The Guatemalan highlands of the Antigua region produce some of Guatemala’s most notable coffees. In Spanish, Antigua means ancient, and the city certainly is that. Rich in baroque Spanish architecture and colonial heritage sites and steeped in the native Mayan culture, Antigua has become a hub for for students desiring to immerse themselves in Spanish language studies. Just outside of the city lies San Miguel Escobar, home of the coffee cooperative of the same name.
Coffee lovers coming to tour the cooperative and working coffee farm must be prepared to hike through the lush foothills. Here they can chat with the farmers and workers as they plant, cultivate, pick, process, and sort the current coffee crop. It’s also a great place to volunteer, working side by side with the Guatemalan people who are characteristically genuine, hardworking, and hospitable.