This is Guatemala! The PERFECT Itinerary | Lake Atitlan + Antigua | Travel Guide!

This is Guatemala! The PERFECT Itinerary | Lake Atitlan + Antigua | Travel Guide!

There’s this place where giant 
volcanoes watch over a calm, clear lake every morning. Where cobblestone 
streets echo with centuries of history, where every flavor, every smile, every 
heartbeat draws you deep into its story. Well, this is Guatemala. And for 10 days, we journey 
through lands of water, culture, and calm, light, and color. From navigating winding 
mountain roads and sipping coffee above the clouds to atv’ing through quaint villages 
painted in blues and greens to hiking skyward to breathtaking miradors where the world falls 
quiet and riding in launchers across the deep glistening waters of Lake Atitlan hopping from 
one vibrant town to another. This isn’t just a trip. It’s a soul deep experience where 
the land speaks and all we did was listen. We’re two former educators who traded the 
classroom for the open road. After years of teaching about the world, we set out to experience 
it for ourselves. Exploring new places, tasting local flavors, and connecting with people and 
cultures across the globe. Through our travels, we share stories that inspire curiosity and make 
the world feel a little bit closer for everyone. Subscribe and join our journey today. So, after 
touching down in Guatemala City, we grabbed our bags, made our way through the airport, and 
stepped out into that first hit of warm mountain air. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. You’re 
speaking Spanish. Gracias. [Music] From there, we headed straight towards Lake Atitlan. A few 
hours on winding roads that cut through rolling hills, local villages, and green landscapes that 
went on forever. After that, a short boat ride from Panajachel and we finally arrived in our 
town, Santa Cruz, Laguna. So, we finally made it to our Airbnb out here in Lake Atitlan, which 
is Casa Serena. And hopefully it looks just as beautiful as the pictures. Wow, look at the decor 
here. I absolutely love it. All the woodwork. I love the colors, the Mayan colors. We’re here 
in in Mayan country in Guatemala. We have a great kitchen here. A lot of cabinet space, stove, 
refrigerator, cups, plates, knives, forks, everything that you could possibly need. But 
what makes this place so great is that we have this view right here. And this particular 
view is of the Tres Gigantes. So that’s the three volcanoes. And if you look over here to the 
left, you’ll see that volcano right there. That’s vulcan Tolima. Right here in the middle, straight 
ahead of us is Atitlan. And over here is San Pedro. So we got a 180° view of Lake Atitlan. 
If you come over here, we got our bedroom. A nice bed. Little small space, but it’s 
pretty nice. Got some nice closet space, some hangers, some books to read at night if 
you need when you’re lounging, just relaxing, and in a nice little small bathroom 
here. Night was quickly approaching, and because the public launcher shuts down by 6:30 
p.m., we had to find somewhere to eat locally. and we found La Iguana Perdida, a hotel that also 
doubles as a diving school, has yoga classes, and also offers daily tours around the lake. The 
vibe there was super chill with a mix of young and old. We ate traditional food in a family style 
buffet and met a few new friends along the way. So, we’re here in Panajachel and we’re going to 
take a ATV uh tour through some small villages, particularly uh San Antonio Palopo and Santa 
Catarina Palopo. But we’re going to do this tour with uh Simone Rentals and Tours. Um 
I’ve done this tour before with these guys and they’re really good. And we’re just going to 
show you some of their u ATVs that they have here. And then there’s so many more that they have 
around the around the corner uh there and we’ll jump on those. And uh I’m really excited 
because I found out that actually we’re the only ones on the tour. So, we have a private tour 
uh today and it’s going to be definitely uh uh uh fun cuz we’ll get an opportunity to do 
some things that you normally would wouldn’t do when you have, you know, maybe 10 to12 
people on the tour and then some people are just learning how to ride. It just takes a 
little more time. So, we’re definitely looking forward to visiting those two towns. And and 
we’re on our ATV and we are touring Panajachel on our way to Santa Catarina or San Antonio, 
we don’t know yet. So, join us on our ride. [Music] [Music] lean with me when we go to the right and to 
the left. Just lean with me, okay? You heard me? What? Lean with me when we go to the right or 
to the left. Lean your body that way. Lean right. N don’t lean back. Lean left. Lean right. [Music] So yeah, the painting project started here and 
this little sign saying Pintado Santa Catarina Palopo. It’s already pretty much started. uh 
850 houses uh started here, got spread out, and then they gave uh water filters and wood 
stoves just to support the locals. Okay. And um it worked very good. You actually had to 
push people out to just uh take pictures, walk around Santa Catalina. Okay. And then 
happened and made Santa Catarina forgotten underrated village again. Okay. Which 
was just the chair and the cake. Uh the painting project made Santa Catarina uh have 
the eye catching we were looking for and then uh made it underrated and forgotten again. It was 
a very beautiful village still very authentic and not crowded which is uh what we look for. Yeah, 
definitely. Uh after pandemia San Juan being on the other side of the lake uh copied this painting 
project and did twice better with professional artists. They did murals. Okay. Uh they did 
a lot of viewpoints. They’re uh giving you a show of their clothing. They have uh national 
instruments just in the streets. Okay. Okay. So, they beca became the main attraction around 
the lake and u now tourism shows up asking for San Juan and not Santa Catarina. But um 
what I’m trying to say is that that’s is what we’re here to see. But this is this is where 
it started. Showy vibe and definitely and I feel that Santa Catarina is just doing their 
thing and it’s authentic and Okay. [Music] So before we jump to the weeding, I would like to 
explain some more of the traditional clothing. Uh this is the very first one uh when Spaniards 
started forcing Mayans to wear clothing that was around the 1570s or so. And this is the first 
clothing they uh Mayans made themselves. So this is uh how Mayans were representing resistance to 
the Spanish using the red color of blood. Okay, we are using these uh white lines representing 
the period of woman and they have these uh yellow lines representing the first rise of the sun. All 
of these drawings is just the eye of the artist. Could be people, objects, animals, whatever 
they like to add. Nowadays, they’re mixing a lot of those patterns. But you would have more 
meanings in the lines that are dividing the blouse in the actual patterns. Again, the yellow, it’s a 
representation of the first rise of the sun. But these white lines have a representation of purity 
of woman representing uh their long hair. Long time ago, they were not allowed to cut your years. 
If you cut your uh uh your hair was like getting your years of life. So they had a lot of hair and 
they’re going to wrap it inside a textile piece to make a crown form and now show the hair to someone 
else that’s not the mother or the husband. If they did show the hair to someone else just like losing 
the virginity that their head had. So now a comp now nowadays it’s just like a compliment of the 
clothing and we just use it in special days when someone’s getting married or in other words 
we’re losing the tradition. So we’re here in San Antonio Palopo and we’re riding through the 
town and this very quaint, quiet in the streets. But we’re going to check out some 
uh some ceramics, some weave work, some pottery, and uh see how the people 
live here in this town off of Lake Aid. Yeah, man. [Music] [Applause] We just finished our tour and it is pouring 
and we’re on the boat now to go back to crazy. So, it’s 6:20 in the morning and uh Amy woke me 
up early and uh I’m glad that she did because it appears to be a beautiful day uh out on the lake 
this morning. The waters seem to be real calm um and the skies are clear. Uh we are in rainy 
season, so you never know what you’re going to get here. Um but we’ll go out to San Juan. Uh 
we’ll go out to the mirador there in San Juan. We’ll check out some restaurants and cafes 
and we’ll see what else we can get into. [Music] We just got off the launcher and we made 
it to San Juan La Laguna and we’re going to hike up the Mirador which is way 
up there. Uh if you see the cross, we’re going to hike up there and 
we’re going to explore the cafes and restaurants and everything that San 
Juan La Laguna has to offer. As we walk, we’re ascending up a steep hill and you can hear 
it in my breathing, but it’s it’s beautiful and it’s worth the trek up. Uh, we won’t be taking 
any tuk tuks. No amigo. Gracias. No gracias. And as you can see, all the tuk tuks are 
coming down and some people are walking and some people are riding. But we’re going 
to take this journey up on foot. [Music] [Music] [Applause] So, we’re making our way up to the Kaqasiwaan 
Mirador here in San Juan La Laguna. And it’s going to be a a nice trek up the hill, but we’ll take our time. We’ll enjoy 
it. I’m already breathing heavy. Undoubtedly, Amy’s breathing heavy and so 
not yet. Not yet, she says. So, we’re going to end it right there because I don’t need you 
guys to hear me doing all of this breathing. This hike is treacherous. Hola. Hola. Hola. Hola. 
Cuantos minutos mas o menos. Tres. Diez or Tres. Tres. Tres. Okay, perfecto. Gracias. So, they said we got about 3 minutes. 
That’s a beautiful thing cuz I really only had another five in me. But, 
uh, we’re trekking along. Amy, you’re good. Yeah. Oh, okay. I’m glad 
you’re good cuz I’m almost not good. Dame. Dame. Dame. Pase. We’re about 100 meters away and we’re going to 
get an opportunity to see the whole of San Juan from above. So, we made it to the mirador and so 
did a bunch of other travelers. The short hike up is totally worth it for the panoramic views 
of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes. The lookout was vibrant with people 
snapping photos, catching their breath, and just soaking in the moment. It’s one of 
those places where everyone’s in awe together. [Music] [Music] So, we’ve been here for 4 days now, and we’ve yet 
to discover this quaint town that we’re staying in. So, we decided to walk further up the hill to 
eat at the cafe Sabor Cruceno. And as we walk up the hill, we see signs such as the blue one, La 
Tierra Ama Nuestrs Pisadas y Teme Nuestras Manos which translates to the earth loves our footsteps 
and fears our hands, metaphorically summarizing the complex relationship between humans and 
their surroundings. It’s a true reflection of how people here live with respect and 
harmony for the world around them. So, we definitely enjoyed our pepian here at Cafe 
Sabor. And then we decided to get desserts. So, I decided to get the carrot cake which has 
chocolate chips in it and a little bit of coconut. And Amy decided to get the platanos, which has a 
mole salsa or mole sauce, so with chocolate. So, we’re ready to indulge. The pepian was great. 
Hopefully, the desserts are just as great. This restaurant has a mission that goes far beyond 
serving delicious food. The cafe is run as a part of a training program, giving young Guatemalans 
the skills and experiences they need to become future chefs and hospitality leaders. Every 
meal here directly supports local students while empowering the community with new opportunities. 
Dining here isn’t just about enjoying the view and the flavors. It’s about being a part of 
something that uplifts Santa Cruz from within. Oh, she wants to play soccer with me. Oh, hey. [Laughter] So, it’s just absolutely 
gorgeous. Just the center of town here. And uh it’s pretty desolated right now, but 
earlier before we went into the restaurant, we saw some kids out here playing 
and uh enjoying themselves. [Music] [Music] packed it all up. The clothes, the camera, the 
gear, everything went back in the bag. We had some amazing days on the lake. Volcano views, 
vibrant towns, awesome food, and even better people. Every day felt like its own little 
adventure. Honestly, it was tough to leave, but we were headed to the historic city 
of Antigua. New place, new vibe. [Music] finally made it to our hotel Posada del Angel 
and it’s a old Spanish colonial casona and what that means is it’s characterized by thick walls 
a lot of rooms he always has a courtyard and um so these casonas have been repurposed in cities such as Antigua, which is where we 
are, and in cities like Mexico City, and they’ve been repurposed to be hotels, uh, 
restaurants, bars, and so this particular one that we’re here in is is very beautiful. You can 
check out the decor here, uh, as we go through. And again, those old casonas, you can see 
they had multiple rooms, and this particular one that we’re in only has seven rooms. So, 
it’s actually truly a gem, a hidden gem here. They’re also characterized with patios. 
So, we’ll take a look at the patio. And you could tell it’s just old style 
cause even though it’s grand in size, everything these arches are pretty small. You 
can see I can barely pass through here. So, it’s definitely a gem here. And again, these patios are just beautiful. I want you to get a look at this. 
These are sort of like old doors. I don’t know what type of doors, 
but they’re very small. But you can see they’ve been covered with glass 
and now they use them as the table right there. We can’t see the peak 
of it cuz it’s covered by clouds, but that’s Vulcan Agua right there. Just check out some of the decor. That old 
Spanish colonial architecture. So beautiful. We’re here in Parque Central, which is in the 
center of Antigua, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. And the park dates back to 1543. 
And what typically happened in this park a long time ago or centuries ago were public hangings, 
bull fightings, but now the park is a place for multiple events, political events. It’s also for 
social gatherings. It’s a place where people just come to to relax and people watch. you know, 
you also have people selling um items, artisan, craft work, books, food, you name it. So, it’s 
really beautiful here. And right at the center of the park is the fountain, and it’s truly the place 
to be here in the heart of Antigua. After leaving the park, we visited Casa Santo Domingo, an old 
monastery that is now part hotel and part museum. The crumbling stone walls and peaceful courtyards 
made it feel like a quiet escape from the busy streets. After that, we strolled around town 
for a bit, taking in the sounds of daily life, the colorful buildings, and the lingering smell 
of exhaust from a passing chicken bus. Eventually, we made our way to La Cuevita de los Urquizu, a 
local spot known for its hearty Guatemalan dishes. It was cozy and smelled great when we walked in. 
We ordered pepian again, which is Guatemala’s national dish. This one was rich with flavor. 
Chunks of tender meat, slow cooked in a sauce, packed with roasted peppers and warm spices. It 
came with a side of potatoes, rice, and fresh corn tortillas. This is a place you don’t want 
to miss. We’re on our way to Cerro de la Cruz, which translates to hill of the cross. And when 
we get to the top, we’ll be able to see the entire city of Antigua. So, when we get up there, 
we’ll definitely show you most of the city. And if you hear me breathing, it’s because 
we’re already at an elevation that’s above 5,000 ft and we’re climbing. We finally 
reached it to the top of Cerro de la Cruz, which again is the hill of the cross and it has a 
stunning view of the entire city of Antigua. And in the backdrop of it all, and you get a great 
shot of it now. There’s probably a tinge of a cloud that’s going right up to the top of it, but 
that right there is Vulcan Agua. And it just sits above the city as almost as if it’s watching over 
it. So, we’re here. We’re going to take it all in. It’s a great place to actually sit and just view 
the city. As you can see, there are people here taking photos. So, undoubtedly, there are a lot of 
tourists here and some locals, of course. but you also can go up just a little higher and you start 
to see uh benches here and a lot of uh greenery. So it’s definitely beautiful. Definitely a place 
to be if you ever make it to Antigua. [Music] I mean the park was definitely .It was to die for, 
right? Yeah. Yeah. And the hike up there wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. Yeah. Even though the 
altitude is high, I still think that it’s totally doable. Yeah. I think it’s only really maybe a 10 
to 15 minute walk. Yeah. I think some people we’ve heard more in the past, but you know, definitely 
not 30 minutes or anything like that. [Music] So after taking in the sweeping views from Cerro 
de la Cruz, we realized we were more than ready for a good meal. So we made our way to Fridas, 
a well-known spot that has been serving the city for more than 30 years. Famous for its bold and 
authentic flavors, it’s been a trusted go-to for some of the very best Mexican dishes you can find 
here. We decided on tacos to satisfy our hunger, and we paired them with ice cold margaritas. 
The perfect way to wrap up what had been a full memorable day of exploring. So, we’re here at 
the Arco de Santa Catarlna here in the heart of Antigua. And the significance of this arkcis that 
nuns actually lived on one side but they taught on the other. And so to stick to the vow of seclusion 
and to get from one convent to the other, they built this arc for them. And this arc has been 
here since 1694. And if you look to the backdrop of it, you can actually see Vulcan Agua. At 
night time, the arc is lit with a nice warm glow, making it a pleasant spot to take pictures, 
shoot videos, or just admire as you wander through the city after dark. As evening settled 
in, we headed out for dinner at Cas Escobar, one of the city’s top steak houses. Walking 
through Antigua’s cobblestone streets, the city’s charm surrounded us. At Casa Escobar, 
the smell of sizzling steaks greeted us. Known for high quality cuts and tasty local sides, 
it’s a favorite for both locals and visitors. God bless. [Music] So, we’re here at Casa Escobar celebrating my 40th birthday. We just ordered 
a bottle of Malbec wine. Cheers. And we also ordered a steak for two and it’s 
mixed. So there is sirloin steak as well as a tenderloin steak. And for our sides we 
ordered mashed potatoes and the escobar salad which I believe has green apples, 
blueberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. So we’re super excited and we will show you 
what our dinner looks like when it comes out. [Music] [Music] So, we’re finally leaving Guatemala. 
And we’re here in the lounge and we’re just going to relax. It’s been a a nice 10 
day trip here and we’ve absolutely enjoyed every moment of it. we’ll head back to 
New York and just enjoy our time there shortly and then we’ll make our way back 
out to another location unknown as of yet.

This is GUATEMALA! In this cinematic travel guide, we explore 🧭 the perfect itinerary from the stunning Lake Atitlan to the charming streets of Antigua. Discover breathtaking colorful villages , authentic local experiences, and hidden gems that make Guatemala a must-visit destination!

⌚Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:15 🛬 Arrival in Guatemala
01:50 🏡 Tour of Airbnb (Santa Cruz La Laguna)
03:27 La Iguana Perdida
03:54 🛵 ATV Tour (San Antonio Palopo/Santa Catarina Palopo)
10:46 Day trip to San Juan/Hiking to Mirador Kaqasiiwaan
15:07 🍽️ Dinner in Santa Cruz (Sabor Cruceno Restaurante)
13:29 San Juan La Laguna (our favorite town!)
17:37 Last Night at Lake Atitlan Airbnb
17:47 Packing up and heading to Antigua
18:18 Tour of Hotel in Antigua (Posada Del Angel)
20:47 🏞️ Parque Central de Antigua
21:45 Casa Santo Domingo/Lunch at La Cuevita de los Urquizu
22:39 Cerro de la Cruz/🍹🍸 😉 Lunch at Frida’s
25:31 Arco de Santa Catalina
26:10 🍽️ Dinner at Casa Escobar Steakhouse
27:47 Lunch at 🌮 Ta’cool/🛫 heading home

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👋🏼 About us
We’re Amy & Rodney, two former educators, who traded the classroom for the open road. After years of teaching about the world, we felt called to experience it firsthand – to walk the trails, share meals, and connect with the people and cultures that make our planet so extraordinary.

Our journey is about more than travel; it’s about education through experience. By documenting the landscapes we hike, the foods we taste, and the traditions we encounter, we hope to inspire curiosity, foster understanding, and make the world feel more accessible to all – both young and old.

Nature, culture, and adventure are our passions, and we’re excited to bring you along as we explore, learn, and share the stories that connect us all.