Fodor's Expert Review Parque Central

Surrounded by old colonial buildings, this tree-lined square is the center of Antigua and one of Latin America's most pleasant central parks. Residents and travelers alike pass quiet afternoons on shady benches listening to the trickling Fuente de las Sirenas ("fountain of the sirens"), conversing with neighbors, and getting their shoes shined under the jacaranda trees. Flowering esquisúchil (borage) trees accent the park; locals refer to them as árboles de Hermano Pedro, the tree of Pedro de San José Betancur, Guatemala's own saint. Legend holds that the flowers have curative powers for all manner of ailments. A 2016 park refurbishment laid new flower beds and installed new benches, rails, and energy-efficient LED illumination. The park is a Wi-Fi hot spot.