Some Places to Eat
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As with any place, you should explore the numerous eating establishments on your own, finding your own favorites. I can recommend some classic spots that will make you feel close to home.
If you’re staying at Posada Ruiz 1, there’s a great place to sit and eat breakfast across the street at Peroleto’s. This place has delicious fruit juices, yogurt, granola, breakfasts, and coffee, along with very friendly service. Highly recommended and convenient.
It sounds terrible, but The Bagel Barn just off the plaza on 5 C Poniente 2, has excellent coffee, breakfast, and of course, bagels. You probably won’t find a bagel anywhere in the country, so stock up.
Café Condessa, on the west side of the Plaza, takes the Europe similarity to an extreme: complete with babbling fountains and a huge glass display case for all of their desserts. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it to go here at least once while you’re in Antigua for breakfast or afternoon “tea.”
If you want a restaurant for dinner, there’s every possible ethnic food type available within a few block radius of the Plaza. There’s even a bar with the last remaining micro-brew in Guatemala called Monozoco. This bar restaurant is on the second floor over another bar somewhere east of the plaza. I never really could find it without help or a point in the right direction, but it’s well worth the effort as they have excellent nachos, chicken, and a functioning dart board. The micro-brew is probably the best dark beer you’ll see in the country. Try the Bitter or the Amber. They also have a book exchange here.
If you’re craving a strange but very satisfying dining experience, go to El Capuchino on 6 Ave Norte 12. This Italian fare is served in a very odd mixture of interior designs, from paintings of volcanos to fake greek pillars and plastic display pizzas. Also, with the exception of the pastas, they don’t really have anything on their menu in stock, like wine or desserts. The roquefort pasta is excellent, as is the coffee and tiramisu, when they have it. Go here for the friendly service and the truly bizarre interior. Closed Mondays.
There are lots of other great places. Just ask people you meet along the way to get the freshest news and recommendations. Also, there are always street vendors with delicious and inexpensive foods and drinks for sale all along Calle 4 next to the market. You can’t go wrong.
Things To Do
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Besides the Plaza and surrounding natural beauties, there are quite a few sets of buildings to visit in the city. Due to the very severe earthquakes that all but destroyed the city in 1773, Antigua houses the ruins of La Merced Church, Las Capuchinas convent, the arch of Santa Catalina, and the mansion Casa Popenoe. Get a free map of Antigua and it’s sites from the tourist office on the Plaza.
There are any number of day trips possible from here. From climbing the active Pacayu Volcano to spending a day at the beach, anything is available from the plethora of Travel Agencies that line the streets of Antigua. Mostly the agencies are reputable, but I would avoid Rainbow Travel, as many people, myself included have had bad experiences dealing with them. Some good agencies to use are Monarcas (6 Ave Norte 34) and Adventure Travel Center (5 Ave Norte 25B). Of course, it is often just as easy to hop on local bus yourself and save some money. What these agencies are selling you is extra time and ease of movement. You decide.
But basically, you probably won’t be spending much time here. There’s too much else to see along the infamous “Gringo Trail” of Guatemala. When you do come here, it’ll be to rest and prepare for a new adventure or journey. Therefore I hope you enjoy Antigua for what it is, easy.
©2000 Emma Beyn. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part, including reproduction in electronic media, without the expressed written permission of the author is prohibited.
