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Is Antigua the world´s most beautiful city?

posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 08:21 PM

I hate causing offence. So if you live in Barcelona, Rome, Rio de Janerio, Havana or similar beautiful cities, please read no further.

I have the good fortune to be in La Antigua Guatemala for the GKEN healthcare conference and now that the gathering has completed its work i can now finally chill out and enjoy this great location. And boy (or girl), what a beautiful city this is. Once the national capital, but then distroyed by two or maybe three earthquakes, abandoned for a time by its inhabitiants, you would think this is no place to come. But Antigua is arguably the most beautiful city in the world.

Antigua is a small city, more a large town where every building is no more than two floors high. Amidst the city are beautiful churches, cathederals, pretty faded yellow spainish style colonial houses, town hall, shops, museums and a georgeous central plaza. All this is connected by pedestarian “car unfriendly” cobbled streets. The bars, cafes, restaurants are cool and there is many things to do and see making it a great place to come to work and play. Climate wise, Antigua like most of Guatemala is like a eternal spring and the smell of flowers and plants is so mmmmmmm

So what makes a great city? Top tips for urban planners to consider:
1. Low rise buildings especially around historic monuments (St Pauls Cathederal, London, please note!)
2. Streets where you can walk in a care-free way
3. Beautiful buildings with beautiful colours
4. Lots of local culture and no horrible chains - Kentucky Fried Chicken yuk!
5. Good cafes, bars, places to eat
6. Local pride!

Antigua has got it all. Is it my favourite city in the world? Erm...I´m not certain. Before coming here i would have said it was Laung Prabang in Laos which has all of the above plus a the Mekong river, but Antigua is its major competitor from what i can see.

This morning i had breakfast with two great social innovators, Ben and David, who kindly came over from Guatemala City. We talked about their work and projects and I told them about what we at i-genius are planning to do in the coming months. We had a common outlook in what was needed inorder to help make the world a better place. I was hugely impressed by their knowledge and intelligence and the work they have done. And, of course, most important of all, they were fun people i would enjoy getting to know better.

Tomorrow, i go up a nearby Volcano on horse back and then its Costa Rica!

Comments

Vixie Labanda

Saturday, April 04, 2009 08:43 PM

now, i´m dark green in color... hehehe glad that you enjoyed, are enjoying, and will continue to enjoy more of your business/pleasure trip! great post! made me laugh :D

Tommy Hutchinson

Monday, April 06, 2009 06:56 PM

haha sorry Vixie! Im walking funny after spending a day on horse back on a "active" volcano and not arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica