Get charmed by the historical modernism of Antigua

The tourists that come here to Guatemala come here to visit the ancient Mayan ruins. Also the Indian markets here have a large and lush countryside. This place has lakes and volcanoes that remind you of the many decades of civil war. The last few years though have resulted in the government becoming more stable politically and economically. . The country is known for its cosmopolitan attractions as well.

The tourism industry in Guatemala is on the rise. The locals here have paid special attention to making this place grow into a major tourism hub.  The city has a population of about thirty thousand people. There is also a special tourism police force that is in play here that come fully equipped and trained in English. These tourism police roam the streets and keep patrolling the place to avoid any kind of mishaps from happening. You will also find that this place is safe to walk on, evening in the darkest hours of the night. A lot of the buildings here are candle lit.

This city used to serve as capital for the entire Spanish Armada.  This Spanish controlled region of Guatemala stretches all the way from Mexico City to Peru. This h was the case for over two centuries.

It is not too difficult to wonder why the Spanish chose Guatemala in particular.  The city of Antigua is set between three volcanoes and these are visible from anywhere in the city.  The only active volcano which is called Feugo gives out a consistent puff of smoke.

Since this place used to be the capital before, the capital has now shifted to Guatemala City.  The monuments here in Antigua which include the many monumental government buildings along with the many churches that have been ruined by the many earthquakes that happened here.  The streets are all cobblestone.  And the streets are generally lines with stucco houses that are quite colorful, painted with stand out bright colors.  This place still has a colonial feel to it.

You will find many luxury hotels, cafes, jewelry shops and day spas that are available here.

It is easy to move around in this city. Antigua is one of the first planned cities in America. This place has a grid pattern with is actually inspired from the early Italian renaissance period.  A fancy European style plaza is built in the center.  This is where you will find the fountain of topless women. This is what marks the plaza at its center as a major touristy destination.

When people started to talk about this, the sculptor, to drive away any claims of indecency, said that the fountain has mermaids carved into it. There are many chances that you will get to explore the history of this place.  The baroque façade which is in bright yellow and white, is one of the largest in all of Central America.