Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Centro de Arte Popular
(4a Calle Oriente 10; 9:30am-6:30pm)
Inside the Casa Antigua El Jaulón, a courtyard shopping
arcade, this shop/museum displays Tz'utujil oil paintings, cedar figurines, masks and oth-
er crafts in four galleries.
ART
Doña María Gordillo Dulces Típicos
(4a Calle Oriente 11)
This shop opposite Hotel Aurora is filled with traditional Guatemalan
sweets, and there's often a crowd of
antigüeños
lined up to buy them.
FOOD
Librería La Casa del Conde
BOOKS
(Portal del Comercio 4)
Excellent selection of Central American history and politics and nature
guides in English, literature in Spanish, and Lonely Planet guides.
Orientation
Antigua's focal point is the broad Parque Central; few places in town are more than 15
minutes' walk from here. Compass points are added to the numbered Calles and Avs, in-
dicating whether an address is
norte
(north),
sur
(south),
poniente
(west) or
oriente
(east)
of the Parque Central, though signage is frustratingly sparse.
Three volcanoes provide easy reference points: Volcán Agua is south of the city and
visible from most points within it; Volcán Fuego and Volcán Acatenango rise to the south-
west (Acatenango is the more northerly of the two).
Another useful Antigua landmark is the
Arco de Santa Catalina
(5a Av Norte)
, an arch span-
ning 5a Av Norte, 2½ blocks north of the Parque Central, on the way to La Merced
church.
Information
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Antigua generally feels safe to walk around but muggings do occur, so don't let your
guard down completely. This holds doubly true after the bars close at 1am, when muggers
are on the lookout for inebriated visitors. After 10pm, consider taking a taxi back to your
lodging, especially if you're female.
