Antigua is a small city surrounded by volcanoes in southern Guatemala. It’s renowned for its Spanish colonial buildings, many of them restored following a 1773 earthquake that ended Antigua’s 200-year reign as Guatemala’s colonial capital.
Guatemala: Sacatepéquez – Antigua during Holy Week
No city in the world lives and breathes Holy Week and Lent like Antigua, Guatemala. For six weeks each year, Antigua’s vibrant religious traditions spill out from the colonial-era Catholic churches onto the cobblestone streets, reaching a glorious peak the week before Easter.
Every spring, more than 1 million visitors swell Antigua for Holy Week.
The processions are an amazing spectacle. Thousands of people gather outside of the churches, on sidewalks, and even on rooftops along procession routes to watch. You will hear the procession coming long before you see it. When it does arrive at its head hundreds of men and boys in silken purple robes, some swinging incense censers, fill the street. The smell of incense fills the air (if you are asthmatic, it might cause an issue!) The noise of the dirge played by the accompanying brass band and drummers grows louder. Through the haze of incense smoke appears the first of the floats.
Gleaming with gold and silver adornments, the immense float is nothing short of spectacular. Up to 100 cucuruchos (male float carriers), dressed in royal purple, shoulder the main float. Weighing up to three metric tonnes (7,000 lbs), the wooden float sways slowly with each step the carriers take. Larger-than-life 17th- and 18th-century sculptures arranged on top of the platform portray biblical scenes or religious messages, and at the float’s centre stands a poignant sculpture of Jesus in his crown of thorns, carrying a heavy cross.
Just behind the main float, cargadoras (female carriers) shoulder a second, slightly smaller float bearing a sculpture of the grieving Virgin Mary. The faces of these sculptures vividly express the passion of the crucifixion, and it is not uncommon to spot tears in the eyes of faithful onlookers as the image of Jesus or Mary passes.
Originally considered a penance in the 1500s, carrying the float is now also considered a privilege, and each carrier pays a small fee for the honour. A single procession can last more than 18 hours, often starting or ending before daybreak. Because the carriers take turns shouldering the massive floats, more than a thousand may carry a float throughout a long procession.
Seeing the processions after dark is even more spectacular!
Every Sunday in Lent sees one procession, and several large processions crisscross Antigua on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Cadres of gold-and-red-clad men dressed as Roman centurions, some in chariots or riding horses, lead the morning procession on Good Friday. After 3 p.m. that day (traditionally considered the hour of Christ’s death) black-robed carriers bear enormous floats with sculptures of Christ’s body encased in a glistening sepulchre of glass and gold.
Another tradition in Antigua during the Holy Week processions is the laying down of brightly street carpets (alfombras) made from brightly coloured sawdust. This tradition started in 8th-century Spain, although Mayan rituals have also long involved pine-needle carpets. Over the years, Antigua’s street carpets have evolved into magnificent works crafted by generations of families living along the procession route. Families often plan and design their carpets months ahead and may start constructing their carpets up to 20 hours before the procession arrives. Some families will make several different carpets if more than one procession passes their home.
During our stay in Antigua, we managed to see several processions, including the one on Palm Sunday. Sadly, we were not around for the whole week, so missed the Good Friday and Easter Sunday processions.
Planning your visit Antigua Guatemala
Getting to Antigua
The distance from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua is just under 40 Kilometers. On a good day, it will take you 45 minutes. On a normal day an hour and on a bad day it could take several hours!
From Lake Atitlan it is about 90km which will take between 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on your mode of transport.
Coming from such as Flores (Tikal) it will take 12 hours of more by road. Alternatively, you can fly from Flores to Guatemala City and get transport from there.
By Shuttle — The most common way to get to and from Antigua is on a minivan shuttle. Several companies operate regular minivan shuttles between Antigua and most major tourist destinations, including the airport, downtown Guatemala City, Lake Atitlán, and Chichicastenango
By Bus — Buses from Guatemala City to Antigua leave from the El Trebol intersection in Zona 8. Buses leave every 15 minutes or so, usually as they fill up, between 5am and 9pm. The main bus terminal in Antigua is at the end of 4a Calle Poniente, next to the Municipal Market. Buses leaving Antigua for Guatemala City follow roughly the same schedule. Safety is a serious concern on these buses so you would be better off looking at other options!
Taxi / Uber — A more expensive option is to use a taxi or Uber to reach Antigua. These are readily available from the airport or hotel in Guatemala City.
Private Transfers — By far the most expensive and probably the safest form of transport is private transfer. We used this option to go from Guatemala City Airport to Lake Atitlan and from there to Antigua. From Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan it was $120 – pricey, but we felt safe travelling along the winding roads through the mountains!
The best time to visit Antigua Guatemala
The best time to visit Antigua
Stationed on favorable climatic conditions, the prime time to visit Antigua Guatemala can be identified as the period of December to March. During this time, the city experiences the least amount of rainfall averaging from only 1mm (0.04″) to 4mm (0.16″) and a moderate temperature range from 22.3°C (72.1°F) to 24.7°C (76.5°F). Plus, daylight hours stretch for more than 11 hours, and the UV index moderates to a value below 12, signifying a more welcoming climate for visitors.
The worst time to visit Antigua
While Antigua Guatemala is a year-round destination, visiting during the period from May to October might present a few challenges. This period marks the city’s rainiest months with rainfall spiking to 231mm (9.09″) in June. These months also experience comparatively higher minimum temperatures, reaching up to 15.3°C (59.5°F). Despite an extended daylight period of approximately 13 hours, the UV index peaks at 12, indicating a need for preventive measures against possible sun exposure.
The eating out Antigua
Of course, being a tourist hub there are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants – including a handful of vegan places. We tried out one place, Wachuma, which was excellent. Eating out here was quite expensive, and being budget-conscious when we travel, we ended up getting fruits and veggies from the local market and bread from a really good sourdough bakery we found in the centre of the historic district.
Our favourite app for finding Vegan / Vegetarian restaurants is Happy Cow. Here is a link to the options listed on the app.
Where to stay in Antigua
1. Luxury – Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo
When you enter through a small door, prepare yourself to be transported to another place and time. In this innovative Hotel-Museum-Spa, every traveler will enjoy a comfortable stay. In addition to the modern amenities and special characteristics, its 132 rooms include 26 with the concept of SPA Living. Each room is decorated with works of art from renowned local artists as well as beautiful and detailed artistic weavings. It is necessary to contact the Hotel directly to make special requests such as rooms with one or two beds, for non-smokers, wheel chair-accessible, with a terrace or balcony, panoramic view and others since these are confirmed based on availibility.
2. Mid-Range – Barbara’s Boutique Hostel
Originally, I had planned for us to be at an Airbnb, but in the end decided to book us into Barbara’s Boutique Hostel, which was located right in the heart of the historic city centre. As the name suggests, this was a boutique hostel, and not your usual backpacker’s hangout – no party vibes here! From the street front, you cannot tell too much about what is inside. Behind the walls are a connected set of common areas, some covered others open courtyards. The place had a zen-like, relaxed feel about it. There was a small, but extremely well-equipped kitchen. I had booked us into a private room with a bathroom; it was small but very quaint and comfortable. One nice touch was that the staff would prepare a mid-afternoon snack that was sometimes sweet, sometimes savoury – but always delicious.
3. Budget – Yellow House Hostel B&B
Set in Antigua Guatemala and with Santa Catalina Arch reachable within 500 metres, Yellow House Hostel B&B offers a tour desk, allergy-free rooms, a garden, free WiFi throughout the property and a terrace. The property is around 8.2 km from Hobbitenango, 39 km from Pacaya Volcano and 1.7 km from Cerro de la Cruz.
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