|  Surrounded
by by three towering volcanoes, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango lies
the pleasant city of Antigua. Its majestic setting, cobblestone
streets, rumbling ruins and sprays of bougainvillea are charming.
The buildings have colonial style facades and tile roofs and lots
of ruins of churches, convents, palaces and mansions.
The best time to visit Antigua
is during Holy Week of Good Friday and is the busiest week of
the year. Other busy times are June through August and November
to April. Antigua can get pretty cold between September and March,
so go prepared.
Over 200 years ago Antigua
was one of the centers of Spanish power in the Americas. It is
an absolutely beautiful city. Antigua is also home to Indian markets,
a wide range of restaurants, a dazzling array of bars and nightclubs
and more. Antigua is a fascinating place to spend time in and
learn Spanish. No matter what your tastes are, you will always
find something to do in this city.
History
 Antigua
was founded on March 10, 1543 after torrential rains and earthquakes
had washed away the region. Churches and convents grew in number,
schools were build and laws were set up to protect the indians.
But for all its cultural progress and growing wealth ther were
few long periods of peace. Church orders battled each other for
power. Drought and epidemic cut into the population crime was
on the increase shortage of food and diseases ravaged the population.
The town was slowly rebuilt,
retaining its traditional character, architecture and cobblestone
streets. Some of the old mansions were repaired and occupied.
In 1944 the Legislative Assembly declared Antigua a national monument,
and in 1979 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.
Most of Antigua’s buildings
were constructed during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the
city was a rich Spanish outpost and the Catholic church was ascending
to power. Many handsome, sturdy colonial buildings remain, and
several impressive ruins have been preserved and are open to the
public.
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