12 Awesome Day Trips from Antigua, Guatemala

If you’ve chosen Antigua as a base for your Guatemala vacation, you’ll want to start filling out your itinerary with day trips and tours. Whether your focus is on adventure, culture, education, or all the above, this region has plenty to offer!

At Martsam Travel, we specialize in tailor-made holidays and private group trips in Guatemala. Having established strong partnerships with many local suppliers, we provide a one-of-a-kind service that genuinely gives back to the local community.

From touring Mayan treasures to Guatemala cultural tours, we love showing visitors everything our beautiful, fascinating country has to offer.

But for now, our focus remains in Guatemala. Read on to discover some of the best day trips from Antigua.

Located around 90 minutes south-east of Antigua, your trip includes an experienced, knowledgeable guide who can explain the geological formation of the volcano.

Perhaps of equal importance, your guide will also show you the best spots to roast marshmallows over lava and hot rocks.

This trip is a must for any Antigua, Guatemala itinerary!

Chichicastenango isn’t exactly around the corner from Antigua. In fact, it takes two-and-a-half hours to get to this sprawling city by car.

However, the famous open-air market here — said to be Latin America’s largest — is absolutely worth the effort and one of the best day trips from Antigua.

The Chichicastenango market has a dazzling array of items for sale. This extends beyond the souvenirs and mementos to fruit and vegetables of impressive size and quality.

Learn more about Chichicastenango, both the city and market, before your visit.

Tucked away in the southwestern highlands, Lake Atitlán sits in a volcanic crater. Its surface varies in color and the darker shades of blue indicate just how deep this lake is. With a depth of 1,115 feet, it’s the deepest lake in Central America.

But that’s only one reason why day trips to Lake Atitlán from Antigua are so popular.

Flanked by three volcanoes (Atitlán, San Pedro, and Tolimán), Lake Atitlán is famous for its stunning vistas. Renowned author Aldous Huxley called it the most beautiful lake in the world.

Before your trip here, explore the magic of Lake Atitlán from the comfort of your home.

There’s no better way to pamper yourself than with a good massage and relaxation time in hot springs pools. And if that wasn’t enough, Santa Teresita also has thermal steam saunas and hydroptherpay options.

Best of all, this spa and hotel is located in a unique and natural environment.

This coffee farm has been operational for over 150 years — and they have a museum to showcase their proud history.

In addition to the museum, a guided tour takes in the rows of coffee plants and the coffee production drying field. Finca La Azotea even has a health food cafe, gift shop, and on-site boutique.

This institution also has a proud history, provides coffee tours, and has an on-site cafe and shop. But it’s a resort too, so you can stay in Colonial-style rooms equipped with everything a 21st-century tourist needs.

With so much to see and do given its size, Jocotenango is one of the hidden gems in Antigua, Guatemala.

Many visitors to El Hato make a beeline for Earth Lodge. And when you see this eco-lodge perched in the mountains, you’ll understand why.

Earth Lodge contains a restaurant and eco hotel rooms, but it’s also a world-class yoga destination and avocado farm!

There’s an incredibly friendly, laid-back, and welcoming atmosphere here, perfect for when you want to laze in your hammock and take in the stunning mountain views.

You can find quaint Hobbit holes here and a huge stone troll hand that overlooks the Panchoy Valley and volcanoes beyond.

With archery, ax-throwing, a tree swing, mini-golf, and a restaurant, Hobbitenango is a fun day trip from Antigua, Guatemala.

Today, it’s a well-preserved archaeological site complete with an informative museum. Among the architecture here you can find various pyramid temples, ceremonial plazas, palaces, and even a couple of Mesoamercian ballcourts.

The Chajoma originally built the site as a defensive fortification, but it eventually fell to the Kaqchikel Maya. They then reigned here for centuries before the Spanish conquests led to its abandonment in 1524.

Visitors today can climb the thin stone pyramids that were once reserved exclusively for royalty!

A short drive outside Antigua, Valhalla Macadamia Farm offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of the macadamia nut and how it is cultivated and harvested.

We advise visiting in the morning so you can enjoy Valhalla’s excellent breakfasts.

The château itself is a French-style reconstruction, making it an intriguing sight given the surroundings.

And the experimental vineyard doesn’t only grow grapes. They also cultivate avocados and passionfruit here too.

The above are just some of the best day trips from Antigua, Guatemala. But there’s no need to stop there!

At Martsam Travel, we provide a wide range of Guatemala tours, vacations, and travel packages that cover the history, culture, and jaw-dropping sights that our country is famous for.
If you have any questions you’d like us to answer prior to booking, please don’t hesitate to contact us.