Guatemala: Antigua – Exploring the Town
You can spend days around Antigua, exploring the perfectly gridded cobblestone streets and dozen of churches and cathedral as well as that many ruined ones. Typical of many Central American towns, everything revolves around the central square – Plaza Central. The plaza is framed by Catedral de San Juan, Palacio de Los Capitanes, and Museo de Santiago. For over 200 years, Antigua was the capital of the vast Spanish colony of Guatemala that encompassed all of Central American, including Maxican Chiapas. It actually was the third capital, intentionally planned and built, after earthquakes destroyed the previous two. You can explore Antigua for days, just aimlessly roaming the beautiful streets with all the semi ruined old churches, plenty of great restaurants and bars, and many museums and artisan shops.
