Guatemala! I’m excited you’re planning a trip to Guatemala. I’m so glad I made the decision to visit. It was a special trip, especially since I traveled there during Easter when their religious ceremonies are in full swing. This post will give you my recommendation if you’re planning on spending one week in Guatemala.

If it’s your first time visiting Guatemala, the two cities you need to visit are Antigua and Lake Atitlan. If you only have a week in Guatemala, this will be enough time to visit both areas. This guide will provide you with recommended length of stay, things to do, safety, transportation and a sample 1 week itinerary.

I’ll be honest, Guatemala wasn’t a country on the top of my travel list. I never planned on visiting really. As I started to talk to more travelers, Guatemala was always highly recommended to me. So I thought, why not, and booked a last minute solo trip to Guatemala.

As many first time travelers to Guatemala, I split up my time between Antigua and Lake Atitlan. If you only have one week in Guatemala, I’d recommend adding both areas to your itinerary.

Below you’re find some overall recommendations for both Antigua and Lake Atitlan for your trip to Guatemala! If you only have one week in Guatemala, make sure to read my post here on tips to plan an international trip to jump right into your trip!

How Many Days to Spend in Antigua, Guatemala

In my opinion, this answer really comes down to whether you hike the active volcano or not (Acatenango). Hiking Acatenango is one of the most recommended activities to do in Antigua. If you’re interested in hiking Acatenango, then that alone will add 2 days to your time in Antigua. Hiking Acatenango is an overnight hike and will take 2 days of your time in Antigua.

If you’re looking to hike an active volcano, I would recommend you stay in Antigua at least 3 full days. This includes your 2 days you will spend at the volcano since it’s an overnight hike. To have a couple of free days in Antigua, I would recommend 4 full days in Antigua.

If you’re not as interested in going to the active volcano, I would suggest at least 2 full days in Antigua. If you could swing it though, 3 full days would be a good amount of time to see Antigua. Antigua could be seen in one day but I’d recommend spending more than just one day in Antigua. If you only have one day in Antigua, there is also plenty you can see, all within a day’s exploration!

I personally spent 4 full days in Antigua without hiking the volcano and I thought that was the perfect amount of time to spend in Antigua at a good pace. Since I didn’t spend 4 consecutive days in Antigua, I couldn’t consider Acatenango for my schedule. In talking with more people that had done the hike though, I’m not sure I was up for such a big hike either. It’s not an easy hike so you’ll have to be prepared for that if you’re going to do it.

Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala

Below are some ideas on things you can do in Antigua.

1. Walk the streets of Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is a colorful and charming colonial town surrounded by volcanoes, beautiful architecture, and cobblestone streets. Spend at least one day just walking around the town and getting to see Antigua.

2. Take a day trip to Hobbitenango and Altamira

Both Hobbitenango or Altamira are a short 30 minute drive from Antigua. You can go to one or both parks in one day since they are only a 10 minute drive away from each other. Hobbitenango and Altamira are both nature parks surrounded by views of the volcanoes and valley. Both parks have giant hand structures with great views for pictures, activities, and a restaurant onsite.

3. Try the local food!

My favorite place to eat (I literally ate there 3 times) was Rincon Tipico. It has amazing local food and a great price. I loved the pollo a la lena which is basically chicken roasted over wood fire. It came with salad, potatoes, and a drink called horchata. Price for a plate with drink included was $35 Quetzales or $4.50USD. Another local food to try is Pepian, often considered the national dish of Guatemala. Pepian is a thick meat stew.

4. Visit a local coffee plantation

Guatemala is known for its coffee and there are several coffee plantations to visit in Antigua. I visited Finca Filadelphia and took an hour and a half tour. It was my first time ever visiting a coffee farm and as a coffee lover, I enjoyed it. The tour takes you through the overall coffee process. It was the right amount of time for me and in the end they also give you a cup of coffee or espresso to drink on their restaurant patio.

5. Check out the salsa & bachata scene

The two most popular spots to dance salsa and bachata are Las Palmas and Hot Chipilin. Here you will find dancers so if you’re looking for other dancers, these will be the places to check out. If you’re not a dancer per say but love to dance and/or want to watch, check out these spots for live music and a good vibe overall.

6. Visit during Semana Santa Week

Last and definitely not least, I would highly recommend visiting Antigua during Semana Santa (week leading up to Easter). Whether you’re religious or not, this was such a special and unique experience to see and learn more about their culture, and feel the true meaning of Easter.

As an American, I had never experienced anything like it and it was really special. Being in Guatemala during this week was really the best part of my trip to Guatemala. The only downside is that there are a lot more people during this time in Antigua, both locals and tourists, so you’re need to factor that into your trip. Traffic can also be an issue so you’ll need to make sure you factor that in when you are coming in and out of Antigua.

How Many Days to Spend in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan is all about seeing the towns around the lake and I would say you probably want to just visit one town a day so that you’re not rushing. There are 13 towns total in Lake Atitlan so if you’re only staying in Lake Atitlan for a couple of days, you’re not going to be able to see as much. This is why so many people recommend staying in Lake Atitlan for longer to experience all the town.

I stayed in Lake Atitlan for 4 full days and I thought it was the right amount of time where I had enough time at a good pace. I was able to see a total of 4 towns (Panajachel, San Marcos La Laguna, San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna).

The other thing to keep in mind is traveling from Antigua to Lake Atitlan is a journey, to say the least. Your experience will all depend on where you’re staying on the lake. For example, if you’re staying in Panajachel then you it will simply take you 3 hours from Antigua to the lake in a shuttle. However, if you’re staying in another town, you’ll need to take a boat and from there get to your hotel with luggage.

My hotel was in San Marcos which is around a 50 minute boat ride from Panajachel. I say all of that to just make sure you factor this into your schedule because you might spend a big portion of your first day just traveling to Lake Atitlan and getting to your hotel.

What to do in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

The main thing to do in Lake Atitlan is to see the towns surrounding the lake, hikes, and simply spend time relaxing by the lake. Here are some ideas of things you can do in Lake Atitlan.

1. Visit a nearby lake town

Some of the popular ones are San Pedro La Laguna, Panajachel, San Juan La Laguna, and San Marcos La Laguna. My recommendation is to spend a day in one town only. It’s doable to fit in another town in a day, but it will just be more rushed. Keep in mind that the boats in some towns stop running after 5pm so you might need to take a tuk tuk back to your town if you’re planning on staying out later.

2. Visit a reserve

I visited Cero Tzankujil Nature Reserve in San Marcos La Laguna and it was really nice. This was one of my favorite things I did in Lake Atitlan. You can spend time on the lake relaxing or swimming. There are little cliffs where you can set your things and just relax. It’s a nice break from visiting towns by spending some quiet time on the lake, surrounded by volcanoes.

3. Indian Nose Sunrise Hike

Have an active day and take a hike for a beautiful sunrise with a view overlooking Lake Atitlan. This is an early hike (pickup is at 4am) and the shuttle ride takes 45 minutes to get to Santa Clara. From there it’s about a 45 minute hike to Indian Nose. The hike is pretty steep going up and a moderate to difficult hike up.

Safety in Guatemala

Both Antigua and Lake Atitlan are safe areas in Guatemala. I personally felt safe in both places.

The only thing I didn’t love about the town that I stayed in in Lake Atitlan (San Marcos La Laguna) was that the area I stayed in was pretty remote and dark at night. I had also met someone that said a girl recently had an issue at night on the main road of that town. I generally try not to walk through dark streets of a neighborhood I don’t know, but on my first night I asked a couple of people when I was there and they said it was safe to walk at night. After my first day, I was lucky enough to meet people during my time in Lake Atitlan so I was usually walking with people at night.

In Guatemala City, there are some areas that are not considered safe. Most people opt not stay in Guatemala City for that reason but if you do stay there, the locals say it’s best not to take public transportation, and not to walk the streets at night. There is also some risk being in a car in Guatemala City where a car could be approached and robbed by someone who is armed with a weapon. Another local also mentioned to be careful if traveling in/out of Guatemala City during rush hour as this is when these situations are more prone to happen since cars are at a standstill and easier to approach a car. Again, will this definitely happen if you are in Guatemala City? No. But it’s definitely a risk to be aware of.

Transportation in Guatemala

Guatemala City Airport to Antigua

I only used shuttles to get to/from the airport and from Antigua to Lake Atitlan and back. This was all arranged through my hotels.

When I arrived in Guatemala City airport, I arranged for a shuttle to pick me up to go straight to Antigua. The shuttle turned out to actually just be a private driver who picked me up in a car. Either way, I felt more comfortable arranging transportation ahead of time since I knew I was getting in too late to get my internet/SIM card taken care of at the airport. I did the same thing at the end of my trip and arranged for a cab to take me to the airport from Antigua. The cost was $45 USD from the airport to Antigua.

Uber is used in Guatemala so another option is to simply order an Uber to Guatemala which would have likely been less. Again, my “shuttle” cost me $45 USD whereas an Uber could likely cost as low as $25 USD depending on what time of day you’re traveling to Antigua.

The drive is a little over an hour from the airport to Antigua, again depending on what time of day you are driving. If you only have one week in Guatemala, I would suggest making things quicker and easier by ordering Ubers or taking shuttles.

Antigua to Lake Atitlan

To get to Lake Atitlan from Antigua, I took a shuttle also arranged by my hotel. Cost of the shuttle was $16 USD and usually takes 3 hours. The shuttle leaves you in Panajachel and can take you to the boat dock there if you’re staying in one of the towns outisde of Panajachel.

In Lake Atitlan, the main way to get around is by boat. Depending where you’re going the rides usually cost between 10-25 Quetzales/around $1.30 to $3.20 USD per ride.

In Lake Atitlan you also have the option to take tuk tuks to get to the towns, which are going to cost more than a boat.

Sample One Week in Guatemala Itinerary

Day 1: Land in Guatemala City/drive to Antigua/settle in

Day 2: Walk the streets of Antigua

Day 3: Hobbitenango and Altamira

Day 4: Travel to Lake Atitlan/settle in/walk the streets of the town you’re staying in

Day 5: Visit a town on Lake Atitlan (i.e., San Pedro La Laguna, San Juan La Laguna, Panajachel)

Day 6: Sunrise hike at Indian Nose, visit Cero Tzankujil Nature Reserve & visit another town on Lake Atitlan

Day 7: travel back to Antigua to fly out of Guatemala City (or travel to airport directly from Lake Atitlan)

Enjoy Guatemala!