Antigua Guatemala, Central Highlands

Sitting at the base of three different volcanos, Antigua was officially founded in 1543 after three different attempts were made to establish Guatemala's capital. The first city was burned down and attacked by the indigenous group that originally occupied the land. The second city was destroyed by a huge volcanic mudslide, devastating the population and the buildings. For the third attempt, they moved the city to a flat patch of land 5 miles further from Volcán Agua in hopes that they could avoid any mudslides. When earthquakes devastated the city every 10 years in the 1700s, officials ordered the residents to abandon the city and move instead to what would become the new capital of Guatemala, Guatemala City.

Since then, what was once sought to be the capital of Guatemala has now been saved, revered, and protected by the artists that re-inhabited the romantic city after it was abandoned in 1776. Declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979, this city is under legal protection to preserve the ruins, the beauty, and the rich cultural history of Antigua.

Built with the ingenuity of Latin American city planning, Antigua’s streets are carefully laid out in a grid pattern that is both intuitive and easy to understand - You really have to try, if you want to get lost while in Antigua. This innovative grid city planning is one of the reasons that the city is now legally protected as a World Heritage Site.

The lively culture and kind residents have drawn travelers to Antigua for decades, making it one of the most visited destinations in Guatemala. The price of living is relatively low, the weather is pleasantly warm and mild, and the Spanish baroque-influenced architecture is the postcard picture perfect. It isn’t hard to see why millions of people flock to this gorgeous, culturally rich, and historic city every year.