One of our favorite places from our travels (and favorite places we’ve lived) is Antigua, Guatemala.
Why? So many reasons. The culture, the lifestyle, the colors, the market, the art, the weather, the people, the location….
But what if you have kids? Is there something for us to do there together?
My son and I lived in Antigua for almost 9 months and we can definitely recommend 5 fun family-friendly kids activities. We are not into recommending the expensive or pre-arranged tours; we are big fans of creating our own agenda. So if you’re budget-conscious, playful and adventurous, these suggestions are for you. If you are planning on visiting our favorite destination with your family, here’s our top 5 picks of things for you to do with (or without) kids:
See Art, Explore the Wonderful Grounds
Make a game of it. Santo Domingo is one of the most magnificent hotels in Antigua. It’s a 4 star hotel with a 4 star restaurant. But that’s not why it’s on our list. Santo Domingo also has an incredible museum and extensive grounds, which you have access to if you pay for admission at the museum.
The Casa Santo Domingo Hotel is set amidst the ruins of the former church and convent. The grounds are fun to explore with fine gardens set amongst crumbled walls and restored walkways and if you make a game of it, you can find at least 3 stairwells on the ground that retreat into underground tumbes and tunnels.
More on Santo Domingo from the official site:
The Colonial Museum was installed in a space outside the church that was used as a burial ground for children. Here there is a fountain that was probably used as a watering place. A mezzanine was built here that duplicated the capacity of the space, because it resulted in a second floor that permitted the exposition of 50 colonial objects of extraordinary quality produced during the 17th, 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, and that includes religious paintings, silver objects such as lecterns, monstrance, crowns and chalices; sculptures of domestic wood and great format of angels, saints, virgins, cherubs, souls, and painted metals, most of which are protected in glass showcases.
For more, be sure to visit their site here.
Get Lost on a Macadamia Farm
Even though this is located just outside of Antigua, we wanted to include it here. It’s only a 25 minute bus ride out of the city and it’s well worth the adventure. The Valhalla Macadamia Farm is open to the public where you have the opportunity to sample macadamia nuts, chocolates and their macadamia skin care products. Additionally, you will learn about the history of macadamia trees and how they are cultivated and processed.
Ok, still not convinced? Here’s the real reason you should visit: The legendary macadamia pancakes! Trust me, they are not to be missed. They are made with macadamia flour and nuts, served with macadamia butter and blueberry jam. For more on Valhalla Macadamia Farm, visit their web site here.
A Garden Restaurant With a Blooming Nursery
In addition to having a wonderful lunch menu, they have a beautiful garden and nursery. What I love about the nursery is that the plants are labeled by the country of origin, and they have plants from around the world.
We love roaming around the nursery, love being outdoors and love being in the midst the beautiful blooming plants. Go on, you know you want to play! For more on the Vivero y Cafe de la Escalonia, visit their web site here.
Convent Las Capuchinas
This was one of the most bizarre and fascinating paid tourist attractions in the city. After checking out the miniature of the city of Antigua when it was the capital of Guatemala, you move into the old nuns’ covent ruins.
The convent has a beautiful garden and grounds of the ruins, which include seeing where nuns bathed in the public bath. But the highlight is the round building where the nuns lived, prayed, and were tortured.
Then unusual circular upstairs contained novices cells, which were the nuns small living quarters. Below this circular patio is a mysterious, subterranean chamber famous for resonating certain notes. Try chanting, try praying or try whispering… no one seems to know the original purpose of this dungeon-like chamber.
Lastly the outside of this round building boasted individual torture areas where the bad nuns would be brought, restrained by the wrists, and have droplets of water dropped on their head to drive them nuts.
It’s definitely a fascinating visit. To read more on the Convent Las Capuchinas visit this site.
Door Knockers Photo Tour
Living in the beautiful colonial city is truly a gift. The buildings are painted in soft pastels with the occasional red brick. Bougainvilleas line many of the buildings and each couple of blocks you will find a church or cathedral. It’s obvious, the residents of Antigua take pride in their city.
With every stroll down the cobblestone streets, one can’t help but marvel at the different antique door knockers displayed proudly on the residents doors. So many animals! The stroll is always fun, and highly recommended!
Lainie Liberti is a recovering branding expert, who’s career once focused on creating campaigns for green – eco business, non-profits and conscious business. Dazzling clients with her high-energy designs for over 18 years, Lainie lent her artistic talents to businesses that matter. But that was then.
In 2008, after the economy took a turn, Lainie decided to be the change (instead of a victim) and began the process of “lifestyle redesign,” a joint decision between both her and her 11-year-old son, Miro. They sold or gave away all of of their possessions in 2009 and began a life of travel, service, and exploration. Lainie and her son Miro began their open-ended adventure backpacking through Central and South America. They are slow traveling around the globe allowing inspiration to be their compass. The pair is most interested in exploring different cultures, contributing by serving, and connecting with humanity as ‘global citizens.’
Today Lainie considers herself a digital nomad who is living a location independent life. She and her son write and podcast their experiences from the road at Raising Miro on the Road of Life.
