San Cristóbal El Alto clings to the hills above Antigua Guatemala, on the road that climbs toward San Juan del Obispo and Santa María de Jesús. The air here is cooler than in the valley, scented with pine smoke and coffee, and on clear mornings the three great volcanoes of the area, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango, stand along the skyline like a drawn curtain. Fuego, the active one, is often puffing a plume of ash into the sky, which makes for a dramatic backdrop.
The history here is Antigua's. The old Spanish capital was founded in 1543 after an earlier site was destroyed by a mud flow from Agua, and it was abandoned after the earthquakes of 1773. Its ruined churches and convents, with their broken arches and carved stone, make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. San Juan del Obispo, just above, had the bishop's residence, an old house with a handsome courtyard and a small chapel, where the town's bishops once retired from the heat of the valley. The surrounding villages have a Maya character, with women in woven huipiles and small markets where the produce is stacked in bright piles.
The ride up is a joy. The road climbs from Antigua in a series of tight bends, past coffee farms, flower nurseries and roadside stalls, with steep drops and good views down over the city and the valley. Cobbles appear on the village sections and can be slick in the rain, and buses and trucks take the corners wide, so be ready to give way. Dust and ash can lie on the road, particularly after an eruption, and afternoon cloud often rolls in, turning a clear morning into drizzle by three.
San Cristóbal is small and has no major services, but Antigua, only three or four kilometres below, has fuel stations, restaurants and many hotels, including some with secure parking for bikes. Stop on the way for a coffee at a farm or a roadside stall, and try a hot chocolate with spices in one of Antigua's old cafés. Leave before the afternoon rain if you plan to ride the hairpins again.