Antigua Guatemala is a city that fell down and got up again. For more than two centuries it was the capital of Spanish Central America, a grand colonial town of churches, convents and mansions at the foot of three volcanoes, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. In 1773 a series of earthquakes shook it so badly that the authorities moved the capital to a new site, now Guatemala City, in 1776. The old city was partly abandoned, and many of its churches stand today as roofless ruins, their arches and walls covered with moss and flowers.
It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with cobbled streets, pastel houses and a central square shaded by trees. The Arco de Santa Catalina, a yellow arch across a street, frames a view of the Volcán de Agua. During Holy Week the streets are covered with carpets of coloured sawdust and flowers, made over many hours and then trampled by processions. About 39,000 people live here, so fuel and food are easy to find, though stations are mostly on the edge of town.
The cobbles are the thing to remember. Wet or dry, they are rough and uneven, and a loaded bike can be hard to hold, so go slowly, and look for guarded parking. Fuego, the active volcano that looms to the south-west, regularly puffs smoke and occasionally erupts, and at night the glow of lava can sometimes be seen from the hills. The roads that climb toward San Juan del Obispo and beyond wind through coffee farms and small villages, with views over the city's red roofs.
The best season is the dry months from November to April, when the sky is clear and the volcanoes stand out sharp. The rainy season brings afternoon downpours and slick roads. Early mornings are crisp, and the light is soft on the old walls. Sit in the square with a cup of local coffee, and watch the day begin.