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Half Day: 4 - 5 hours
Daily Tour
15 people
English, Espanol
Visit this magnificent colonial city of almost 500 years old, beautifully preserved with its convents and churches, stately homes, and gardens that evoke the tranquility and splendor of past epochs. Antigua is today a center of much activity. It hosts many cultural gatherings, seminars, congresses, weddings, and also is the center where crafts from all over the country meet.
This walking tour of half-day will take you to the most important and iconic places and tell you all the history behind it. There´s no doubt that you will enjoy every moment of it.
We are going to pick you up at the lobby of your hotel and start the walking tour.
In Antigua Guatemala, you will feel that you go back in time. Observe the mesmerizing Water Volcano looming in the background of the city, the old cobblestone streets, and the more than 500 years of architecture. We begin our walking tour from the Central Park of Antigua Guatemala, which is the center of the city, also surrounded by the most important buildings.
Is a Roman Catholic church in Antigua Guatemala. The original church was built around 1541 but suffered several earthquakes throughout its history, and the first church building was demolished in 1669. The cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated in 1680. By 1743 the cathedral was one of the largest in Central America. However, the devastating earthquake of 1773 seriously damaged much of the building, although the two towers in the front remained largely intact. These have undergone restoration work, and the cathedral has been partly rebuilt.
We will move on to the most famous point in Antigua Guatemala: The Arch Street, where the Santa Catalina Arch is located. This place has become the symbol of Antigua and the central image on most postcards. In its origins, this arch was built by the Santa Catarina Mártir Convent in 1693. It has a secret that you will discover in this first-class tour. Get ready to take jaw-dropping photos!
Have the chance to appreciate the beauty of this yellow and white church built in 1749, the best example of Guatemalan baroque architecture.
The Palace of the General Captains, or Royal Palace, is a colonial building located in the city of Antigua Guatemala. It houses the offices of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism, Guild of Tourism of Antigua, National Civil Police offices, and the Departmental Government, among others.
Visitors will learn more about the Chocolate history, and will be able to buy chocolates and many other Cacao products.
The history of El Carmen Church dates back to 1683 when the city council granted authorization for the construction of a temple under the invocation of Our Lady of Carmen. This church suffered heavy damage after the earthquakes of 1717, 1728 and 1773. Finally the building was ruined, so it had to be abandoned.
Biggest Monastery in Antigua Guatemala. Located on the grounds of the Santo Domingo Monastery, Casa Santo Domingo began life as the mainstay for one of the most important convents in the Americas. Those who lived in this sanctuary followed the order of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, and the monastery acted as a shelter for them. Its origins can be traced back to 1538 when the first Dominicans arrived in Guatemala, and during this time the monastery was a grand, two-towered, ten-belled building filled with riches and relics. Unfortunately, the monastery was partially destroyed in the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake, and what still stands has become a monument preserving the baroque architecture and treasures of the period. The ancient walls, brick archways, and tile corridors convey the history of the original Casa Santo Domingo, and today part of the ruins have been turned into Antigua’s only five-star hotel, which opened in 1989.
At the end of the tour, we will take you back to your hotel. This tour will be guided by a professional in history so you will feel back in time to the colonial era of this wonderful city.
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