Daily Life in Antigua

Introduction – One thing that a lot of people do not talk about is what it’s actually like to live in Antigua, once you’ve seen all the ruins and have tasted the world-class cuisine to your heart’s content. This article assumes that you are new to Central America and wish to learn some about another way of life, while at the same time, keeping some of your current lifestyle.

Transportation and Navigation– Everything within Antigua proper is walking distance. You can cross the town in about 15 minutes on foot, that is, if you know where you are going. To the dismay of new arrivals, street signs are not posted on street corners; they are scattered in random places. Also, sometimes when you see an address posted online, and you go to that address, what you’re looking for is not there. Or more commonly, you’ll find 4 addresses for a single place. This is because companies move so often due to the competitive real estate market. There are free tourist add magazines that have functional maps in them. Rip out the map, it is durable. Map your favorite places on the map. Carry it around with you until you get the lay of the land down.

For these reasons, the locals do not give you directions by street number or building number. They will first make you locate a known landmark, say, Café Barista in central park, and from there direct you. At first this is annoying due to the fact that you will know where very few landmarks are at first, but you will see the sense in this after a few weeks. It’s also my theory that they think if you don’t know where Café Barista is (or Enter Random Restaurant Here), there’s no hope of you navigating the town. You can study maps online, such as this one, to avoid future hassles. Another option is whip out your map and have them point to it on the map.

What is a Tuk Tuk? - It is a three wheeled vespa with a fiberglass body and a canvas roof and walls. Here is a link to see a picture of one.

The Indian/Guatemalan Tuk-Tuk Connection

The alternative to walking is to take the local tuk tuks or taxis. These congregate in central park and do not roam the streets in great quantities, though you do see them. For $2.00 they will take you anywhere in Antigua.

Buses - There are city buses, but I do not recommend that you take these, and especially not alone or only with other foreigners. Go with a Guatemalan the first time. In general, really, it’s something best done by people with at least one year of experience in Central America, after you have learned to not attract so much attention.

Buy or Rent A Car – Parking is tight in Antigua. Within Antigua proper it is not necessary, but it will come in handy for traveling to other parts of the country. Some rent cars for tourism around the country. If you live here you might want to buy a car.

Food – We all have to eat, and we can’t eat out all the time. The two main food options are 1) the municipal market where locals sell their produce and other goods

Click here to see a video of the Antigua local marketplace:

Guatemala Videos

2) the local “supermarket” (best described as a large convenience store). The market is far cheaper than the store. A pound of tomatoes is 25 cents, for example. Fruit will be more expensive than vegetables, but we’re still taking very cheap. The first few times you go, you will get ripped off, slightly, but you will learn the price of everything and this will stop after a few trips. Once you know the fair price, you should suggest this price rather than ask how much if you don’t look Guatemalan. Better yet bring a Guatemalan like your maid or driver if you are living here.

The “supermarket” called La Bodegona, has all your household needs—toilet paper, garbage bags, shampoo, and foods such as bread, rice, eggs, lettuce, some meat, condiments, etc. You see a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables as well, but it is much, much smaller than what is at the market, and more expensive. Nevertheless, you will spend far less money here than you would in any English-speaking country

Housing – Financing will likely not be an option in buying a home. In any case, it’s far wiser to live in the country for some time while renting. Renting let's you settle in and decide what you want. We suggest living close in to downtown Antigua so you can walk everywhere. Then you can decide if you like this or wish to go further out of town. If you are living here and are in no rush, you can cut your best deals.

Many homes have a street entrance, heavily secured, and this opens up into a yard or courtyard. Inside of this is the actual entrance to your home. Windows are almost always barred, and doors are usually made of thick wood. Not only does this make breaking and entering doubly hard, but this outer door also obscures the appearance of your home. You cannot tell what it is like from the street, if anybody is home or awake, etc. You can add an alarm to your house as well as hire private security guards for a reasonable cost. Antigua is very safe. Safer than most places in the USA.

Manana Syndrome – Guatemalans who live in the capital refer to the time in Antigua as “colonial time” because things move slow here, even slower than the Latin American average. It is part of the culture to chatter for, well, awhile, before decisions are made and action can be taken. The more “touristy” the place, the less this will happen, but indeed expect things to take longer than you are used to. It’s one of the trade-offs that one must make in life.

So You Want to Meet Locals? – It’s a luxury that people will very frequently address you in English here, making life much easier for non-Spanish speakers. But this can also make you complacent in learning Spanish. You’re missing out if you only associate with other foreigners. One good way to meet locals in a casual setting is to take classes. Two good ways are group salsa classes, available all over town and language-exchange groups. Learn the language!!!

So You Want to Meet Other Foreigners? – Other foreigners tend to have their local haunts. These include, El Mono Loco, Y Tu Pina Tambien, and any other foreign-owned establishment. Spanish classes are a given, as are outdoor-activities such as volcano-climbing. There are also local cooking classes, tours, salons, and some other bookstores where you can have heart-to-hearts with fellow expats. Trust me when I say that there is an abundance, and meeting other expats will not be a problem.

Venturing Out – Being a tourist in your own town never gets old in Antigua, but if you do need some change, you can go into the capitol, Guatemala City, for additional adventures. The beach is 2 to 2 1/2 hours away if you feel landlocked, and the airport is always available. You can also get cheap and direct flights to Mexico, Miami, Spain, and South America.

Questions or Comments? – Feel free to contact us using any of the contact information listed on our website.