Free historical and cultural tour of Antigua Guatemala
Hello, my name is Diego and I was born in the beautiful city of Santiago de Guatemala (Antigua Guatemala). I have been working as a freelance guide for twelve years now. I am a guide accredited by the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism INGUAT and my work area is the entire Republic of Guatemala. I currently live in Ciudad Vieja (the first capital Guatemala ever had) and it is only 6 kilometers from Antigua Guatemala so I do tours there all the time. I know a little about everything, volcanology, sacred art, general history of Guatemala, architecture, biodiversity, speleology, etc. I am passionate about what I do and it will be a pleasure to guide you through this museum city declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Our work as guides allows us to teach travelers about traditions, culture, legends, gastronomy, etc. for which we must be training constantly and pay for credential renewals, so your contribution at the end of the tours is always well received and appreciated 😉
Pickup
I will be standing outside the Barista café and will identify myself to you by showing you my guide credential provided by INGUAT.
Description
Santiago de Guatemala (Antigua Guatemala) is a small city but very special in several ways. For me, as someone who was born here, it's like an open-air museum: clean, safe, with very friendly and helpful people, and easy to navigate on foot.
What makes this city special is its people, its cobbled streets, its gastronomy, its traditions, its history, museums, etc. In addition to having been declared a cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, it has been declared a Monument City of America , a National Monument and in the 16th century King Philip II of Spain gave it the title of the Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala.
You'll get to know this city with an enthusiastic local expert who's passionate about what he does. He's already got 12 years of experience as a guide, with many more years to come.
During this tour you will be able to visit sites of special interest such as:
- The Street of the Arch
- The Church of La Merced
- The Casa del Jade Archaeological Museum
- The former monastery of the Dominican friars (now a hotel and restaurant)
- The Santo Domingo Convent House
- Union Tank Plaza
- Finally Central Park.
The tour lasts approximately 2 to 3 hours maximum.
Our work as guides allows us to teach travelers about traditions, culture, legends, cuisine, and more. To do so, we must constantly train and pay for credential renewals. If you enjoyed the tour, your contribution will always be welcome and appreciated, so we can continue this wonderful work. We typically receive contributions of $15.00 or more per person, depending on the level of satisfaction after the tour.