VolcΓ‘n de Agua rises over Antigua Guatemala, a colonial city founded by the Spanish in 1543 and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for its well-preserved Baroque architecture and grid of cobblestone streets. The volcano stands about 3,760 meters tall and looms just south of the city, visible from many of its avenues. Antigua served as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala until a series of earthquakes prompted colonial authorities to relocate the seat of government to present-day Guatemala City in 1776. Tuk-tuks, adapted from the three-wheeled auto rickshaws common in South and Southeast Asia, have become a popular way to navigate the city's narrow, uneven streets, offering an alternative to cars in a historic center where many roads predate motorized transport by centuries.
















