Is Antigua Safe for Solo Female Travelers? Tips for Visiting Guatemala’s Colonial City

I have been living in Antigua for a whole year and traveled around Guatemala quite extensively and in this post, I will share my thoughts on safety in Antigua, Guatemala.

In this thorough guide, I’ll also share some safety tips to follow, best practices while traveling, which areas to avoid, and many other things related to staying safe during your visit to Guatemala. Finally, I’ll answer some FAQs at the end. Stay tuned!

Is Antigua Safe?

Some tourists tend to avoid visiting Guatemala because of the bad name it has earned for crime, but I’ve found that this is an outdated perception for Antigua specifically. While traveling to other places in Guatemala can be unsafe, visiting Antigua can be a safe and rewarding experience. So long as you take the necessary precautions.

Most of the crimes in Antigua are related to snatching and pickpocketing, which can be avoided by being more cautious and avoiding crowded areas. I’ll speak about other precautions you can take, and certain areas to avoid in a bit.

Overall, Antigua is one of the safest tourist destinations in Latin America, but as with any other place, you must follow the best safety practices. 

💡 Is Antigua, Guatemala safe for solo female travelers?

For the most part, yes! Including myself, plenty of solo female travelers travel to Antigua, and crime cases with them are a rarity, but they’re not unheard of. 

There are some precautions you need to take to avoid any unfortunate incidents. For example, you should avoid going to secluded areas and travel to more of the touristy parts of the city. There is a beautiful lookout point called Cerro de la Cruz, where is best to go with a tour guide or in a group, rather than by yourself, for example. I’ll tell you more about other precautions in the Safety Tips section. 

💡 Is Antigua, Guatemala, safe for kids?

Antigua is known to be a travel destination for families, hosting as many as 20,000 tourists monthly during peak season, and as such it is safe to travel there with kids. The main concern with child safety is that they can wander away from your family group and get lost.

It depends on how comfortable you are traveling with your kids, and whether a guardian is keeping a close eye on kids. I’d also suggest not giving any valuables to your child while traveling, as children are less cautious about safety.

💡 Is it safe to walk around Antigua, Guatemala?

Yes, it is mostly safe to walk around in Antigua, especially during the sunlight hours. However, as with anything, you must exercise the required precautions while walking around.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is some risk of getting pick-pocketed if you’re walking in a crowded place, such us the colorful market, so it’s best to keep your valuables guarded. Also, I’d suggest avoiding walking alone at night in areas that are poorly lit or secluded for extra safety. 

💡 Is Antigua safe at night?

Antigua is a popular nightlife destination in Guatemala, boasting some very exciting nightclubs and bars. For this reason, it is safer than other areas but there are some things to keep in mind while visiting these places at night. 

I’ll speak about them in more detail in the Safety Tips section, but the short of it is that it is advised to not make yourself vulnerable by getting intoxicated. 

💡 Is driving in Antigua, Guatemala safe?

Driving in Antigua is not particularly dangerous but unnecessary. You don’t need a car in Antigua and Uber is very popular and relatively inexpensive. Do move from Antigua to Lake Atitlan or to Guatemala City you can use either an Uber or tourist busses. In general, I don’t recommend driving in Guatemala, although I know many people who do that.

Safety Tips When Traveling to Antigua, Guatemala

1. Keep personal information to yourself

This is general traveling advice, not specific to traveling in Antigua, so I’d suggest practicing this anywhere you go, especially if there is some risk of pickpocketing or robbery.

Personal documents, such as passports or some personal documents that malicious people can use, should be secured and ideally kept in an anti-theft bag.

I’d also suggest putting extra security on your phone and turning on services like Find My Device (available on both iOS and Android) on your devices before traveling in case you have to remotely wipe your device. 

2. Stay in a safe neighborhood and hotels

Staying in a safe neighborhood will significantly bring down the chances of theft here. I’ll tell you about some of the safer neighborhoods later, but any of the higher-end areas should be a good option. 

For hotels, always check the reviews for whichever hotel you’re choosing to stay at. You’ll find out about any security concerns and more information on the hotel by reading through the reviews, especially the bad ones.

As a rule of thumb, if other tourists are comfortable with a certain place, it is usually safer to be there. You’ll also find more police deputed in these areas, so you can rest assured that you probably won’t find crime here.  

3. Reconsider renting a car

Even though Antigua is safe to drive in, certain roads are best not taken since there are gangs that can attack your car. Antigua is quite a small city by itself, so you can simply walk to places or take a ride-share to your destination. 

The roads are also bumpy and you’ll find potholes, so there is the risk of damaging the car (although this isn’t directly related to safety). This can result in several insurance-related issues that can take up a lot of the time you should rather spend traveling. You would be a lot better off taking taxis or, preferably, ride-sharing services.

4. Opt for a taxi app rather than a taxi on the streets

With taxis on the streets, there’s a possibility that the taxi can scam you in terms of overcharging or, although this is unlikely to happen, be involved in criminal activities. Especially avoid taking white taxis, according to the US State Department’s report on safety in Guatemala.

The solution to this is simply taking ride-sharing apps such as Uber or InDrive. These services have a rating system for drivers, so you can always select the best ride.

However, I’d recommend not using InDrive unless you can’t find a ride on Uber as it’s more of a hassle haggling the price.

5. Visit Cerro de la Cruz during the day

Cerro de la Cruz is one of the most popular destinations for tourists here, and the hike to the top of the hill takes roughly 20 minutes. Since most tourists come here during the day for the beautiful panoramic view, you’ll have good company. I would venture there only if you have somebody to go with, though and I would absolutely avoid going there at night.

6. Avoid drugs and drink responsibly

Antigua is the nightlife capital of Guatemala. You’ll find many bars and nightclubs here which are quite exciting to visit if you’re looking to let loose and enjoy a little. However, with such options, there’s also the possibility of getting drunk or doing illegal drugs. 

I’d highly advise staying away from these because thieves and gangs are waiting for such opportunities. If you do intend on letting loose this way, please make sure your valuables are securely guarded at your hotel and that you have a trusted sober person around to look after you.

7. Avoid flashing your valuables & take only what you need

This is sensible advice no matter which country you’re traveling to. Keeping your valuables out of the sight of potential pickpockets or thieves can go a long way to ensuring you’re safe. 

There are a variety of measures you could take here, such as carrying a burner phone instead of your main phone and keeping your jewelry and other valuables locked away safely in your hotel room. Anti-theft bags can also come in handy if you want to be extra cautious.

8. Don’t walk around at night

While it is safer to walk around touristy areas during the daytime, I found that a lot of places were poorly lit during the night. These areas are best avoided, but if you are out at night, I’d suggest planning and traveling through roads that are considered safe. 

Roaming around at night can be dangerous, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the city and alone. This can be even worse if you’re drunk and vulnerable. For these reasons, if possible, I’d advise against traveling at night.

9. Be extra careful on the local public transport

Even though I’d suggest avoiding using public transportation at all, as it can be quite dangerous, and instead using a ride-sharing app such as Uber, this might not always be possible and you might get into a situation where you have to use buses.

In Antigua, you’ll mostly find “chicken buses”, which are colorful old American school buses, for public transport. These “chicken buses” are notorious for thievery, especially along the road from Antigua to Guatemala city. So take extra precautions to stay safe on these. Use anti-theft bags to avoid pickpockets and most importantly, keep your valuables hidden at all times. 

It is very common in Guatemala to use tourist busses to get to the major destination at an affordable rate. You can book them in local travel agencies.

10. Guard your drinks

As with any other major nightlife hub, there is a risk that someone might try to spike your drink. Although this is not very common, it is not unheard of. It is highly recommended for the sake of safety to guard your drinks.

The standard precautions apply, such as never accepting a drink from someone you don’t know and never leaving your drink unattended. In case you have to leave your drink, it’s always safer to get a new one when you return. The most important thing is to trust your instinct: if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.  

11. Don’t drink tap water

If you’re traveling from Europe or North America, you’re probably used to drinking tap water in your home country. You might be tempted to take a quick sip from the tap, but tap water in Guatemala and a lot of other third-world countries is undrinkable and can get you sick. 

A lot of unassuming travelers fall into this trap and get ill during their vacation. To avoid this, make sure you get lots of bottled water both while you’re traveling and stocked in your hotel room for safe measure. Health is wealth! 

Or you can use a water-to-go filter bottle and you can drink all the tap water you like.

12. Careful with street food

While we’re on the topic of health safety, I’d be remiss not to mention the health risks of street food in Guatemala. It can be quite difficult to resist the delicious meals that are being served outside by locals, but it is well worth it to avoid these. 

If you are looking to grab a quick bite and only have street vendors to buy from, I’d suggest as a rule of thumb to go to the ones that most tourists are buying from. If it’s famous, it’s probably safe. However, if you know that your stomach gets upset from eating street food, I’d suggest you avoid it as much as possible. 

Crime Rate in Antigua, Guatemala

Guatemala is considered to be a somewhat dangerous country to go to, with many crime cases being reported. According to the US State Department’s guide, Guatemala was ranked at Level 3 in terms of safety, suggesting that you should “Reconsider Travel”. 

While the report on this also says that Antigua cannot be considered immune to these issues, it is worth mentioning that Antigua is one of the safest cities in Guatemala. 

Despite what you might read about the violent crime statistics, it should be noted that it is mostly gang-on-gang violence that is not directed towards tourists. As a tourist in Antigua, you should be more worried about petty theft than violent crime. 

With so much to do and see here, you can take extra precautions for safety and comfortably and safely experience the brilliance of Antigua. Since tourism is the driving factor of the economy in Antigua, there is a decent police presence here to help you out in times of emergency.

Safest Areas in Antigua, Guatemala

👍 Central Antigua

Central Antigua, the old city center of Antigua, is a picturesque area where you’ll find a lot of Baroque architecture. It is also home to the Plaza Central Park, or the Parque Central as it is called locally, which is considered the heart of the city. 

Due to its popularity and developed infrastructure, this area is an attractive location for tourists, of whom you’ll find many, and is generally considered to be a safe area.

👍 Santa Ana

Host to the hermitage of Templo De Santa Ana Antigua, this suburb is quite a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. If you’d like to attend mass, it happens at 9.30 AM on Sundays here, and you’ll also find a lot of tourists here.

Located southeast of Antigua, Santa Ana is reachable through both public transport and ride-sharing services. I’d suggest using the latter for safety reasons.

👍El Calvario

Located around 10 minutes away from Parque Central, Ermita de El Calvario is an old late-Baroque Catholic church that has remained open for worship since 1618! Since it’s quite near to the city center, lots of tourists also frequent this church. 

In addition to being mesmerizing to look at, it is also quite safe because it’s a religious area. With almost a guarantee of safety and stunning views, it is a no-brainer to visit El Calvario if you’re visiting Antigua.

Most Dangerous Areas in Antigua, Guatemala      

👎 Outskirts of the City

While traveling in Antigua, you might be tempted to venture a little farther than the bounds of the city and visit some of the villages nearby.  

Not least because of the dangerous roads, I’d suggest sticking to attractions inside the city or going to trusted places where you’ve consulted a trusted local driver to map out a safe route.

It is important to note that Guatemala has one of the highest poverty rates in Latin America, so you might encounter more crime in the poorer areas that are outside the main city.

Types of Risks in Antigua, Guatemala

❌ Pickpockets

Petty theft such as pickpocketing is quite rife in Antigua, being the tourist hub it is. However, this risk is present in any other major tourist destination as well, especially in Central America. 

So long as you follow the guidelines I’ve mentioned above, this should not be much of a worry for you. Keeping your valuables secure is good advice no matter where you are. 

❌ Street Crime

Street crime is not as common in Antigua as in other parts of Guatemala, but it is certainly present and you need to stay on alert while commuting or in a public area.

These are most likely to occur during the night in more secluded places, which you should avoid in any case. However, it can also happen during the day. If this does happen, please do not resist the robbery attempt and report it to the police as soon as possible.

❌ Fraud and Scams

There are lots of frauds and scams in Guatemala generally, and you might even encounter some in Antigua. I’ll talk briefly about the types of scams that you could encounter. 

First, let’s talk about bank-related crimes and staying safe from them. Card skimming and cloning are possible scams you might fall prey to, so it’s best to always use ATMs inside trusted banks so that you’re assured that there’s no one meddling with the machines. 

Second, another main category is scammers pretending to be in desperate need of cash. Naturally, if you’re traveling from North America or Europe, there might be people coming up to you pretending to be priests, or charity workers and such, and asking for donations. It is best to simply walk away from these situations. 

Finally, there is the scam of fake police at road checkpoints or false victims with fake blood to slow you down with a false pretext and rob you. These can be avoided by staying away from secluded areas and sticking to the more tourist-heavy areas where you have the company of fellow travelers. 

❌ Armed Robberies

Armed robberies are not as common in Antigua as they are in other parts of Guatemala, but you might still encounter them if you’re traveling in a more dangerous zone, such as Zona 3. 

Also, using the highways at night might be dangerous in this regard since there are gangs that operate on the outskirts of the city, jacking cars and carrying out armed robberies. However, if you stay in the main areas of Antigua, this shouldn’t be much of a concern. 

❌ Food & Health issues

This is one of the most common health safety issues encountered by tourists, and it is a very real concern for travelers coming from Europe and North America who perhaps aren’t used to eating street food. Accidentally drinking tap water is also a concern for new tourists in Antigua. 

The best way to avoid this is to practice caution while selecting where to eat carefully, and reading online reviews for the restaurants you’re looking to go to. As a rule of thumb, it is best to avoid street food in Antigua.

In the case that you have to eat street food, always choose the vendor with the most tourists standing in line for it. 

What to do in case of an emergency in Antigua, Guatemala

It always helps to plan for contingencies ahead of traveling in case something unfortunate happens. What to do in these cases depends on what kind of emergency occurs. 

There is a general bilingual emergency helpline to assist tourists called PROTAUR whose mission is to assist and protect tourists in Guatemala which can be reached by dialing 1500. In case of a more serious and urgent emergency, you can reach the police by dialing 110.

If you lose your passport or important identification, you should contact your country’s embassy or consulate in Guatemala. It is important to keep their contact information handy in case of an emergency.

I’d also recommend getting travel insurance before visiting Guatemala so that any possible medical costs are covered in the case of a medical emergency. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts: Is Antigua Safe? 

Antigua is a safe destination for tourists, especially if you follow the necessary precautions. Petty theft is the most common crime, but it can be avoided by being aware of your surroundings and not flashing your valuables. 

Stick to well-lit areas and avoid walking alone at night. Antigua is a beautiful city with a rich history and culture. It is a safe place to visit, and you should not let the fear of crime prevent you from enjoying all that it has to offer.