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Superbly sited in a sweeping highland valley between the cones of Agua, Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes is one of Central America's most enchanting colonial cities: ANTIGUA . In its day, Antigua was one of the great cities of the Spanish Empire, ranking alongside Lima and Mexico City and serving as the administrative centre for all of Central America and Mexican Chiapas, and the magnificent colonial churches, monasteries and mansions built during this era have ensured the city's continuing prosperity as one of Guatemala's premier tourist attractions.

Antigua was actually the third capital of Guatemala. The Spanish settled first at the site of Iximché in July 1524, and then at a site a few kilometres from Antigua, now called Ciudad Vieja, but when this was devasted by a massive mudslide from Volcán Agua in 1541, the capital was moved to Antigua. Antigua grew slowly but steadily as religious orders established themselves one by one, competing in the construction of schools, churches, monasteries and hospitals, all largely built by the sweat and blood of conscripted Maya labourers.

The city reached its peak in the middle of the eighteenth century, after the 1717 earthquake prompted an unprecedented building boom, and the population rose to around fifty thousand. By this stage Antigua was a genuinely impressive place, with a university, a printing press and a newspaper. But, as is so often the case in Guatemala, earthquakes brought all of this to an abrupt end. For the best part of a year the city was shaken by tremors, with the final blows delivered by two severe shocks on September 7 and December 13, 1773. The damage was so bad that the decision was made to abandon the city in favour of the modern capital. Fortunately, despite endless official decrees, many refused to leave and Antigua was never completely deserted.

Since then, the city has been gradually repopulated, particularly in the last hundred years or so, and as Guatemala City has become increasingly congested, many of the conservative middle classes have moved to Antigua. They've been joined by a large number of resident and visiting foreigners, attracted by the relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere, lively cultural life, the benign climate and largely traffic-free cobbled streets.

Efforts have been made to preserve Antigua's grand architectural legacy, especially after it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 - local conservation laws protect the streets from overhanging signs, and house extensions are severely restricted. Though many colonial buildings lie in splendidly atmospheric ruin or else are steadily decaying, many more have been impeccably restored and sympathetically converted into hotels or restaurants.

Thanks to its relaxed atmosphere, Antigua is a favoured hangout for jaded travellers to refuel and recharge. The bar scene is always lively and there's an extraordinarily cosmopolitan choice of restaurants. If you can make it here for Semana Santa (Easter week) you'll witness the most extravagant and impressive processions in all Latin America. Another attraction are the city's language schools , some of the best and cheapest in all Latin America, drawing students from around the globe. Expats from Europe, North and South America and even Asia contribute to the town's cosmopolitan air, mingling with the Guatemalans who come here at weekends to eat, drink and enjoy themselves. The downside of this settled, comfortable affluence is perhaps a loss of vitality - this civilized, isolated world can seem almost a little too smug and comfortable. After a few days of sipping cappuccinos and munching cake, it's easy to forget that you're in Central America at all.