Digital Nomad in Antigua, Guatemala: A Complete Guide
Antigua is a quaint colonial town in the highlands of Guatemala with beautiful surroundings and a growing community of digital nomads.
We instantly fell in love with Antigua’s charm, food, architecture, and fresh mountain air.
It was one stop along our Central American itinerary for digital nomads; and of course we ended up staying longer than originally planned – although that still didn’t feel like enough time.
Keep reading to discover all you need to know about being a digital nomad in Antigua, Guatemala.
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Why Antigua?
Antigua is a little mountain town in Guatemala surrounded by three large volcanos: Volcan de Agua, Acatenango, and the Volcan de Fuego (which is continuously active).
The Spanish colonial city has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for it’s historical architectural significance. What makes this charming city even more interesting is that since it’s inception, it has withstood numerous catastrophic earthquakes. The result? Ruined churches and remains of buildings are sprinkled all throughout Antigua.
Antigua is also a very peaceful place. Despite having tons of restaurants, bars, cafes, and tourists, it doesn’t feel stressful or overly crowded. I loved walking down all the different streets, admiring the cracks in the colorful buildings, and looking up at the looming volcanos covered in mist. Some streets were practically deserted, yet it feels very serene, not ghostly.
There seems to be a hidden coffee shop or café around every corner. And just when I thought I had the lay of the land, I’d turn down a street and discover an entirely new area I’d never seen before.
Antigua is also a great place for volcano hiking and adventures. You can even see one actively erupting from town on a clear day. The famous Lake Atitlan is also not far from Antigua and makes a great day or weekend trip.
And finally, the food is Antigua is top notch. Eating your way through the city is one of the best parts of being a digital nomad in Antigua.
A Digital Nomad’s Guide to Antigua, Guatemala
Things to Do in Antigua
Hike Acatenango
One of the coolest things you can do in Antigua is the epic overnight hike to Volcan Acatenango to see the erupting Volcan Fuego.
I highly recommend this tour with OX Expeditions as they are one of the top tour companies in Antigua.
Walking Tour of Antigua
Antigua is a very interesting city with a rich history, beautiful buildings, and a unique culture. My favorite way of learning about a city is by taking a walking tour from a local guide. We learned so much on our walking tour, and even booked another tour with the same guide.
Walk the Stations of the Cross
Antigua lives and breathes lent, holy week, and Easter. But even if you visit Antigua during another time of year, you can still walk the processional route stopping at the little chapels depicting the Stations of the Cross inside. I’m not Catholic but I still found this interesting.
Day Trip to Lake Atitlán
No trip to Guatemala would be complete without a trip to the famous Lake Atitlán. It is only a few hours drive from Antigua so you could make a day trip or nice weekend out of it. There are several unique towns around the lake and it’s history is very interesting. Spoiler alert… there’s an underwater Mayan city.
Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class
I really liked the food in Guatemala. And what better way to enjoy their delicious cuisine than learning to make it yourself from experienced local chefs. Join this authentic cooking class and take a piece of Guatemala wherever you go!
Other Things to Do in Antigua
Book these experiences in Antigua:
Best Way to Get to Antigua
Air
If you are coming from somewhere outside Central America, the best way to get to Antigua is to fly into Guatemala City and then take a taxi or shuttle an hour to Antigua. Guatemala City is fairly big with lots of international flights.
You can also easily fly to Guatemala City from other major cities in Central America. But depending on where you are, finding an airport close by may not be so easy. And remember, once you land in Guatemala City you still need to get to Antigua which is another hour drive.
Land
If you are already in Central America – perhaps following this Central America itinerary for digital nomads – getting around on land is surprisingly easy. You could most likely take a shuttle to Antigua depending on where you are.
We took a shuttle from El Tunco, El Salvador which picked us up around 2pm and dropped us off at our hostel in Antigua around 8pm. The shuttle was super convenient and only $40 USD a person.
This same shuttle actually starts in León, Nicaragua at 3:30am, makes a pit stop in El Tunco, before continuing on to Antigua.
Getting through the borders don’t take too long, plus you’re chaperoned by the shuttle driver the whole time. When we crossed, we needed a printed copy of our vaccine cards so they could stamp them, but I doubt that is still required these days.
The shuttle company will know exactly you’ll need since they make this trip daily.
Shuttle from León, Nicaragua to Antigua
Getting Around Antigua
Antigua proper is very small and easily walkable. That’s actually the best part of Antigua in my opinion; walking around and discovering the quaint streets, hidden cafes, low-key bars, and unique buildings.
There are a few places outside of the city you may want to visit as well, such as the Valhalla Macadamia Farm or Cerveceria 14 brewery. And there are several other charming and interesting towns surrounding Antigua as well.
To get to any of these areas, your best bet is to take a taxi. They can be found driving down most of the major roads, and all around Parque Central.
What to Pack for Antigua
The weather in Antigua is pretty nice year round, but gets a little chillier at night. I was comfortable in shorts most days during our visit in March, and then added layers at night.
To enter the cathedrals, shorts and tank tops are not allowed, so remember to bring alternate outfits if you wish to go inside.
Also, if you plan to do the overnight summit to Volcan Acatenango, you will definitely want to bring warm layers. However if space is an issue, OX Expeditions will provide extra warm clothes like coats as well as any camping or hiking equipment you might need.
Some easily packable warm layers are:
Where to Live in Antigua as a Digital Nomad
Antigua is actually very small so you wont have a lot of options in terms of neighborhoods or location. But there is a main ‘square‘ that is ideal to stay in in order to be close to all the action with 1a Calle to the North, 7a Calle to the South, Alameda de Santa Lucia to the West, and 1a Avenida Norte to the East.
All the best restaurants, historic buildings, festivals, and hotels are generally inside this ‘square’.
Airbnb’s in Antigua average between $700 to $1800 USD per month, however there aren’t a ton of options within the historic ‘square’ I mentioned above. So if your accommodation is your top priority, it may mean sacrificing proximity to the city center.
Antigua has a famous Holy Week and Easter celebration complete with a processional of the 14 Stations of the Cross. If you want to be there for it, be sure to plan far in advance as the city will be swarmed with visitors.
There are also quite a lot of hotels and hostels in Antigua ranging in price and vibe. Some of which are even geared towards nomads with work areas such as Ojala Hotel, Maya Papaya, and of course, Selina.
What to Eat in Antigua
Antigua has an excellent foodie scene. Traveling so much can sometimes make eating out a chore, but in Antigua, we were excited to try all the different restaurants. Especially after being in other parts of Central America right before this, the Antigua food scene was a breath of well-seasoned, fresh air.
Eating out and trying new restaurants was definitely one of my favorite parts of being a digital nomad in Antigua.
one of my favorite meals in Antigua (v).
Best Restaurants in Antigua
We basically ate out every single night, so this list represents some of our favorite spots around town (I’m sure I’m forgetting a few). But don’t just take my word for it – found out for yourself!
Rainbow Café (breakfast)
Romeo & Julietta (Italian)
Por Que No? (our favorite – go early or make a reservation)
Kombu Ramen Shop (ramen, obviously)
La Bruja (vegan)
La Fonda de la Calle Real (Guatemalan)
La Cuevita de Los Urquizú (Guatemalan)
Y Tu Piña También (brunch)
Toko Baru (Mediterranean)
Aqua Antigua (garden vibes)
Best Bars in Antigua
Thirsty after eating a delicious meal? Antigua also has tons of cool bars serving everything from cocktails to wine to beer.
Bistrot Cinq (wine)
El Barrio (party spot and whisky bar)
Antigua Brewing Company (craft beer)
The Charleston (fancy cocktails)
Rooftop Antigua (rooftop bar)
Where to Work as a Digital Nomad in Antigua
Despite being such a small city, Antigua has plenty of options when it comes to working remote. From cafes and coffee shops to full-fledged coworking spaces, you will be able to find your ideal work spot.
WIFI in Antigua
As with most places, the WIFI really varies from place to place. During our time as digital nomads in Antigua we stayed in two different accommodations. Our first place had terrible WIFI, which led us to discover the places below.
But the second had pretty good WIFI and we were able to work primarily from our Airbnb. Before booking, be sure to confirm the WIFI speed with the host or hotel if you prefer working from home.
If you do end up in a WIFI-pickle, no need to worry. Despite Antigua’s small size, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from.
Coworking Spaces
El Cubo Center
El Cubo is what cowork dreams are made of. This place is super nice – like working in an actual office – with fiber optic internet, phone booths and conference rooms, 24/7 security, and even IT support.
They also offer opportunities to participate in events, join a community of creative freelancers and entrepreneurs, and local promotions.
All this sounds amazing, what’s the catch? The biggest downside is that El Cubo is about 15 minutes driving outside of town. But they do have a café and bistro on site, and a gym!
A single-day pass is $12.90; check out El Cubo’s pricing.
Selina
If you’ve ever been to a Selina before, you know what to expect. Super fast WIFI, trendy atmosphere, and free coffee. Besides the hot desks, they have a large room for meetings and small private phone booths for calls.
We really liked working here, but if it rains, the metal roof becomes quite noisy.
You don’t need to stay at Selina to enjoy their coworking space. Daily passes start at $8; check out Selina’s pricing.
Impact Hub
Conveniently located in the middle of Antigua, Impact Hub is only five minutes walking from Parque Central. They are a co-working center providing desks, private offices, and community events, and even have three on-site food spots.
Impact Hub boasts affordable, shared offices with high speed internet, free coffee and tea, and a great community of like-minded digital nomads.
A single-day pass is $8; check out Impact Hub’s membership rates.
Cafes
Antigua has so many amazing coffee shops. I mean, what else would you expect in one of the top coffee growing regions in the world? Some of them are nice for a quick pick-me-up, but here I’ve listed the best ones to sit and work with decent WIFI and power outlets.
12 Onzas
The River Coffee House
Cafe Boheme
Fat Cat Coffee Meeting Point and Co-working
Artista de Cafe
La Vid Coffee Roasters
Best Time to Work Remote in Antigua
Antigua’s weather is very mild and consistent throughout the entire year. Summer gets slightly warmer with temperatures in the high 70s, while winter gets slightly cooler with temps in the low 70s.
The primary difference between seasons is that summer, June through September, is the wet season with about 15 days of rain each month. Winter on the other hand, gets practically zero days of rain.
So what is the best time to visit Antigua?
November through April is the most popular time to visit Guatemala since it is the dry season. This is especially important if you wish to do the hike to Acatenango. If it’s too rainy, the trail gets washed out and they cancel the hike.
Is Antigua, Guatemala Safe?
Antigua is very safe, arguably one of the safest places in Guatemala.
Anecdotally, I felt very safe walking around Antigua, even at night. Antigua does attract a lot of tourists so proceed with a certain level of caution like you would anywhere else. But I never felt even slightly unsafe or uncomfortable, and I never saw any kind of tourist scams either.
The people of Guatemala are very kind and hospitable, and they welcome you to Antigua. There will always be a few bad apples, but I never encountered any during my experience.
Make Antigua, Guatemala Your Next Digital Nomad Destination
Antigua, Guatemala is perfectly poised to become a digital nomad hot spot, from the coworking scene and nomad-friendly cafes, to the incredible food and adventurous volcano hikes. Antigua knows how to work hard, and play harder.
It is the perfect mix of small town charm and epic adventures. You will definitely not get bored here. I can’t wait to go back!
Now that you know all there is to know about being a digital nomad in Antigua, Guatemala, it’s time to start planning. Let me know in the comments if you have anymore questions!
See where else you can digital nomad in Central America!
