Destination
When should you visit Antigua Guatemala?
Antigua is a small colonial town at about 1,500 m, ringed by volcanoes. The dry season, from November to April, brings clear skies, cool nights and the best views, and it is also when most visitors come. The rainy season, from May to October, is greener, cheaper and quiet, with rain most afternoons. Holy Week is the busiest and most expensive week of the year. Here is how every month compares.
By Daan · Last reviewed October 2026
My recommendation
November
The rains have stopped, the hills are still green and prices haven't reached the Christmas peak. It is also the start of the best window for the Acatenango hike.
Best weather
January–February
The driest and clearest months.
Fewer crowds
June & September
Wet, but the quietest and cheapest.
Best value
May–June & September–October
Rainy-season prices.
Best for events
March or April
Holy Week, with the sawdust carpets and processions.
November scores
Plan around
What to know before you book
- Holy Week (Semana Santa)
- The processions and the sawdust carpets on the streets draw huge crowds. Hotels fill months ahead and streets are closed. The dates move with Easter.
- Acatenango hike
- It is an overnight hike with a camp at around 3,600 m, facing the active Fuego volcano. Nights are very cold, often below freezing. Tours can be cancelled when it rains or when Fuego is very active.
- All Saints' Day kites
- Giant kites are flown in villages near Antigua, such as Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez. Expect crowds and traffic.
- Christmas and New Year
- Dry, festive and busy. Book rooms early.
- Rainy season
- Rain usually falls in the afternoon, and mornings are often clear. June and September are the wettest.
March or April (March 21–28 in 2027)
Best from November to April
November 1
Late December
May–October
Antigua travel tip
Start days early. Mornings are the clearest, even in the rainy season, and the cobbled streets are empty before 9 am. Give yourself a day in town before the Acatenango hike, because the altitude is real.
Founder note
“Climbing the Acatenango volcano is a must in Antigua. Go in the dry season and pack for freezing temperatures at camp.”
Month by month
All twelve months, at a glance
Tap any month for full scores, temperatures and planning notes.
- Temperature
- 11–23°C
- Dry and sunny by day, around 11°C at night.
- Crowds
- Moderate-High
- Peak dry season, with visitors escaping the northern winter.
- Prices
- $$
- Rates are above the yearly average.
Pack a warm layer for the evenings. Antigua sits at about 1,500 m.
- Volcano views
- Hiking
- Temperature
- 11–23°C
- Dry and sunny, with cool nights.
- Crowds
- Moderate-High
- Steady visitor numbers, busier when Lent processions run on Sundays.
- Prices
- $$
- Moderate to high rates.
Ash Wednesday is February 10 in 2027. Check the Sunday procession routes, as streets close.
- Volcano views
- Processions
- Temperature
- 12–25°C
- Dry and warming, with hazy days possible.
- Crowds
- High
- Very busy in Holy Week, calmer before and after it.
- Prices
- $$$
- Hotels fill and rates rise around Holy Week.
Book a room months ahead for Holy Week. Outside it, March is much calmer.
- Semana Santa
- Culture
- Temperature
- 13–25°C
- The warmest month at about 25°C, with the first showers late in the month.
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Busy only if Holy Week falls in April, otherwise moderate.
- Prices
- $$
- Moderate, higher in Holy Week.
Do the Acatenango hike early in the month, before the rain builds.
- Walking
- Coffee farms
- Temperature
- 14–25°C
- Warm, with rain building, usually in the afternoon.
- Crowds
- Low
- Few visitors once the rainy season starts.
- Prices
- $
- Cheaper than the dry season.
Plan outdoor things for the morning and keep the afternoon for museums and cafés.
- Budget
- Quiet streets
- Temperature
- 15–24°C
- The wettest month, with around 230 mm of rain.
- Crowds
- Low
- Among the quietest months of the year.
- Prices
- $
- Among the lowest prices of the year.
Don't count on the Acatenango views this month. Tours can be cancelled in bad weather.
- Budget
- Quiet streets
- Temperature
- 15–24°C
- Rainy, though a short drier spell often arrives in July or August.
- Crowds
- Moderate
- A modest bump from summer holidays.
- Prices
- $
- Low to moderate.
Mornings are your best window. Be indoors by mid-afternoon.
- Budget
- Coffee farms
- Temperature
- 14–24°C
- Wet, though a bit less than June and September.
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Moderate, with some summer-holiday visitors.
- Prices
- $
- Low to moderate.
Bring a light rain jacket every day.
- Budget
- Coffee farms
- Temperature
- 14–23°C
- Very wet, with around 220 mm of rain.
- Crowds
- Low
- Among the quietest months.
- Prices
- $
- Among the lowest prices of the year.
Keep your plans flexible. Landslides can affect roads in heavy rain.
- Budget
- Quiet streets
- Temperature
- 14–23°C
- Wet early in the month, drier by the end.
- Crowds
- Low
- Quiet before the dry-season visitors return.
- Prices
- $
- Low prices.
Go in the last week if you want the best chance of drier days.
- Budget
- Quiet streets
- Temperature
- 13–23°C
- Nearly dry, with warm days and cooler nights.
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Moderate. Visitors build toward December.
- Prices
- $
- Still below the peak-season rates.
This is the start of the best window for the Acatenango hike. Book it a few days ahead.
- Acatenango hike
- Giant kites
- Temperature
- 11–22°C
- Dry and sunny by day, with cold nights near 11°C.
- Crowds
- High
- Busy through Christmas and New Year.
- Prices
- $$$
- High rates around Christmas and New Year.
Book rooms early for Christmas week. The first week of December is calmer.
- Festive season
- Volcano views
Climate
Antigua Guatemala weather by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°C / 73°F | 11°C / 52°F | 1 mm |
| February | 23°C / 73°F | 11°C / 52°F | 3 mm |
| March | 25°C / 77°F | 12°C / 54°F | 4 mm |
| April | 25°C / 77°F | 13°C / 55°F | 25 mm |
| May | 25°C / 77°F | 14°C / 57°F | 118 mm |
| June | 24°C / 75°F | 15°C / 59°F | 231 mm |
| July | 24°C / 75°F | 15°C / 59°F | 170 mm |
| August | 24°C / 75°F | 14°C / 57°F | 141 mm |
| September | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 57°F | 220 mm |
| October | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 57°F | 131 mm |
| November | 23°C / 73°F | 13°C / 55°F | 16 mm |
| December | 22°C / 72°F | 11°C / 52°F | 5 mm |
Climate data: Climate-Data.org / INSIVUMEH (Guatemala). Temperatures are averages of daily highs and lows.
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FAQ
Planning a trip to Antigua Guatemala
What is the best month to visit Antigua Guatemala?
November is the strongest overall choice: the rains have stopped, the hills are green and the crowds haven't peaked yet. January and February are the driest and clearest.
When is the rainy season in Antigua?
From May to October. June and September are the wettest, with over 200 mm of rain a month. It usually rains in the afternoon.
When is the best time to hike Acatenango?
From November to April, when skies are clearest. Camp nights are very cold, often below freezing, so pack warm layers.