Activities in Antigua Guatemala
Coffee Plantation
Learn about the coffee growing, picking, processing and roasting. In 1908, don Marelo’s son, don Alberto Orive, increased the size of the farm and modernized the mill.
The plantation and the coffee mill are still operated by don Alberto’s grandchildren who in the year 2000 converted part of the plantation into a museum complex: Centro Cultural La Azotea. Today, “La Azotea Estate”, not only produces and processes Antigua’s finest coffee, but also hosts over 3000 tourists a month.
Museo de Café: The Coffee Museum illustrates the history, harvesting, roasting and commercialization of the “gold bean”. At the museum’s store you may taste a hot cup of coffee harvested at the farm, and also buy coffee and crafts.
Casa Kójom Música Maya: It shows with pictures a collection of musical instruments, masks and ritual artifacts along with an audiovisual presentation that will transport you to the landscapes of the Mayan world.
A corner in Sacatepequez: Pictures show the costumes and customs of the Mayan communities that live in the surroundings of Antigua, with scenes of kite flights, weavers, tortilla sellers, markets and a couple of newlyweds, exiting the church.
Valhalla “MACADAMIA NUT FARM”
Visit the working model of a sustainable Agriculture farm and see over 350 varieties of macadamia nut trees. It includes: ecological seminar, samples of macadamias, chocolates, cosmetics and oils.
Reforestation: Valhalla Station has donated over 200,000 trees to indigenous communities. These trees go to replant destroyed forests and serve as remarkably efficient carbon sinks.
Jobs: Macadamia agribusiness provides a more secure lively hood for the poor farmer than the volatile coffee industry. Communities can use new incomes to improve infrastructure education and health.
Food: Macadamia nut contains a wealth of important nutrients and is an edible alternative to coffee beans. Poor farmers have a food source if their crops do not sell or prices drop.
Sustainability: Macadamia Nut farming does not exhaust the soils and required moving to other locations or bringing in huge amounts of fertilizer
Casa de Artes
Admire the most symbolic pieces of traditional Guatemalan Folk Art offered in a unique display. Casa de Artes has the finest variety of Mayan Textiles, Wooden Figures, Ceremonial Masks, Ethnic Jewelry and Majolica Ceramics. We focus in quality and tradition, new and old. Enjoy at Casa de Artes a relaxed museum-like atmosphere with a personalized attention of a knowledgeable staff fluent in English, German and Spanish.
Casa de Artes is located within three blocks south (volcano direction) from Antigua’s Central Park; in the “Historical Centre” of the world’s renowned Colonial City of Antigua Guatemala.
Website: http://www.casadeartes.com.gt
Convento San Juan El Obispo
Famous town located next to the first Archiepiscopal Palace of Renaissance style. This palace was the residence of Bishop Francisco Marroquín. At the present it is attended by an order of nuns that will let you in and observe the relics, in exchange of a donation that will be used for the social work they do.
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo
Few places preserve the valuable past of Antigua Guatemala as the Captain Palace and the Cathedral, and also the Santo Domingo’s Convent turned into a very important museum and hotel.
The monumental structure, qualified as worth of admiration not only by the Kingdom, but also in Europe, was first used in 1551 and occupied by the order of Santo Domingo, noted for being the house of respectable priests.
This is one of the many structures that suffered damage because of 1773’s earthquake and was, like many others, abandoned and then used for many purposes, among them, it became the venue for the National Institute for Men Antonio Larrazábal (INVAL), but this was not the only benefit that this ancient convent provided, material used for other structures was taken from its walls too.
As years passed by and due to the continuous archaeological studies made in site, it was elected to be the headquarters for an archaeological reference center until 1998, date in which it became property of PROTUNAC, then becoming the Hotel and Cultural Center Casa Santo Domingo.
Other Sights:
Museum of Pre-Columbian Art and Modern Glass: You can appreciate sculptures made by Mayas. These pieces of art are amazing for its shapes and size and color.
One of the most important pieces of work at the museum is a device to burn incense and a butterfly plate; this last one was found in Teotihuacán in Guatemala’s South Coast. It belongs to the Late Classic Period, was made in the year 400-900A.C.
Colonial Art Museum: It is located next to a principal area that in the past was the Main Altar of the Church. Here there are objects from centuries XVII, XVIII and XIX.
Pharmacy Museum: In this place utensils and furniture that were used for the Eastern Pharmacy of Guatemala City are stored, from these objects we can mention a counter and table with marble, built at the end of XIX Century.