Antigua, Guatemala

The Indie Travel Challenge for Week 28 wants to know, What’s Your Expat City? This could not have been an easier question for me, but it also seems to be an ever evolving answer. When I first left Cuzco I longed to go back and stay for weeks, after strolling Las Ramblas I investigated whether my great-grandfather’s Basque birth was enough for me to get a passport (it’s not *sigh*), now after returning from Antigua, Guatemala I have been obsessing over the rental market there.

Comida Tipico

Antigua is a quick drive from Guatemala City and a slightly longer one from Lake Atitlan, but the proximity to both only adds to its allure. This is a charming colonial town with cobblestone streets and equally charming sites. I am also clearly not the only one who thinks this is the place for expats there are loads of expats already enjoying their life there. We only stayed in Antigua for a couple of days, but we kept our days full of food and finding all the sites the city had to offer.

Las Capuchinas

Antigua has a number of ruins and churches which we took an entire afternoon to enjoy. We visited in late November, but the weather definitely encouraged us to stop frequently for a refreshing glass of bubbly.

La Merced

The bright colors of the city part of every aspect: the buildings, food, and sometimes even the clothing.

As in most Central American countries the buses are colorfully painted and packed to the gills. Antigua is such a small town we never found the need to ride the bus, but I loved to see the character that each one displayed.

A night out at the bars proved that you could find a variety of music and cheeky signs. This one really spoke to me!

A building on the city square

There is also a fantastic market at the end of town. A quick turn through the market and you will find hot foods, fruits, veggies, and a colorful bounty of things you can take home to cook.

You can also take a cooking class and learn to make pepian, chilaquiles, and the most amazing guacamole you may ever taste. The reason behind the great tasting guac is the slightly minty cilantro they have in Antigua.