"Antigua" means "old" or "ancient" in Spanish, so one can gather just by its name that this city has a deep history. Established by Spaniards in 1543, Antigua was the capital of Guatemala until plagued by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in the late 18th century, at which point Guatemala City took over. Despite those tremors, Antigua has preserved much of its architecture - at the very least in the form of ruins - and is now just as safe a place to live as any.
Antigua is widely considered to be one of Latin America's most beautiful cities; maybe that's why it is also in the top 5 for most popular places to learn Spanish on the continent. Join this city's population of about 80,000 and discover Antigua's quaint, tranquil streets, visit colonial Spanish structures and practice your language skills by bargaining at any number of colorful, open air markets. Antigua draws students and tourists the world over, and the city has perfectly adapted to entertain its visitors with a lively nightlife, a multitude of restaurants and cafes on every corner.
