tastings. The smell of fresh beans drying in the sun and the cool green air make it one of the best morning or early afternoon stops you can plan.
• Take a Day Trip to the Mayan City of Iximche:  Iximche is an important Mayan archaeological city that once served as the capital of the Kaqchikel Kingdom before the Spanish arrived in Guatemala. It’s about one hour from Antigua, surrounded by forest, and offers a powerful contrast to the colonial architecture you’ll see in the city and it’s one of my favorite day trips from Antigua. If you decide to visit don’t miss this complete guide to the Iximché ruins.

• Enjoy Antigua’s Vibrant Nightlife: Antigua’s nightlife is unique because the city stays walkable and feels surprisingly safe at night, with live music, hidden courtyards, and bars tucked inside colonial buildings that add a little sense of discovery to every evening. When I recommend a night out, it always includes a couple of classics like Café No Sé for live music and bohemian energy, and Ulew Cocktail Bar for intimate drinks in a colonial setting. For an unforgettable nightlife experience, be sure to check out my article on Antigua’s best Speakeasies. 

 Check out my complete guide to Antigua Guatemala for the best tips from the main attractions and hidden gems only locals know about to the best festivals, celebrations and local foods. And if you’re traveling with kids be sure to check out my article about our favorite things to do with kids in Antigua Guatemala.

Antigua Guatemala Festivals and Celebrations

Antigua has some of the most unique and colorful festivals and celebrations in Guatemala, from traditional dances during the fiestas patronales and awe inspiring processions and sawdust carpets during Holy Week to festivals that fill this colonial city with flowers or lights . Antigua’s festivals spill into the cobblestone streets, mix old traditions with modern energy, and timing your visit to Antigua during one of these unique celebrations can turn an ordinary trip into a once in a lifetine experience. If you’re planning your trip to Antigua, timing matters.  Here are my recommendations for Antigua’s best festivals and celebrations:

• Semana Santa (Holy Week):  This is Antigua’s most important celebration of the year and people visit from all over the world to see huge processions with elaborate andas and beautiful flower and sawdust carpets with breathtaking designs. The processions are centuries-old, slow, emotional, and unforgettable and the entire city fills with the sound of funerary bands, the smell of incense and a mystical and . If you’re planning to visit during Semana Santa planning ahead is key as hotels fill up months in advance so check out all my articles about Semana Santa in Antigua:
  • Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala: Best Tips and Must-See Hidden Gems from a Local
  • All You Need To Know About Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala
  • Everything You Need to Know About the Sawdust Carpets in Antigua Guatemala
  • Antigua Guatemala Semana Santa Procession Schedule and Routes

• Antigua’s Fiestas Patronales: Held every July for Santiago Apóstol, Antigua’s patron saint. Expect parades, processions, rides, fair food, music, fireworks and cultural activities. This is the celebration where the whole city becomes one big family festival. If you’re visiting Antigua in July don’t miss my full article about the Fiestas Patronales in Antigua Guatemala.
• Festival de las Flores (Antigua’s Flower Festival):  Held every November, the city fills with flowers — doorways, streets, parks, and art installations all covered with coloful blooms turn this colonial city into a magical place. Get all the information regarding this amazing celebration in my article about El Festival de las Flores in Antigua Guatemala.

• Festival de las Luces (Antigua’s Festival of Lights): Festival de las Luces takes place every year in early December. It’s a night festival that fills the city with lantern parades, live concerts, light installations, and late-night market food. For me what makes it truly magical of it is how Antigua’s colonial architecture becomes part of the show: arches, churches, and streets glow with art and color. Here is everything you need to know if you plan to visit Antigua during the Festival of Lights.
• La Quema del Diablo:  December 7th is loud, symbolic, smoky, and deeply local. Families clean their homes, neighbors build bonfires, and effigies burn in the streets. It’s one of those nights you feel, not just watch. Here I’ve compiled important information, schedules and everything you need to know before you go to La Quema del Diablo in Antigua.  

For a full breakdown of these and smaller, lesser-known festivals, fairs, and celebrations, check out my Antigua Guatemala festivals and celebrations calendar so you can map your visit around the most meaningful events or check if there is something going on in or near Antigua while you are there.

Discover Tikal and Other Mayan Ruins: The Best Things To Do In Petén

The dense jungle-covered area of Petén in Guatemala used to be inhabited by the Mayan civilization. As a result, it is full of ancient cities. Most are covered with vegetation, and some are yet to be discovered. Most people travel to Petén to visit the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, a UNESCO world heritage site but there are other things to do in the Peten area including visiting the city of Flores and lesser known Mayan ruins that are true hidden gems. Here are

Tikal park is one of the most incredible ancient cities in Guatemala. Here is a complete guide to visiting Tikal that includes everything you need to know before seeing the most spectacular Mayan ruins in the world. 

Visit Lake Atitlán: Best Things To Do In Lake Atitlan

Considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Atitlán has inspired poets and writers for decades. The Mayan people have regarded it as a sacred place for centuries. Yet, even the most beautiful pictures of lake Atitlán fail to capture its essence. Ever since I was a kid, Lake Atitlán always seemed like a magical place to me. There’s a mystical air, positive energy that goes beyond its beauty.

Of volcanic origin, the lake encircles stunning volcanoes. Its shores overflow with charming and quaint towns like Santiago Atitlán, with its flourishing indigenous culture. San Marcos is the perfect refuge for those who want to connect to the cosmic energy of the lake. There’s plenty to do from feeding coatis at the Reserva Natural de Atitlán in Panajachel and paragliding in Santa Catarina Palopó. And don’t forget to kayak in Santa Cruz La Laguna or visit the pottery makers in San Antonio Palopó.

Discover Rio Dulce, A Hidden Gem: Best Things to Do In Izabal

About 5 hours from Guatemala City, Rio Dulce (Sweet River) connects the largest lake in Guatemala with the Caribbean coast. Take an enchanting boat ride through Rio Dulce to experience the natural beauty along the shores. There are few roads in the area, and the river is the primary means of transport. It is also a way of life for those living there. From the spectacular Boquerón canyon and the hot springs at Finca Paraiso to the wildlife, you will find that Rio Dulce is one of the most beautiful destinations in Guatemala.

Rio Dulce is also the home of one of the oldest Spanish Colonial forts in the area, the Castillo de San Felipe de Lara. It was built in 1644 at the entrance of Lake Izabal. This historical site is one you should not miss. The city of Livingston, where the river meets the Gulf of Honduras, offers a unique look into the Garifuna culture. It is the best opportunity to sample the delicious traditional Caribbean dishes unique to this area.

With its turquoise waters and verdant lush rainforest, Semuc Champey (where the river hides beneath the Earth) is a stunning destination. In my opinion, Semuc Champey is the most beautiful place in Guatemala. But, unfortunately, it’s hard to capture its beauty in images! But this series of clear pools formed above a natural bridge beneath the Cahabon river is the best example of Guatemala’s striking and unspoiled natural beauty.

It is a little challenging to get to, only adding to its magic. It has yet to be invaded by hordes of tourists, keeping its beauty untarnished. Swim in its beautiful pools, hike to the “mirador” to look at it from above or take a guided tour to explore the water caves to get the complete experience.

Explore the Lost Wonders of the Maya: A Journey to Iximche

The Iximche Mayan ruins in Guatemala are an underrated attraction that offers a unique glimpse into the Mayan civilization’s history and culture. Set amidst breathtaking natural scenery, these ancient ruins are a must-visit destination I highly recommend.

The Iximche Mayan ruins are in Tecpan. They are about an hour’s drive from the city of Antigua and about two hours from Guatemala City. This is the perfect stop if you’re going from Antigua to Atitlan!

A Mystical Adventures Inside Candelaria Caves

The Candelaria Caves are usually not on most lists of the best things to do in Guatemala. The only reason for that is that they are not as well known. However, growing up in Guatemala, I visited the Candelaria Caves for the first time as a teenager. To this day, those memories are some of my favorites! This trip into the most extensive cave system in Central America was one of the most exciting and fun adventures I’ve ever been on.

My favorite part of the Candelaria Caves is that many caves have skylights letting light in. So you can see the verdant rainforest outside, making this a unique experience. You can also go tubing in the river inside the caves, which is sure to be an unforgettable adventure!

Uncovering the Treasures of the Quirigua Ruins

Embark on a journey back in time and discover the rich history of the Maya culture in the stunning Quirigua ruins. Nestled in the lush jungle, these well-preserved ruins offer a unique glimpse into the grandeur of the Mayan architecture and artwork. 

The towering stela monuments offer a window into the advanced culture and beliefs of the ancient Maya. So pack your bags, and let’s set off on a journey to discover the beauty and mystery of the world of the Mayas!

Experience Market Day in Chichicastenango

If you are wondering what to do in Guatemala, visiting its most colorful market is a must! It is Guatemala’s biggest outdoor market but also its most historic one. Its vibrant stalls are full of colorful Mayan textiles, traditional wood carvings, and other Mayan goods that are for sale.

Get Immersed In Guatemalan Culture

Antigua Guatemala provides you with so many opportunities to get close and personal to Guatemalan culture and it’s blend of Mayan and European heritage. From witnessing the solemn processions and awe inspiring sawdust carpets during Holy Week celebrations,  enjoying the beauty of the city adorned with flowers for Antigua’s Flower Festival or experiencing Antigua Guatemala’s Fiesta Patronal (patron saint celebration) which includes amazing Guatemalan folk dances there are so many opportunities to learn about Guatemala’s unique and colorful culture. You can check out my article for a full list of festivals and celebrations in Antigua which includes dates so you can plan ahead and book your trip to Guatemala with these special events in mind. 

Climb a Volcano

Whether you’re an experienced mountain climber and decide to take on a challenge by climbing the Acatenengo volcano or leisurely ride a horse up an active volcano and roast marshmallows on the hot volcanic rocks with the kids, there’s a volcano climbing experience for everyone in Guatemala. 

With over 33 volcanos across the land, many are easily accessible from Guatemala City, Antigua Guatemala, or Xela. Getting to experience a volcano from its summit, as opposed to just enjoying its commanding beauty from below, is an adventure you’re sure to cherish forever.

Visit the Black Sand Beaches of the Pacific

Guatemala’s Pacific coast features hundreds of miles of volcanic black sand beaches. So far from the white sand beach postcard pictures, Guatemala’s Pacific coast is quite different. Yet, I find these black sand beaches to have a special energy and appeal. And since there are no big hotels or resorts, nature here takes center stage.

Although there are many different beaches, Monterrico is the most popular as there are many small hotels here. However, don’t expect lavish resorts or turquoise waters. But rather an untamed natural beauty that is sometimes rough around the edges, an ocean that refuses to be tamed, and small villages whose people depend on fishing and agriculture.

Check out my article about Guatemala’s Pacific coast for tips and recommendations on what to do and where to stay on Guatemala’s Pacific coast.

Witness the Awe Inspiring Processions During Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala

Semana Santa, also known as Holy Week, holds great importance and is widely celebrated in Guatemala. This week-long event is a time for religious contemplation and also an opportunity to display the country’s vibrant cultural heritage. Semana Santa has been observed for centuries. These Guatemalan Easter traditions are deeply rooted in the social fabric of Guatemala.

Don’t Forget The Check Out the Best Things To Do In Guatemala City

Many people traveling to Guatemala skip Guatemala city. However, this modern metropolis, the largest and most developed in Central America, offers a unique look into Guatemalan life, culture, and history.

Plan to spend a couple of days there. Be sure to include in your itinerary a visit to the Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena. You will learn all about the fantastic Mayan weaving techniques and colorful designs: Plus, you can visit the historic downtown area and the trendy and artsy 4 Grados Norte.

Do not miss sampling the delicious traditional Guatemalan food in the city. The up-and-coming chefs use local flavors to create unique dishes you won’t find anywhere else. And If you want to try the best dishes, this  guide to Guatemalan food is for you!

More Amazing Things to Do In Guatemala:

If you’re planning a trip to Guatemala, you’ve come to the right place! From the best destinations to kid-friendly activities, I’ll share my love for my home country. Here are amazing things to do in Guatemala to make your trip a memorable one:

• The Best Things To Do With Kids In Guatemala City: The capital city is full of fun things to do. However, kid-friendly activities are not always easy to find. So I thought I would share the best things to do in Guatemala City with kids. And the best part is most are not only fun but also educational activities; a huge plus for any parent!
• Getting Close To Nature At Auto Safari Chapín: Located in Escuintla, Auto Safari Chapin is a great day trip for families and animal lovers. Whether you are visiting or living there, it is one of the best things to do in Guatemala with kids.

• Luxurious And Magical Jungle Getaway At Las Lagunas Hotel: If you want to experience the Guatemalan jungle in a magical setting, Las Lagunas boutique hotel is the ideal choice. It is minutes away from the Santa Elena airport and a short ride from Tikal. It is the ultimate jungle getaway!
• Best Things To Do In Lake Atitlan With Kids: Looking for the best things to do in Lake Atitlán with kids?  Here are lots of fun options! It includes all our favorite things to do around the lake, from Panajachel to smaller towns like San Antonio Palopó.

• Porta Hotel, The Best Hotel In Antigua Guatemala For Families: if you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel in Antigua, this is it! With beautiful colonial architecture and a kid-friendly pool, Porta Hotel is the best one in Antigua Guatemala for families.

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Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

Paula moved from her native Guatemala to SW Florida with her husband and two children and together they are discovering what it means to live life between two languages.

Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .

When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.

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