Visit Antigua, a town where time stands still. Once the third largest city in all of Spanish Colonial America and for 200 years the capital of Guatemala, it is today a peaceful, beautiful and partially restored colonial city. Cobblestone streets wind through the city of majestic churches and monasteries.
You will be picked up at your hotel in Guatemala City and transfer to Colonial Antigua Guatemala to begin your soft walking tour of Antigua. You’ll visit Central Park, Cathedral of Santiago, Arch of Santa Catalina and La Merced Church.
Central Park is located at the heart of the city, surrounded by the traditional grid pattern frequently utilized in Spanish urban planning in the colonies. The park is surrounded by the Palace of the Generals Captain, City Hall, the church of San José (formerly the Cathedral of Guatemala), the Archbishop’s Palace and the Portal of Commerce (or the Bakers’ Portal).
Here, visitors will also find the Mermaid´s Fountain. The Count of Gomera (Gomera is the word for a rubber plantation) built the fountain in remembrance of a popular legend, which tells the story of a King whose daughters gave birth but did not want to nurse their children. Learn about this famous story as you immerse yourself in the colonial history of the city.
Next, you will explore the Cathedral of Santiago which was constructed between 1543 and 1680 with an elaborate baroque façade in mortar, typical of antique churches.
The Cathedral has smooth columns, a body and a belfry that was rebuilt after the Santa Marta earthquake in 1773. You then proceed to the Arch of Santa Catalina.
This institution was established in 1609, and the nuns in this temple and convent were cloistered. The temple was inaugurated on the 15th of September, 1647. In 1694, construction of the arch was finished and it served as a bridge to connect the convent with the gardens on the other side of the street.
At end of the tour, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel in Guatemala City.
