Antigua, place of pure history – where every stone can tell a true story

One of the most interesting and most impressive places I remember – Antigua Guatemala. There may be lots of beautiful places like this historical town, but for me it is like a story telling place. It is like living history.

Ruins from earthquakes and volcano explosions go side by side with beautiful and colorful painted colonial style houses.

Many of them are home for traditional restaurants, french style cafes and inviting pubs. Most beautiful I found the little beer gardens, which are mainly at the back side of pubs and restaurants. Very relaxing places in the shadow with trees and birds singing. Far from the hectic rush of the big city.

People are having a relaxed lifestyle. Standing under the roof of the sidewalk or sitting in the shadow under the trees in the central place, while having a chat with neighbors, tourists or other Guatemalan (Guatemaltecos). The little coffee shops are well visited all day as well as the very traditional restaurants with typical and delicious dishes of the region.

The central place is a nice and shadow spending place. Lots of tiny shops with nice and colorful Guatemaltecan Artesanias are nearby. While walking over the place you can hear lots of different languages from all over the world. Antigua is a well visited, but not a really well known point of interest in Latin America.

Everywhere in the streets you can buy fresh and juicy fruits, which are prepared ready to eat for a refreshing moment in the heat. One whole side of the central place is taken by the historical governmental building, which is still well preserved. At some streets and buildings it seems that the time has stood still. Slowly but surely the nature takes back what it was stolen once.

Extraordinarily impressive also the ruins of the historical Convent of the Capuchins, which was destroyed by an earthquake and finally by the explosion of the volcano (volcan de agua) nearby.

There are many nice and dreamy corners all over the town. You should bring enough time, I recommend at least two days to explore them all. Unfortunately I did not have that time, but I am sure I will come back one day. A romantic town to fall in love with, where every stone can tell a true story.

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