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Antequera Region

Antequera Region is a region in the Province of Malaga, Andalucia. It is in the area of the Surco Intrabético range, on the boundary with the province of Córdoba. The landscape is largely plain (Hoya de Antequera), run by the higher valley of the Guadalhorce river.

Cities

 * — its castle provides a beautiful view of the town

Other destinations
El Torcal de Antequera a magnificent geological landscape

Understand
It is a land of plains and undulating fields dotted with hills and hills, which, due to its condition as the geographical centre of Andalusia, is the main land communications hub in this area.

Get in
Two major highways cross the region: the A-92 Sevilla-Granada-Almería, which runs west-east, and the A-45 Córdoba-Málaga in a north-south direction.

The region also has the Antequera-Santa Ana station on the AVE Córdoba - Málaga line.

title: Antequera Region


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Anthem

Anthem is a large unincorporated community, built by Del Webb homes, in Greater Phoenix, Arizona. It is usually known as Anthem, Arizona.

Get in
Interstate 17, one of the Phoenix area's main thoroughfares, runs through Anthem. Anthem is about 30 minutes from downtown Phoenix. If coming from the north, Anthem is about 1 hour south of Prescott.

The nearest major airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, about 30 minutes from Anthem.

Public transit options into Anthem are limited. The nearest bus station, North Phoenix Metro Center, is about a 15-20 minute drive away, as is the northern terminus of the Valley area's light rail at Metro Parkway.

Get around
You'll probably opt to get around by driving, but most streets have sidewalks and bike lanes.

Eat
As a suburban development, Anthem's restaurant options primarily consist of local and national chains.

Sleep
The only option within Anthem proper is the Hampton Inn located next to the outlet mall. For additional choices, try surrounding communities like Happy Valley and Deer Valley.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Anthem


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Anti Atlas

The Anti Atlas (Arabic: الأطلس الصغير; Berber languages: Aṭlas Ameẓyan) region of Morocco covers the mountain range all the way down to the border with Western Sahara.

Towns

 * (Arabic: أقّا; Berber: ⴰⵇⵇⴰ)
 * (Arabic: گلميم; Berber: ⴳⵯⴻⵍⵎⵉⵎ)
 * (Arabic: ميرلفت; Berber: ⵎⵉⵔⵍⴼⵜ)
 * (Arabic: سيدي إفني) – Art Deco fishing town
 * (Arabic: تافراوت; Berber: ⵜⴰⴼⵔⴰⵡⵜ) – the Oasis of balancing rocks; Cross the ultimate border of Dissidence
 * (Arabic: طرفاية; Berber: ⵟⴰⵔⴼⴰⵢⴰ) – the southernmost Moroccan town and a jumping off point for Western Sahara
 * (Arabic: تارودانت; Berber: ⵜⴰⵔⵓⴷⴰⵏⵜ) – a traditional market town; Little Marrakech
 * (Arabic: طاطا; Berber: ⵟⴰⵟⴰ)
 * (Arabic: تزنيت; Berber: ⵜⵉⵣⵏⵉⵜ) – typical Moroccan town, good for shopping of everyday items and as a base for trips south or east.
 * (Arabic: تزنيت; Berber: ⵜⵉⵣⵏⵉⵜ) – typical Moroccan town, good for shopping of everyday items and as a base for trips south or east.

Get in
Tan Tan Airport

title: Anti Atlas


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Antibes

Antibes is a city in the French Riviera. The Cap d'Antibes is the break between the Bay of Cannes to the south-west and the Baie des Anges to the north east. Old Antibes and the port of Antibes are on the mainland on the side facing the Baie des Anges, while Juan les Pins is on the Cannes side and the magnificent Fort Carré lies between the port of Antibes and the rest of the Baie des Anges. Although Antibes is best known for its coast, the municipality does stretch up the hills inland.

During the summer, the place is packed, primarily with French families. In the evenings, everyone is out at the many outdoor restaurants in the old part of Antibes and in Juan les Pins. A fun place for a relaxed vacation.

Understand
Antibes was founded by the Greeks over 2000 years ago with the name Antipolis. Shortly afterwards it was incorporated into the expanding Roman Empire when it was known as Antiboul. With the fall of the Roman Empire Antibes was a target of pirates and raiders until the growing power of Genoa removed most of these menaces.

Around the 11th century AD Antibes was a feudal town whose eventual overlord was the Pope. In 1384 it passed into the hands of the Grimaldi family - the former Genovese merchant princes who had now moved westwards to Monaco and Nice - as collateral to a loan that the Pope could not repay. Shortly after this Antibes became the easternmost port of the kingdom of France - at that time Nice was part of Savoy - and thus was extremely important. Over the years, and particularly during the 100 years war, it's port was continually fortified and expanded, culminating in the Fort Carré and the Port Vauban finished in 1710.

The first tourists arrived at Cap d'Antibes in the 1880s and the adjacent town of Juan les Pins was built at the end of the 19th century. Although it expanded, during the early 20th century Antibes was less developed than its neighbors on the French Riviera and was thus a haven for artists such as Picasso and later Nicolas de Staël. This under-development did not last and as the 20th century drew to a close the combined municipality of Antibes-Juan-les-Pins was just a part of the unbroken development between Nice and Cannes.

Information
There are three tourist information offices in Antibes-Juan les Pins:

 * 42, avenue Robert Soleil (Antibes)
 * 60, chemin des Sables (Juan-les-Pins)
 * 51, boulevard Charles Guillaumont (Juan-les-Pins)
 * 1) On Boulevard d'Aguillon at the corner of Rue Thuret, in the old town near the ramparts

By train
Both Antibes and Juan les Pins have train stations on the main Nice - Cannes line. There are both regional TER trains as well as long distance TGV and Eurocity trains available.

By bus
There is a regular bus service (#200) between Cannes, Antibes and Nice from Place Charles de Gaulle. Alternate buses go to Nice Airport (#250) and to Cap 3000, a large, pleasant but quite expensive shopping centre near Nice.

By plane
The Nice airport is the closest airport to Antibes. It is about 20 km from the airport to Antibes.

By car
The usual method of driving to Antibes is to take the A8 and exit at the Antibes exit (junction 44) and then taking the winding road down to Antibes. It is possible to approach Antibes along the coastal roads (RN98 and RN7) from Cannes and Nice/Cagnes sur Mer. In summer all these coastal roads can be extremely congested as can the main route from the A8. There are, however, very few alternative methods of access and all of them eventually use one of these roads so if you want to go to Antibes then you pretty much have to expect traffic jams.

Get around

 * Walk. Antibes is a beautiful city. Walking to the old downtown is easy and makes for excellent views.
 * Bike. Although Antibes may be very hilly in certain areas, riding bikes is certainly beautiful and somewhat rewarding. There are bike lanes starting at about the outskirts of the port on the Route de Nice and Bord de la Mer. You can ride from Antibes to Villeneuve-Loubet, and probably beyond, without much difficulty.

See

 * The Cap (very romantic under a full moon) and beaches
 * The port
 * Old town and covered market
 * Marineland
 * Picasso museum - For hardcore Picasso fans. It's where he lived, on the sea. Some choice works, painted plates, and a sculpture garden (not Picasso's).
 * Beaches of Juan les Pins
 * Jazz Festival
 * The former Art Déco villa of Francis Scott-Fitzgerald (now Hotel Belles Rives)
 * Fireworks
 * Fireworks

Do

 * The offers fresh products every morning except Monday. It is a magnificent selection of meat, fish, cheese and vegetables. You will find the market close to the harbour.
 * is a beautiful and invigorating walk around the cape. Do not forget the good walking shoes and a bit of water. During bad weather, all or part of the sentier may be closed.

Work
For those with the right qualifications and experience, the luxury super yachts of International Yacht Club of Antibes has spawned a major industry in crew and boat services which attracts many young English speakers. Employment agency connections are important as many the yachts post signs to deter casual inquiries - "no day-workers required."

Buy

 * grocery stores in the city center are typically open seven days of the week from around 8 am to around 8 pm
 * Juan les Pins has a number of trendy boutiques
 * In the old town a number of galleries with art for sale including paintings of local scenes
 * Supermarkets - Carrefour and the by the A8, various smaller ones down the hill. The supermarkets, especially Carrefour, also sell the cheapest petrol locally.
 * Antibes has a number of natural and health food stores, including, and . There are several other smaller health food stores in the area.
 * The on Boulevard Wilson (near Lycée Audiberti) is 'non-stop' and has late closing hours (by French standards). They remain open when most other grocery stores do not.

Eat
Antibes features both standard French cuisine as well as local specials focusing on fresh seafood and produce from Provence. Scenic restaurants can be found around the port of Antibes, in the old town, and in Juan les Pins.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of cafés, bars and salons de thé in Antibes. Tea tends to be expensive (up to €4 per person) and not the highest quality (Lipton tea bags, for example). Coffee from coffee machines (35-50 centimes) is actually pretty decent, and good in a pinch.

Antibes can be a difficult place for vegetarian or vegan travellers. Vegetarians should not have much trouble but vegans can expect ending up with a bland and expensive salad. Servers tend to not be very accommodating and are often visibly insulted if asked to modify a dish. There is hope, however. There is a 'falafel place' in the old town near the covered market with vegan options. There is also Chez Helen's, a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options in the old town. There are also a few Indian restaurants in the old town and, in Juan les Pins, a number of Asian restaurants.

Drink
One interesting place to drink at is the (25 Cours Masséna, Antibes - Tel. 04 93 34 93 00 -email: balade@free.fr). Absinthe, the mysterious green liqueur so much associated with 19th century artists and writers such as Van Gogh and Baudelaire, was outlawed for decades because of the health risks associated with its abuse, namely insanity and death. However these side effects seem to have been due to "quality control" issues and the herbs that go into absinthe are in fact good for you. Absinthe was only reintroduced legally again in about 2003, and there are very few places where it is possible to drink it. The bar is set in the basement of the Olive Oil shop by the covered market (Marché Provençal) of Antibes and is full of charm even without the lure of Absinthe. If there is a group of you the host will normally give each member of the group a slightly different absinthe so that you can try the different varieties. It is quite an experience and will set you back a mere €4 for a glass. Given the price of beer in the touristy bars by the port this is a real bargain. On Friday nights there is a piano man. The Absinthe bar also provides you with dozens of silly hats (yes, hats), which everyone wears and trades as the evening goes on.

Go next

 * French Riviera
 * Nice
 * Cagnes-sur-Mer
 * Valbonne and Biot
 * Mougins
 * Cannes

title: Antibes


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Anticosti

Anticosti is a large but sparsely-populated island in Minganie in northeastern Quebec, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. While the island is over 160 km long, the only settlement of note on Anticosti is tiny Port-Menier (pop. 250) on the western coast. Much of the island is devoted to parkland or nature conservation.

Visitors to Anticosti come to fish for salmon on the Jupiter River or hunt white-tail deer. Anticosti Provincial Park straddles most of the island.

In 2018, it was submitted to UNESCO's tentative list, and became a natural in 2023.

Understand
Aboriginal peoples visited the island for fishing and hunting. Jacques Cartier 'discovered' it for Europeans in 1534, although it remained without any permanent population until Louis IV gave it to the Jolliet family in 1680, who retained it until 1753. Since then it was used for only for timber harvesting until it was sold to French chocolatier Henri Menier in the late 19th century. He built Port Menier and introduced a deer population, who without natural predators expanded exponentially. Today there are more than 100,000 deer on the island, for a density of approximately 14 deer/km².

Visitor information

 * Destination Anticosti

Talk
French is spoken by the inhabitants. English is not widely used, except in hunting and fishing tourism.

Get in
The closest access by boat or plane is typically from Havre-Saint-Pierre, Sept-Îles, or Baie-Comeau.

By plane
It is possible to charter aircraft; outfitters have packaged flights from Mont-Joli, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre and occasionally Québec or Montréal as part of hunting expeditions.

Get around
The island is 222 km (135 miles) in length and mostly parkland or wilderness. It is possible to bring vehicles on the ferry or rent them in Port Menier; guided package tours may also include transport.

See

 * A guided tour of Port Menier village is offered by the municipality to coincide with the arrival of the M/V Nordik Express.
 * There are six lighthouses on the island (Carleton Lighthouse is near Vauréal Falls; the cliffs offer a good vantage point for whalewatching) and shipwrecks (the Calou at Pointe-de-l’Ouest and the Wilcox near Pointe-Carleton are the most accessible).
 * There are six lighthouses on the island (Carleton Lighthouse is near Vauréal Falls; the cliffs offer a good vantage point for whalewatching) and shipwrecks (the Calou at Pointe-de-l’Ouest and the Wilcox near Pointe-Carleton are the most accessible).

Do
Hunting and fishing are just about the only activities; both require a provincial licence. There is trout and salmon in the area.

Buy
There is an artisans' boutique, a caisse populaire (Desjardins credit union, but with no ATM), a garage and a fuel station in Port Menier, the only village on the island.

Eat/drink
There are restaurants in Port Menier and at the Auberge Chicotte and Auberge McDonald inns. A picnic area is beside the "[https://www.destinationanticosti.ca Info Anticosti" house at 7, ch. des Forestiers, +1 418-535-0250).

Stay safe
Anticosti is off the beaten path. There is no hospital on the island and just one small clinic in Port Menier, so in some areas the nearest help of any kind is over 160 km (100 miles) away. The island has also been the site of hundreds of shipwrecks over the years.

Watch for wildlife when driving. Deer are plentiful even in the village and can do substantial damage in a collision, while hitting a moose can be deadly.

Connect
There is no mobile telephone infrastructure on the island. There are a few Telus and Bell (4G LTE/5G) base stations on the mainland in Havre-Saint-Pierre while Rogers has almost no coverage at all.

Go next

 * Havre-Saint-Pierre

title: Anticosti


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Antigonish

Antigonish is the main town in the Northumberland Shore region of Nova Scotia. Antigonish is primarily a service hub for the surrounding region, with the largest employers being St. Martha's Regional Hospital and St. Francis Xavier University.

Understand
Before European settlement, the area was the site of a seasonal Mi'kmaq settlement. The modern town was founded in 1784 and named Dorchester, but by the 1820s was commonly called Antigonish.

In the 1920s, the "Antigonish Movement" began at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, improving the economic and social conditions across Canada’s Maritimes. This eventually lead to the current credit union systems of Maritime Canada.

The town is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish, and thus is one of the smallest towns in Canada to have a cathedral.

By car
Antigonish is at the junction of the Highway 104 (Trans-Canada Highway) and Highway 7. On Highway 104, Antigonish is approximately east of New Glasgow and  east of Truro.

By bus

 * Its route between Halifax and Sydney includes stops in Dartmouth, Halifax Airport, Truro, New Glasgow, Antigonish, Port Hawkesbury, and North Sydney. Travel time to North Sydney from Halifax is 3.25 hours, from Truro is 1.5 hours, from North Sydney is 2.5 hours, and from Sydney is 3.5 hours.
 * Travel to Antigonish from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
 * From Moncton (4 hours) with a transfer in Truro.
 * From Charlottetown (5.25 hours) with transfers in Amherst and in Truro.
 * From Bathurst (7.5 hours), Campbellton (8.75 hours). Edmundston (10.75 hours), Fredericton (7 hours), Miramichi (6.5 hours), and Saint John (7.25 hours) with transfers in Moncton and Truro.
 * From Bathurst (7.5 hours), Campbellton (8.75 hours). Edmundston (10.75 hours), Fredericton (7 hours), Miramichi (6.5 hours), and Saint John (7.25 hours) with transfers in Moncton and Truro.

Get around
Antigonish Community Transit runs a single bus route that runs on an hourly schedule M-F 9AM-4PM. They also offer a door-to-door service.

There are multiple taxi services in town.

See
The town has some distinctive architecture, particularly the campus of St. Francis Xavier University.

Buy
On the west side of town, there are the usual big box stores.

Go next
Cape George Point is a half-hour's drive north of Antigonish. The views are spectacular (on a clear day, you can see both Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island) For those interested in literary travel, the point is the setting of Robert Munsch's book Lighthouse.

West to New Glasgow (and on to Truro), east to Cape Breton (the Canso Causeway is only 40 minutes away), or southeast to Guysborough.

title: Antigonish


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Antigua

Antigua is the larger of the two main islands that make up Antigua and Barbuda. It is a beautiful getaway and many tourists enjoy the really energetic island culture but also the peace and tranquility that the surrounding seas bring.

Cities

 * — The capital of Antigua and Barbuda, also the largest city on the island.

Other destinations

 * was the original British settlement on the island.
 * — a village of 600 people with a beach called Half Moon Bay, which includes views of pink-sand coasts and landscapes.
 * — a village of 600 people with a beach called Half Moon Bay, which includes views of pink-sand coasts and landscapes.

Understand
Since gaining independence from the UK in 1981, Antigua has built itself up as a tourist hotspot, and rivals St Barts, Barbados and Jamaica in the Caribbean.

Talk
English is spoken everywhere on the island, along with local dialects.

By air
is situated on the outskirts of St John's and to the north of the island. It has regular flights from UK and America, along with smaller planes from elsewhere in the region. It is a fully functioning airport with Wi-fi capabilities.

The following international airlines serve the airport:

Caribbean Airlines (from Kingston, Barbados, Trinidad)

From the US: American Airlines/American Eagle (Charlotte, NC; San Juan, Puerto Rico), Delta Air Lines (Atlanta), United Airlines (Newark, NJ), JetBlue (New York-JFK)

From Canada: Air Canada (Toronto), Antigua Airways (Toronto)

From Europe: British Airways (London Gatwick), Condor (Frankfurt, Germany), Virgin Atlantic (London Gatwick)

From Africa: Antigua Airways (Lagos, Accra)

By cruise ship
Many tourists come to Antigua and Barbuda via cruise ships. On Antigua, passengers enjoy a short walk through Heritage Quay into the heart of St. John's.

By car
Cars may be hired from numerous places around the island. Contact your hotel for more information. However, there is a 30 mph speed limit on the island, so driving can be a tad tedious. Car hire tends to be expensive, around US$100 a day.

By taxi
Taxis (usually minibuses) are not at all cheap in Antigua, and as the road surfaces can be a bit patchy in places, they will take you along the best routes though. The fare, for example, from the West Coast Pineapple Beach Resort (just past the village of Wilikies) to St Johns costs US$52 per taxi up to four persons. They are in stark contrast to bus fares.

By bus
Local buses are said to be unpredictable but they are certainly cheap, only US$1-2 per person. All start at St Johns, in the well-ordered bus station on Market Street.

See

 * Betty's Hope is a 17th-century windmill for processing sugar cane, on the Pares Village Main Road just before the boundary with Saint Philip parish. It fell out of use in the 20th century but has been restored, and occasionally has demonstration runs in the cane harvest season Feb-July. This makes it one of the only two functioning sugar windmills left in the world: the other is the Morgan Lewis mill in Barbados.
 * Betty's Hope is a 17th-century windmill for processing sugar cane, on the Pares Village Main Road just before the boundary with Saint Philip parish. It fell out of use in the 20th century but has been restored, and occasionally has demonstration runs in the cane harvest season Feb-July. This makes it one of the only two functioning sugar windmills left in the world: the other is the Morgan Lewis mill in Barbados.
 * Betty's Hope is a 17th-century windmill for processing sugar cane, on the Pares Village Main Road just before the boundary with Saint Philip parish. It fell out of use in the 20th century but has been restored, and occasionally has demonstration runs in the cane harvest season Feb-July. This makes it one of the only two functioning sugar windmills left in the world: the other is the Morgan Lewis mill in Barbados.
 * Betty's Hope is a 17th-century windmill for processing sugar cane, on the Pares Village Main Road just before the boundary with Saint Philip parish. It fell out of use in the 20th century but has been restored, and occasionally has demonstration runs in the cane harvest season Feb-July. This makes it one of the only two functioning sugar windmills left in the world: the other is the Morgan Lewis mill in Barbados.
 * Betty's Hope is a 17th-century windmill for processing sugar cane, on the Pares Village Main Road just before the boundary with Saint Philip parish. It fell out of use in the 20th century but has been restored, and occasionally has demonstration runs in the cane harvest season Feb-July. This makes it one of the only two functioning sugar windmills left in the world: the other is the Morgan Lewis mill in Barbados.

Do

 * Scuba diving — there are many reefs off the eastern coastline and as a result, there is some pretty awesome fish to see. Snorkeling is also pretty good here, as the water is very clear, and it's a lot cheaper! Snorkelling on the Western side is spotty to non-existent. Some of the locals recommended Darkwood beach as a location with good snorkeling off right off the beach. Not so. While the beach is stunningly beautiful and gloriously uncrowded, most of the "reef" is actually just grass. There is a small fragment of reef at the southern end of the beach, but you have to be wary of the rough surf that tends to push you toward the rocks. The common advice is that the best snorkeling is to be reached by boat.
 * Sailing — dinghies, cats, cruisers can all be hired from many places around the island, and there are plenty of coves and natural harbours to explore. Why not lay claim to the uninhabited island of Redonda?
 * Party at Shirley Heights Lookout (an old British fort and signal station near Falmouth) on Sunday evenings to Antiguan music and see the spectacular sunset over English Harbour. Arrive at 4PM to catch the sunset, and by 7PM you'll be eating barbecue and dancing to music by local bands. Entry is US$6, which no longer includes a free drink. Even if you can't attend the barbeque, Shirley Heights Lookout boasts one of Antigua's best views and lures tourists and locals alike.

Buy
St Johns offers a variety of merchants offering most everything needed to visit the island or live there.

Heritage Quay, at the land end of the cruise ship piers, offers a wide variety of duty-free shopping for international visitors. To qualify you for duty-free treatment, merchants often ask to see airline tickets or ship ID cards. Offerings range from jewelry to liquor and tobacco, with one especially nice store for linens. Excellent and unique, hand-made gold jewellery can be found at the Goldsmitty on the street one short block south of and parallel to the main shopping street for the Quay.

Eat
Seafood is understandably very popular here. There is a nice variety of tropical fruits that grow on the island. The national dish is called fungi (pronounced foun-gee) and pepperpot. Besides the local dishes, almost every major type of cuisine can be found on the island, e.g. Italian, Mexican, American, British, Jamaican. Just ask locals for directions.

Drink
There is a host of local drinks in Antigua: from pineapple, guava, mauby, seamoss, passion fruit and hibiscus to imported drinks (Coca Cola, Pepsi). All varieties of water exist, even local brands. Many beers can be found in Antigua from local (Wadadli, English Harbour rum), to regional (Carib Beer), to international, (Smirnoff and Heineken) and can be purchased at any local bar. Rum is by far the most popular spirit, best served as a "Rum Punch".

Stay safe
Antigua is a relatively safe place but, like all places in the world, wisdom should be used. Do not travel alone at night. Stay in well-lit places. Do not carry around more money than is absolutely necessary, nor flash expensive jewellery. Do not accept anything from strangers, not even car rides. It may be best to avoid street urchins who beg for money or politely refuse them and in the unlikely event of anything contact the police force.

Consulates

 * 🇨🇳 China

 * 🇩🇰 Denmark

Go next

 * Barbuda is the obvious next place to go
 * Montserrat
 * Saint-Barthélemy, French chic in the Caribbean

title: Antigua


text:
Antigua (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Antigua:

Antigua and Barbuda

 * Antigua (Wadadli) - largest of the Antigua and Barbuda islands
 * Antigua and Barbuda - the Caribbean country, comprising the main islands of Antigua and Barbuda, and the smaller uninhabited island of Redonda

Guatemala

 * Antigua Guatemala (La Antigua Guatemala) - capital city of Sacatepequez department, in the central mountains

Spain

 * Antigua - a municipality of Fuerteventura Island, one of the Canary Islands

title: Antigua (disambiguation)


text:
Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda are two Caribbean islands that form a country that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico, off the coast of South America.

Understand
Antigua, pronounced "an-tee'-gah", is perhaps the island which most typifies the modern day view of a small Caribbean destination. With few other natural resources, tourism dominates the local economy of both islands. Stunning white sand beaches abound, and on Antigua there is no shortage of attendant high-end resorts. Barbuda still has the beaches but little tourism-based infrastructure.

Investment banking and financial services also make up an important part of the economy with many major foreign banks taking advantage of the nation's liberal banking laws. That may all change though after the 2009 arrest of Antigua-based Texan billionaire Allen Stanford who is accused of perpetrating an enormous fraud which may have bilked investors of some US$8 billion.

Cricket is a huge sport here and this tiny nation has produced several genuine all-time world greats of the game. Cricket fans will certainly not be short of locals to chat with.

Antigua and Barbuda are nicknamed "Land of 365 beaches" due to the beaches that surround the two islands.

History
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 BC, but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Climate
The climate is tropical marine with little seasonal temperature variation. The islands experience hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October), and periodic droughts.

Electricity
Officially 230 V 60 Hz. Most outlets are the standard British type. Generally speaking, U.S. and Canadian travellers should pack adapters for these outlets if they plan to use North American electrical equipment in Antigua & Barbuda. Contact your hotel and ask to be sure. Many places are now built to North American standards.

Also in use are non-grounded North American outlets. These require an adapter to work with plugs that have the third grounding plug. Older North American outlets may not be polarized (with one slot wider than the other). Adapters are available which accept a polarized plug and adapt it for use with a non-polarized outlet. See the electrical systems article for more information.

Tourist information

 * Visit Antigua and Barbuda website

Cities

 * - capital, on the island of Antigua
 * - a town on the island of Barbuda

Get in
All EU citizens can enter without a visa.

Citizens of the following countries may also enter without a visa: Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nauru, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and citizens of British Overseas Territories.

If you do need a visa, you must have a passport valid at least 6 months after time of visit, a completed application form, and 1 passport size photo. A single entry visa costs 30GBP and multiple entry costs 40GBP.

If you are of a nationality that normally requires a visa and you are entering Antigua and Barbuda as a port for a cruise ship, you do not need a visa provided the ship will be leaving the day it arrives.

By plane
V.C. Bird International, located in north eastern Antigua on the outskirts of St John's, is the country's main international airport. The airport serves flights from the United States, Canada, Europe and other Caribbean islands.

The following international airlines serve the airport:

From the US: American Airlines/American Eagle (Charlotte, Miami, and New York-JFK), Delta Air Lines (Atlanta and New York-JFK), JetBlue (New York-JFK), Seaborne Airlines (San Juan), United Airlines (Newark)

From Canada: Air Canada (Toronto-Pearson), Sunwing Airlines (Montreal-Trudeau), WestJet (Toronto-Pearson)

From Europe (UK): British Airways (London-Gatwick) and Virgin Atlantic (London-Heathrow)

From the Caribbean: ABM Air (Barbuda, Montserrat), British Airways (Providenciales, St. Kitts, Tobago), Caribbean Airlines (Barbados, Kingston, and Port of Spain), FlyMontserrat (Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis), InterCaribbean Airways (Tortola), Seaborne Airlines (San Juan), Sky High Aviation Services (Santo Domingo–Las Americas), St. Barth Commuter (St. Barthelemy), Tradewind Aviation (St. Barthelemy), VI Airlink (Tortola), Winair (Sint Maarten, St. Barthelemy)

By boat
Montserrat Ferry has ferries from Montserrat.

You can also arrive from Guadeloupe on one of Jeans for Freedom's infrequent "discovery days."

Many excursionist come in via cruise ships and enjoy their day in Antigua. Many cruise lines travel to Antigua.

Yacht charters offer another alternative in and around the islands.

Get around
Tourists mainly get around by taxi or tour operators.

There is however a fleet of local buses, usually minibuses with about 12-14 seats, which run set routes (you can tell from the number on a circular badge on the upper right corner of the windscreen as the bus approaches you) and you can wait at a stop or walk along the road and hail a passing one. They're very cost-effective (*much* cheaper than a private taxi), and will stop wherever you want to on the route, although the network only really covers the main roads. There is also no set timetable but one usually passes every 10-15 minutes. The drivers are speedy and it can be an adventure!

If you stay a week or more, rates for rental cars can become quite reasonable (see below).

By ferry
Barbuda Express runs ferries between Barbuda and Antigua.

Car rentals
There are various car rental agencies, so they're unlikely to be hard to find.

Talk
Languages spoken are English (official) and local dialects. There is also an expanding Spanish-speaking migrant population.

See

 * Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour
 * The British forts and the views from Monk's Hill in Falmouth
 * Frigate birds on Barbuda
 * Boggy Peak, the nation's highest point and a national park, which was named Mount Obama, for U.S. President Barack Obama on his 48th birthday in 2009 until 2016.

Money
The currency of the country is the East Caribbean dollar, denoted by the symbol: "$" or "EC$" (ISO currency code: XCD), which is also used by seven other island nations in the Caribbean. The EC dollar is subdivided into 100 cents. It is pegged to the United States dollar at an exchange rate of US$1 = EC$2.70.

Coins circulate in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 25 cents and 1 dollar. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollars.

Shopping

 * Galley Boutique, English Harbour, has great clothes.
 * 1000 Flowers, St. John's, has great clothes.

Learn

 * Antigua State College
 * Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology
 * Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute
 * University of the West Indies (Open Campus)
 * University of Health Sciences Antigua
 * American University of Antigua

Learn about local heritage and culture. Learn a bit of dialect along the way. Buy a copy of the local newspaper The Observer: they have a nice cartoon in local creole which helps with the interesting Antiguan dialect.

Work
Working longer than three months requires an official working licence, to be filed with the employer. The employer also has to pay for it. There might be good jobs at the tourism sector and the entertainment industry (especially on-line casinos and sports betting).

Eat
The national dish is fungie (pronounced foon-gee) and pepper pot. Fungie is a dish very similar to the Italian Polenta being made mainly of cornmeal. Other local dishes include ducana, seasoned rice, saltfish and lobster (from Barbuda). Local confectionaries include sugarcake, fudge, raspberry and tamarind stew, and peanut brittle. The various restaurants around the island sell both local and international food.

 * Lunch might be anything that can be easily bought from a nearby shop, especially a bakery.
 * Dinner will typically be rice, macaroni or pasta, vegetables/salad, a main course (fish, chicken, pork, beef, etc.) and a side dish like macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes or plantains.

On Saturday be prepared to find many drive-by barbecues at important road crossings all over the island. They are serving rice and chicken, dumplings, soup, and alike. Sometimes they even have a sound system for entertainment.

Sunday is the day when the culture is most reflected in the food. For breakfast one might have saltfish, eggplant, eggs, bacon, sausages, or lettuce. Dinner may include pork, baked chicken, stewed lamb, or turkey, alongside rice (prepared in a variety of ways), salads, and a local drink.

 * Harmony Hall, near Freetown. It closes for the summer on May 6. The best restaurant on the island.
 * Mama Lolly, Redcliffe Quay, St. John's. Vegetarian and vegan friendly home cooking.
 * Calabash, Redcliffe Quay's "Vendors Mall", St. John's. Vegan cuisine. Owned by a raw chef who used to work in New York.
 * The Roti King, corner of St Mary's Street and Corn Alley, St John's. Serves Roti, which is an East Indian dish of rolled Indian flat bread filled with hot and spicy curries and tamarind sauce.

The only American fast food chains operating on Antigua are KFC, Burger King and Subway, all with two locations in and out of St. John's.

Drink
Local drinks are
 * Mauby
 * Seamoss
 * Tamarind juice
 * Mango juice
 * Coconut water
 * Cavalier Rum , Antiguan Rum.
 * Wadadli, Antiguan Beer
 * Oasis, Desalinated water.

Bars
 * Papa Zouk, Bar and fish and chips restaurant 2 min outside of St. John's.

Sleep
There are many hotels resorts and other kinds in Antigua so finding one should not cause too much of a hassle(?)

Stay safe
Though Antigua is generally a safe place, secure your purses and wallets. Walk only with the necessary money, avoid street urchins and vagrants and don't be afraid to ask for help. If you rent a car, park in a well-lit area.

Stay healthy
Avoid taking unusual risks, eat more from packaged goods. However the public market is a great place to mingle and get inexpensive provisions.

There are some signs on the road of St. John's, providing you with the ten principles of healthy living:

 * 1) Breathe deeply
 * 2) Drink water
 * 3) Sleep peacefully
 * 4) Eat nutritiously
 * 5) Enjoy activity
 * 6) Give and receive love
 * 7) Be forgiving
 * 8) Practice gratitude
 * 9) Be accepting
 * 10) Take your time

Tap water is generally drinkable, but people complain about the taste and it may upset your stomach at first if you're not used to it, so most visitors drink bottled water.

Respect
The locals are very friendly and respectable. Approach them in a courteous manner and it will undoubtedly be returned to you. Approach them with a smile and remember please, thank you, good afternoon.

title: Antigua and Barbuda


text:
Antigua Guatemala

La Antigua Guatemala was the colonial Spanish capital of Central America. It is a, and is perhaps Guatemala's most popular tourist destination.

History
Now commonly referred to as just Antigua (or La Antigua), the city was one of the grand colonial capitals of the Spanish Empire in America from the 16th–18th centuries. Under the name Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, it was the original "Guatemala City". A disastrous earthquake in 1773 destroyed or damaged most of the city, and the Spanish crown ordered the capital moved to a new city, what became the modern Guatemala City. In 1776 this old city was ordered abandoned. Not everyone left, but it turned from a bustling capital into a provincial town, filled with the ruins of its former glory. It became known as "Antigua Guatemala", meaning "Old Guatemala".

In the 20th century there was increasing appreciation for the large amount of preserved colonial Spanish architecture here, development to host visitors, and the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

Semana Santa

Semana Santa ("Holy Week") is the Spanish name for the week of Easter celebrations, which lasts from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The Semana Santa is celebrated in the whole Spanish speaking world with street processions in which religious groups carry life-sized, heavy and holy statues through the streets. Antigua Guatemala, together with Seville (Spain), is one of the most famous and traditional spots in the world to celebrate these Easter processions. First records of Semana Santa processions in Antigua date back to the year 1543.

Nowadays, Antigua is particularly famous for its carpets made of colorized sawdust that show and form religious symbols and get decorated with fruits and vegetables. These carpets are displayed in churches and on the streets – the latter as a grounding for the processions to walk over it. The street carpets, however, are of short attraction and although it takes hours to form then they are directly wiped away by the cleaning team after being walked over for the first time.

During Semana Santa, Antigua is the touristic hotspot in Guatemala and it seems like half of the city is involved in the Easter celebrations in one way or the other. If you plan to visit Antigua during this time, book in advance and expect to pay higher prices compared to the rest of the year.

Orientation
The city's streets are mostly laid out in a rectangular grid aligned with the compass, with the Parque Central as an origin point. North-south roads are avenidas or avenues, numbered from 1st to 8th from east to west. The avenidas are further divided into sur (south) and norte (north). East-west roads are calles or streets, numbered from 1st to 9th from north to south. The calles are further divided into oriente (east) and poniente (west). The street intersection at the northeast corner of the Palace of the Captains-General, i.e. at the southeast corner of Parque Central, is the origin of this division. Avenidas are sur south of 5ª Calle, and norte north of it. Calles are oriente east of 4ª Avenida, and poniente west of it.

Some roads have names that don't follow the avenida/calle numbering scheme, and some roads away from the center don't follow the grid. Most corners do not have signs showing the name of either the street you are on or the one you just came up to. All are paved with cobblestones, and sidewalks are generally not very good.

Addresses are numbered sequentially outwards from the origin point. Even-numbered addresses are on one side of the street and odd numbers are on the other. Street addresses are written with the street or avenue number first, followed by the letter "a" in superscript (because 1ª signifies "primera", 2ª is short for "segunda", 3ª for "tercera", etc.); then "Av." (for avenida) or "Cle." (for calle), then "Ote." (oriente, east), "Pte." (poniente, west), "Sur" (south), or "Nte." (norte, north); then the street address number. For instance:
 * "5ª Av. Nte. #5" is address #5 on 5th Avenue North. The small number shows it is just a little north of the north-south divider, 5ª Calle.
 * "3ª Cle. Ote. #28" is address #28 on 3rd Street East. The relatively large number shows it is some ways east of the east-west divider, 4ª Avenida.

It's helpful to memorize that the north and south sides of Parque Central are 4ª and 5ª Calles, and the west and east sides are 5ª and 4ª Avenidas respectively. Parque Central is the reference point for east, west, north, and south in street addresses. "5ª Av. Nte. #5" is north of Parque Central. "5ª Av. Sur #5" is south of Parque Central. Essentially, if you understand which way is north of Parque Central, you can find anything in the city.

By plane
There is no direct commercial air service to Antigua. The nearest airport is La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, which is 45 minutes to an hour from Antigua by car.

A taxi from the airport to Antigua is around GTQ350, and can be split among 2 or 3 riders to make it comparable with privately arranged shuttles. For your departure from Antigua, there are numerous travel agencies near Parque Central from which to purchase rides back to the airport. The usual cost is from Q55–80 (quetzales).

There are regular shuttle vans directly from the airport to Antigua that cost around GTQ80 and leave regularly all day until 20:00. You don't need to prearrange, but demand can be high depending on the number of flights arriving at the same time, so pre-purchasing a ticket from a local travel agent is best. To return to the airport, almost all travel agencies in Antigua offer scheduled tourist shuttles to La Aurora, for fares ranging from Q40–80. The earliest buses and shuttles depart at 04:00, in time to arrive at the airport by 05:00 for a 07:00 flight out. The lines at the airport are very long, so arrive at least 1 hour or more before your flight.

You can also pre-arrange a charter tourist van to pick you up at the airport, which for first-time visitors might be the safest and most convenient option. It costs about Q250–350, and the driver will meet you at the airport with your name on a sign.

By bus
The is located in the west side of town, northwest of the intersection of 4a Calle Pte and Alameda Santa Lucia, in the lot behind "El Mercado" (Central market, see below under "buy"). From here the buses go to Chimaltenango, Esquintla, Jesus Santa Maria, San Miguel Dueñas, Ciudad Vieja, San Antonio Aguas Caliente and anywhere around. If going to Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango or Panajachel by chicken bus take the Chimaltenango bus to the Interamerica Hwy (CA-1) south of Chimaltenango and transfer to a westbound bus going towards the desired destination. Buses going north towards Chimaltenango also pass through Jocotenango, northern 'suburb' of Antigua. leave from the next street south of the artisan craft market. Buses from Guatemala City leave from Terminal Trebol and stop under the pedestrian bridge at Tikal Futura Mall along Cazalda Roosevelt in Guatemala City.

There are numerous travel agents all over town who offer or arrange shuttles to Panajachel, San Marcos, San Cristobal de las Casas, Monterrico, Quetzaltenango, San Pedro La Laguna, Chichicastenango (market days); The airport, Lanquín y Semuc Champey; and Copan Ruinas. Other destinations such as Flores/Tikal, Puerto Barrios, Tapachula, San Salvador and other cities in Central America are booked through a first class pullman bus company instead. From Antigua they transfer passengers to the pullman bus station(s) in Guatemala City by shuttle or mini-bus. The shuttles are more expensive than chicken buses but are more comfortable, quicker and safer. The shuttle options are offered either as one way transportation or they can be as part of an independent day trip or guided tour with return on the same day. There are day trips to Tikal which are offered with an early shuttle to the airport and a flight to Flores and back the same day/evening. Some of the local travel agents are:

There are also other travel agents in Panajachel, Copan Ruinas, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Flores and other tourist destinations booking shuttles to Antigua.

On foot
Antigua is very compact and easy to walk around, with a layout that follows the typical Spanish colonial design of a main plaza surrounded by governmental and Catholic church buildings. Most of the sites of interest to visitors are contained in an 8x8 block area less than a kilometer across, which you can walk across in 15 minutes. Be careful: the sidewalks are narrow and not always in good repair, you may have to walk in the street with traffic whizzing by you, and at night it's worth being cautious and aware of your surroundings. Standard tourist maps are linear in their drawings and thus are accurate only near the town center. Get a real map with accurate topography if you are seeking locations farther from the town center, as dead ends and curved streets are not portrayed accurately.

If you don't know the city streets too well, and it is past about 23:00, it is best to get a taxi back to your accommodations, especially if you're alone or going more than a few blocks away from the well-lit vicinity of Parque Central.

By chicken bus
Chicken buses are good for travelling longer distances. To reach Guatemala City, one simply asks for the main route of the chicken bus. They stop at every corner, honk the horn as early as 05:30, and yell out loud "Guate! Guate!". It is common to see one bus every 4 to 5 minutes leaving from the same corner. Buses to San Pedro, San Juan, and/or Santa Ana leave every 10 to 20 minutes; the best place to find these are at the Mercado or at Iglesia de Santa Lucia as they often do not follow the same set route through town.

By tuk-tuk or taxi
Tuk-tuks and taxis can take you to destinations within the city center for Q15 or more. Negotiate the fare with the driver in advance. Otherwise, they will routinely charge 50-100% more than they should. Tuk-tuks usually do not go to Guatemala City, and they stop working at 22:00, so one will need a shuttle or taxi instead. Flag down a cruising tuk-tuk, or pick up a taxi from the queue at Parque Central or along a main route to the city's periphery.

Colonial-era ruins
The preserved ruins of the old colonial government buildings and churches are not only Antigua's main tourist draw, but they're also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, these buildings were damaged in a series of seismic events culminating with the devastating earthquake of 1773. They remained abandoned and crumbling until 1944, when Guatemala's President Jorge Ubico declared them a National Monument. Preservation (and, in some cases, partial reconstruction) of the ruins began soon afterward and continues through to the present day. With the exception of the comparatively affordable Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande, entrance fees for the ruins tend to be steep. Despite the popularity of the ruins with tourists, interpretive signs and plaques (where they exist at all) tend to be in Spanish only. If you're planning to take an organized tour and don't speak any Spanish, try to seek out a bilingual guide.

Other attractions within the city center

Volcán Acatenango and Volcán de Fuego

There are several routes up Acatenango. The most popular one starts near La Soledad (about 2400m). A much longer one starts from Alotenango. There is a Q50 fee to enter the Acatenango area. Overnight tours are best done when Fuego is very active. You can watch the daily activity reports and some webcams to plan your trip. Also see the governmental site for current warnings. Virtually all tour operators in Antigua offer guided tours up the Acatenango and also provide you with camping gear, charging US$25–100 per person for the overnight trip excluding park entry, depending on the luxury level of camping, e.g. thicker mattress, smaller tents. Ask whether water, meals, hiking stick, jacket, gloves, hat are included. Check the name of the campsite on whether it's budget or midrange to not be ripped of. Bear in mind that you have to carry 3.5L of water and your meals by yourself. Camping gear is already at the campsite. Bring warm clothes, as temperature drops below freezing during the night. A headlight is also essential for the hike up to the top before sunrise.

You can also contact a local guide directly; they will usually charge Q200–Q300. Guides are easily found in La Soledad. Camping equipment can be rented in Antigua from O.X. or Old Town Outfitters but is relatively pricey.

You can also go without a guide. There are several trails that are often not obvious but easily followed with a GPS and, e.g., the trail maps from OpenStreetMap – although if things deteriorate, visibility may drop and your GPS stop working, while a guide who knows the mountain may still be able to find their way. To get to the trail head, take a bus from Antigua to Parramos and from Parramos to La Soledad (or take a taxi from Antigua, Q300). The trail starts just before you reach La Soledad. There might be people selling drinks on the trail but there are usually no water sources. There are two popular camp sites halfway up Acatenango. Both give you beautiful views of Fuego at night. The hike up from the western camp site to the top of Acatenango is much easier than from the eastern site. However, running down on the loose gravel to the eastern site is much more fun than going down on the west. To get the best of both sites, camp on the western site climb the peak with your gear and hike down to the eastern site.

Volcán de Fuego is a vigorously active volcano, extremely interesting but also extremely dangerous. An explosive eruption in 2018 had a large death toll, a few hundred or a few thousand in different reports. While most tour companies will still take clients to it, the official government advice (from INSIVUMEH) is that no-one should risk climbing that mountain. One expert interviewed for a BBC story claimed it is "only a matter of time" until some tourists are killed.

Sensible travellers will just enjoy the superb view of Fuego available from Acatenango, without trying to get closer. Consider bringing binoculars and a telephoto lens.

Learn
Antigua is the most popular, though not the cheapest, place to learn Spanish in Guatemala. Prices and hours vary, and can change depending on the season.

Homestays for language students are also available as a cheaper and more culturally enriching living situation. The average homestay with a Guatemalan family costs Q585 for 7 nights in your own room with shared bath and 2-3 meals per day (except Sunday). It is well worth it to pay a little extra for your own bathroom or shower, and for maximum immersion into the local culture, search for a family who takes in only one or a few students at a time (and local Guatemalan boarders). Families often visit each other on Sundays, and no meals are available. If you are the only student in the home, you are often invited for family get-togethers, and it is quite a cultural experience.

As well, impromptu "classes" in conversational Spanish can often be had with the many shoeshines in Parque Central, if you choose not to have your shoe shined and pay them a few bucks instead. Your results may vary: their education and vocabulary can be very limited, as they are often native speakers of Mayan for whom Spanish is a second language.

Work
You can easily get a job as a waiter, waitress, bartender, or host in any of the many bars, restaurants and hotels in Antigua. Usually they pay from Q65-165 a day plus tips. It is important to speak Spanish in most of these places, but you can slide by without it in some touristy spots, where most of the customers are foreigners. Also you can join in and volunteer at local non-profits. There are many local projects in education, health, and development that accept short and long-term volunteers. An example would be Common Hope, and other local churches and charities. These organisations should be contacted ahead of time for availability and credentialing.

Buy
When you change money at the bank, you will need your passport. Banks are open 7 days a week, and late: usually until 19:00-20:00. Most of the time, a passport is not needed for changing U.S. dollars into quetzales. However, you are likely required to have a passport if you want to redeem traveler's checks. ATMs are also available.

ATMs
ATM fees are fairly high and seem fixed, so taking out a larger amount makes more sense than small amounts multiple times. As of May 5th 2023 the fees are:

 * BAC: 40 GTQ
 * 5B: 49 GTQ
 * Banco Industrial: US$4

Shopping locations
(The Market), bordered by 1ª Calle Poniente, Alameda de Santa Lucia, 4ª Calle Poniente, and Calle de Recoletos. To the dismay of some older locals who pine for the halcyon days of the smaller, better organized market of their youth, a modern-day visit to Antigua's central market can be an overwhelming experience. You literally need a compass and a map to navigate this huge maze — that is, if you simply want to get in and get out quickly; on the other hand, getting lost amid the chaos can be one of the most authentic cultural experiences you'll have in Antigua. If you're looking for bargains and don't mind the crowds of hawking vendors, El Mercado is the place for you: this is where you'll find the cheapest produce, fresh meat, consumer goods, and gifts in town. More than just a place to go shopping, El Mercado is a gathering place for all Antiguans, where people come to socialize with their friends while buying the week's groceries, or just to see and be seen. It's open seven days a week, but Saturday, Monday, and Thursday are the busiest days.

There are so many different sections to the market that you'll probably need a full day to see all of them. The market is chaotic and somewhat disorganized, though similar types of shops tend to be grouped together in specific sections of the complex:

At the east end of El Mercado, you'll find supermarkets and restaurants lining the Alameda de Santa Lucia.

Souvenir shoppers will want to head to the south end of the market: it's dominated by a modern, clean and well-stocked gift, art, and local handicraft shop arranged around a central fountain. Popular items include hand-woven cloth and handmade stone and jade jewelry produced by indigenous artisans wearing brightly colored traditional clothing. The stories are all the same — "my mother made it by hand" — which is likely true. A good bargainer can usually talk them down by 25% or more off the initial asking price. Hand-carved wooden masks and figures are also big here.

The west end has Antigua's main bus station as well as an open-air fruit market where you'll find a great selection of seasonal tropical fruits such as papayas, mangoes, pineapples, and more. The red, curly-haired lychas have a pleasant sweet taste, like the lychees found in Asia. You can also find apples, grapes, and other less unusual fruits in this part of the Mercado. Fruit is safe to eat if washed, though it's a good idea to avoid strawberries unless you can assure they've been soaked well in bleach solution to wash away any fertilizer or contaminated irrigation water. Occasionally you'll see chickens and small livestock for sale here too.

To the north, inexpensive secondhand clothing is the order of the day: shirts, pants, shoes, and leather goods can be had for as little as Q8. Check for quality and comfort before you purchase shoes. Guatemalans tend to be a petite-statured people, so if you're in the market for small, hard-to-find sizes, you'll likely find what you're looking for with ease.

The central portion of the market is covered and quite dark: narrow corridors lead you through meat markets, smaller restaurants, flower shops and numerous fruit stands.
 * Chocolate and cacao can be found in different places around town. Each individual manufacturer has its own characteristics. The ChocoMuseo Antigua (described above) is not only a museum dedicated to chocolate and cacao, but also a working factory where artisanal chocolate is made before your eyes. Chocolate is also sold at Chocolalala, Fernando's Kaffee, and Chocolarti.
 * Chocolate and cacao can be found in different places around town. Each individual manufacturer has its own characteristics. The ChocoMuseo Antigua (described above) is not only a museum dedicated to chocolate and cacao, but also a working factory where artisanal chocolate is made before your eyes. Chocolate is also sold at Chocolalala, Fernando's Kaffee, and Chocolarti.
 * Chocolate and cacao can be found in different places around town. Each individual manufacturer has its own characteristics. The ChocoMuseo Antigua (described above) is not only a museum dedicated to chocolate and cacao, but also a working factory where artisanal chocolate is made before your eyes. Chocolate is also sold at Chocolalala, Fernando's Kaffee, and Chocolarti.

Eat
Antigua has cafes and restaurants for all tastes and budgets. The town is the most touristy place in Guatemala so you will find anything you are looking for including international fast food shops. Be careful with where you eat. Facilities lacking in bathroom or bathroom cleanliness suggest a higher probability of food poisoning. Avoid cold salad, fresh vegetables, and undercooked meat. Street ice cream carts are common through the city and popular with the locals, but of are unknown safety for sensitive stomachs.

Mid-range

 * La Fonda de la Calle Real. Generous helpings of Guatemalan specialties, with reasonable prices and a touch of corporate efficiency in their operations. The "De Todo Un Poco" ("a bit of everything") platter combines steak, chicken, and sausage for GTQ91. The vegetarian "Pepian Vegetariano" offers green beans and other vegetables in an unusual smoky-flavored sauce. The green salad is fresh and overflows the large plate. Uses purified water for all drinks, ice, and preparation. GTQ 75-200.

 * La Fonda de la Calle Real has three locations:

Drink

Homestays
Homestays with Antiguan families can be arranged through language schools or directly with the family in question. Because the families are prepaid, you can switch your school at any time and try a different school. Your shuttle from the airport is also prepaid if arranged through a school, so if your driver asks for Q40 or Q80 in tips, just smile, and give him Q10 or Q15 at most (a 20% tip), more if your luggage was lugged up a steep hill and dozens of steps.

The homes are often on hilltops, so be prepared to encounter large black scorpions on the lit walls at night, when you are walking home late. They are harmless unless you disturb them, but you might consider wearing shoes if they are abundant. Choose a home in the town to avoid climbing hills, and you will also get fewer mosquitoes. Families charge about Q580 for 7 days of bed, shared toilet, and 2 meals. Expect to pay about Q80 or Q160 more if you want to add lunch (the main meal), or if you expect a private bathroom (well worth it if you don't want to share with up to a dozen other boarders).

An advantage of a home stay for the Spanish language student is a chance for language immersion, as well as the cultural experience. The fewer students the family board, the better the experience. Too many students prefer to speak in English to each other and destroy your "immersive" experience. Ask first how many people are in the home, and how many boarders there are. You might avoid a situation where, say, there's one sink and two toilets shared by 14 people, and there's no way to take a proper shower because so many people are using the hot water. If you value cleanliness and convenience, book a room with private toilet and sink.

Ask the house mother to explain how to get the switch to activate on the shower, or you might have to deal with a cold shower. Buy your own soap and shampoo, as the home might use the same soap for washing dishes and clothing as for bathing. The housing may be more basic than in a hotel with simple concrete block or adobe construction, shared bathroom, and small rooms. Ask if there is a secure lock for your room, as the home is often shared with local boarders, and you may not want to lug your camera and laptop everywhere you go.

You must provide your own hand towels and bath towels. If you leave them in a common bathroom, don't be surprised if everyone uses them. Eating hours are often different, with dinner often served at 19:30 or 20:00, so you might want to procure your own meals if you intend to go to bed early. Remember that dinner is simple: a few pieces of cold bread and perhaps very light soup. For American-style dinners, go out and buy your own food at the restaurants. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not often served, so eat plenty of beans or bring along your own source of fiber.

Some areas of Antigua are mosquito-free, but in other areas, they are found in abundance. As owners of homestay facilities often leave the door open while cleaning, a compact mosquito net or tent is necessary if you do not enjoy having mosquitoes buzzing around your face at night.

Connect
The post office (oficina the correos) is opposite the market in Alameda de Santa Lucia, between 4a and 5a Calle Poniente. As of Oct 2019, no stamps were sold because the postal service is changing from a private to public owned business. They hoped to reopen in 2020.

There are many Internet cafes and long-distance phone shops in Antigua. Internet time costs GTQ5–10 per hour. Internet shops often have video phones for Skype calls. Many phone shops use VoIP, and not all area codes will work: for instance, the phone shop downtown did not reach certain cell phones and certain newer area codes. But just around the northwest corner is another shop that reached most U.S. area codes. Just ask as they will reluctantly point you to their competitor. Cellphones from the U.S. will work, but international roaming charges apply and are generally quite steep. Some people ask their carrier to turn off the voice mail function to avoid charges for voice mail.

Stay safe
Due to the presence of the "Tourist Police", Antigua is much safer than any other city in Guatemala: you're very unlikely to be mugged or robbed here, at least during the daytime. (At night, things get a bit more questionable.) However, the flipside of that is once you leave the city center, you're mostly on your own, so it's inadvisable under those circumstances to engage in risky behavior such as displaying valuables conspicuously. If you plan to visit sites outside the center of town like the volcanoes, make sure you go with an officer of the tourist police who accompany tourists there at least once a day.

Armed robbery is depressingly common. If this happens to you, rule number one is don't try to resist, as criminals will not hesitate to use their weapons on uncooperative victims. However, there are still ways to minimize the impact of a robbery on your trip. Firstly, it's a good idea to leave your passport in your hotel safe or local home and to carry a photocopy instead. If you are robbed, you will not need to go the consulate for paperwork. Secondly, it's also smart — especially for those who'll be moving around frequently — to keep the bulk of your valuables in a money belt strapped to your waist, and place a few dollars in a separate wallet that you can hand over to a robber if you come across one. ATMs are available, so an ATM card (ideally hidden in a money belt as described above) should be carried for instant cash.

Pickpocketing is actually somewhat less of a danger in Antigua as compared to armed robberies, but during peak tourist times like Semana Santa it's still wise to keep a hand on your wallet. Keep your bags in front of you when walking through El Mercado, as there have been reports of thieves slicing through shopping bags with razor blades to steal the contents.

Almost all bars and restaurants will be happy to call a taxi for you. Asking the bar staff to call the taxi for you, instead of looking for one yourself, can be a good idea since the staff tend to know the drivers they are calling. Ask them what the price should be beforehand, and also ask them to confirm the price with the taxi or tuk-tuk when they arrive. In Antigua, many locals consider the buses safer than a tuk-tuk as they have been blamed for taking tourists to obscure areas to rob them. Women, crimes against whom are often not widely publicized in Guatemala, are especially at risk on public transportation: as a woman, you might be safer riding on a crowded bus than hailing a tuk-tuk or taxi from an unknown driver.

Hiking the Volcán de Agua requires extra caution as numerous robberies and some kidnappings have occurred there. The relatively few reputable tour operators who offer this hike usually employ the services of a police escort or armed guards. If yours doesn't, it's best to choose a different operator.

The activity of Volcán de Fuego varies, involved businesses may not be well updated and they may not want to interrupt their business even when there are severe warnings. Unexpected bigger eruptions do kill people. The dormant Acatenango offers good views and not climbing Volcán de Fuego itself avoids most of the risk.

See also Volcanoes.

Stay healthy
If you are lucky, you will not have any illnesses in Antigua. However, most long-term visitors may encounter a case of food poisoning or bacterial or viral enteritis. The best way to treat it without a physician's intervention is to buy packages (sobre) of re-hydration solution (solución de rehidratación oral). It is a simple mix of potassium, sodium, and glucose. Most cases of food poisoning or intestinal infections can be blamed on street vendors with unrefrigerated sauces or paste, but home cooked meals can also be the cause. Street vendor food is cheap, but you should avoid it unless you have been eating it daily. A virgin stomach often cannot handle the common bacterial toxins found in unrefrigerated sauces, slaws, and cold marinades. Piping hot, wrapped, boiled food is likely safe.

It is best to avoid ceviche due to potential risk of bacteria like cholera. Fresh salads should not be consumed for concern of contaminated irrigation water. Strawberries have been known to pass hepatitis A due to contaminated irrigation water. When preparing your own salad or strawberries, soaking in bleach solution or iodine is advised. All fruits should be washed or peeled before eating. Undercooked meat should be avoided due to encysted parasites, unless imported, high-grade beef is assured at a well-known restaurant. Fresh cream is often served at the table, but unless you are sure it is pasteurized or precooked, it is best to avoid putting it on your food. Going barefoot or with sandals is the norm, however hiking with them or going barefoot might lead to cutaneous larva migrans, a parasitic infection where hookworm larvae penetrate the skin and cause itchy red curves and lines a few days later. Wear shoes and socks if you walk off the pavement.

Guatemala, like all Latin American countries, has filtered, chlorinated water at the point of distribution. However, once it gets to the tap, it is no longer safe. Many businesses and homes have rooftop water tanks which fill up during the low-consumption period of the day (usually at night) and maintain pressure at the faucet during the day, when water pressure in the public supply is low or nonexistent. This is the cause of the waterborne intestinal diseases like E. coli, salmonella, or cysticoccosis that are prevalent in the country. Also, low pressure in the public water pipes often leads to groundwater contaminated with raw sewage flowing into cracks in the potable water system. It has been documented that up to 20% of those who have traveled to developing countries and now have chronic diarrhea or gastrointestinal issue carry intestinal parasites, which can last for many years after returning. Over 80% of returning Peace Corps volunteers have intestinal parasites. Laboratory tests performed in the US and the UK often miss these very small parasites, so repeated samples must be submitted. The only foolproof way to avoid waterborne illness is to avoid tap water (agua del chorro) and instead drink bottled or filtered water (agua del garrafón or agua embotellada). Also, some homes and restaurants have purified water in 5-gallon bottles and serve it in glasses. Ask if the ice is made from purified water.

Laundry
Laundry can be done by various lavanderias around town. You drop off your laundry, they weigh it and charge you a price per pound (not per kilogram, interestingly). The laundry is dried and available for pickup in two to four hours. Locals advise that you inventory your laundry, to be sure that none is lost or exchanged. Two full backpacks of clothes weighed about 16 pounds.

Go next

 * Guatemala City — The national capital, an hour's drive away.
 * Copán Ruinas — Mayan ruins across the border in Honduras. There is a direct shuttle bus that makes the six-hour trip between here and Antigua.
 * San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlan

title: Antigua Guatemala


text:
Antioch

There is more than one place called Antioch:

United States of America

 * Antioch (California) - A town in California.
 * Antioch (Tennessee) - A town in Tennessee.
 * Antioch (Illinois) - A town in Illinois

Turkey

 * Antakya, a modern Turkish city located where ancient Antioch was

title: Antioch


text:
Antioch (California)

Antioch is in eastern Contra Costa County in California.

Understand
Antioch is one of the oldest towns in California. It was founded in 1850 by two brothers, William and Joseph Smith, who named the town Smith's Landing. In 1851, the town's new minister persuaded the residents to change the name of the town to Antioch, for the Biblical city of Antioch, Syria. Antioch is the 270th largest city in America.

By car
Highway 4 runs through Antioch and splits near the Antioch Bridge, becoming Highway 160 north towards Sacramento while staying Highway 4 south for the route through Brentwood, eventually leading to Stockton. Tolls for the bridge are collected for northbound traffic, and there are 5 exits going East and 3 exits going west on Highway 4. This is the primary route between the Antioch and the rest of the Bay Area, which leads to heavy congestion during commuting hours in the morning and early evening.

Renting
With Antioch's considerable sprawl, car rentals are the most convenient form of transportation for visitors. Local companies tend to offer better prices, but national chains might be more convenient as far as return policies and hours

By train
Amtrak serves Antioch with its San Joaquin train between Oakland and Bakersfield, via Fresno. is at 100 I St, there is no ticket booth at the station and other amnesties are limited.

Get around
Tri-Delta Transit buses serve the area; pretty much all bus lines will take you to the BART in Pittsburg. County Connection bus #930 goes to Walnut Creek. The main streets are Hillcrest, Lone Tree, Somersville, A Street and James Donlon. These streets can pretty much take you anywhere you need to go in Antioch.

By taxi
Taxi service is available, but on a much reduced scale as compared to major cities, but you won't be able to hail a cab; it is necessary to call and arrange for a taxi to pick you up. Rates are fixed by city ordinance and do not vary among companies.

Stay safe
Exercise caution in downtown during nighttime, its dimly lit and the homeless are numerous in that area. As with any city just use smart judgement and you should be safe.

Newspapers
The Antioch Press, published by Brentwood Press & Publishing Corporation. Antioch Press is a weekly newspaper that is published every Friday. The circulation is just over 4,000.

Hospitals

 * Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center
 * Sutter Delta Medical Center

Libraries

 *  Antioch Library, 501 W 18th St, +1 925 757-9224, part of the Contra Costa Library system.

In the East Bay

 * Mount Diablo
 * Martinez
 * Berkeley

Further afield

 * Go to San Francisco, which is only about 40 minutes away.
 * Sacramento is also pretty close, about 45 minutes away.

title: Antioch (California)


text:
Antioch (Tennessee)

Antioch is a city in Tennessee.

Get around

 * Broadway Limo. 615-818-5716 Bus, Limousine, and Town Car Service.

By phone
Most telephone numbers in Antioch consist of +1 615 plus a seven-digit number, but the region is now served by an overlay complex of two area codes, with +1 629 being the second. A local or in-state telephone call now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call).

Signage on many established businesses may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 615 before these if no area code is indicated.

title: Antioch (Tennessee)


text:
Antioquia

Antioquia is a department in the Andino region of Colombia. It is famous for its many coffee plantations.

Cities

 * - Considered by many as the best city in Colombia. Medellín is home to the famous yearly "Flower Festival" in August and the first (and still only) metro system in the country: "Metro de Medellín". Home City of Juanes, Fernando Botero and René Higuita. The metropolitan area is surrounded by many small towns which have become virtual suburbs of the city.  These include Envigado, Itaguí, Sabaneta and Caldas (south); Bello, Copacabana and Girardota (north).  The spread of the city east and west is limited by topography.
 * town and municipality in Urabá subregion
 * even though outside of Antioquia it is easier to get there from Medellín by plane or by boat from Turbo. A great, quiet beach destination in the Atlantic, near Panamá.
 * Granada is a town at East of Antioquia. It's a zone of water, cool weather, but hot people. In this place you can say "Home, sweet home". It was the cradle of bishop Tiberio de J. Salazar y Herrera.
 * – A pretty lakeside town with hostels available.
 * is a beautiful little town 2 hours south of Medellín, with incredible tourist attractions: a gorgeous main plaza, distinctive local architecture amd many country-side activities. Look for the locally produced rainbow trout and coffee to please your senses. There are hostels.
 * Jerico is a small town a few hours south of Medellín, a quieter and less touristy option to nearby Jardin which has had a huge increase in visitors in the 2020s.
 * , Rionegro, Guarne and La Ceja these are small towns east of Medellín and a popular day trip destination.
 * , the oldest capital. A quaint colonial town, 50 km northwest of Medellín.
 * - The small city on the Caribbean coast itself doesn't have a lot to offer, and its primary interest to travellers is its role as the place to get a boat to Capurganá, from where it is possible to get a boat to Puerto Obaldia in Panama.
 * - The small city on the Caribbean coast itself doesn't have a lot to offer, and its primary interest to travellers is its role as the place to get a boat to Capurganá, from where it is possible to get a boat to Puerto Obaldia in Panama.

By plane
There are 6 operational airports with daily commercial flights in Antioquia.

International Airport

 * José María Córdova in Rionegro, serves Medellín.

National Airports

 * Olaya Herrera in Medellín.
 * Antonio Roldán Betancourt, Formerly Los Cedros. Located in the municipality of Carepa. Serves Apartadó and the Urabá region in the Atlantic side of the department. It is also the heart of the banana growing region. Four airlines connect this airport to Medellín EOH.

Regional Airports
All located in the North of the department, area with heavy gold mining. Flights originate mostly from Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín.
 * Juan H. White Airport in Caucasia.
 * El Tomin, in the municipality of El Bagre.
 * Otú Airport in the municipality of Remedios.

Get around
In Medellín you can get around by taxi bus or metro. The metro runs largely along the north-south axis of the city.

By cable car
Antioquia is mountainous hence Cable Cars have sprawled in the last 2 decades and are becoming popular for both commuting and tourist transportation. You can ride the Metrocables in Medellín which are additional lines of the Metro system or the countryside cable-cars in many small towns in Antioquia: Jardín, Jericó, Sopetrán, San Andrés de Cuerquia, etc.

See

Itineraries

 * San Jeronimo, Sopetran and Santa Fe de Antioquia - Going north-west from downtown Medellín, you arrive at the longest and newest South American tunnel: 4.7 km. After you pass through that tunnel, you start descending mountains and a few minutes later, you are in San Jeronimo, Antioquia. Cruise it on motorcycle, the fun way, don't be scared because its an awesome experience! Weather here is 25 degrees during the whole year. Very close you will find Sopetran, the Antioquias fruits lovely capital. Finally, you get to Santa Fe de Antioquia, one of the five colonial destinations in Colombia, and the way to the Caribbean. This road will take you to Turbo and to the Panama frontier line - the road is more safe now and is not frequented by guerrillas and paramilitaries anymore.
 * Frontino further to the west, is a nice town.

Do

The Holy Week in many towns of Antioquia is colorful and passionate.

Eat
Bandeja Paisa

Stay safe
Act as you would in any large, and potentially unsafe metropolitan area such as Chicago or São Paulo.
 * As of 2010 there were plenty of landmines in the countryside, making much of Antioquia out of bounds for tourists.
 * There are guerrillas of ELN active in many rural locations of this department. They will kidnap for ransom and hold little sympathy for tourists.
 * Due to the high amounts of violence in the region the Australian Foreign Office advises against travelling to Antioquia. This travel warning was issued in December of 2010
 * Don't buy drugs, or even ask about them.
 * Do not get in a taxi if there is someone other than the driver in it
 * Avoid downtown and Parque Berrio at night.
 * Avoid walking around like you're lost, as this may be noticed by the wrong sort of people; if you are lost step in to a cafe or "tienda", restaurant, ask someone there.
 * It's best to use ATMs located in Exito, Carrefour, Carulla or Pomona (supermarkets in the Medellín area) or to use the ones inside the banks,
 * Always be aware that you might be followed from ATMs and banks.

title: Antioquia


text:
Antiparos

Antiparos is an island of the Cyclades group.

Understand
Antiparos is a small Greek island in the Cyclades group, separated from Paros by a narrow and shallow strait. It has an area of 45 square kilometers with a 57 kilometer coastline. The capital Antiparos is on the north eastern coast, while the other villages Kambos and Agios Georgios are in the mid-west and on the south western coast, respectively. The islands houses just over 1,000 inhabitants.

Antiparos is well recognised for its relaxed, authentic atmosphere. It has many beaches on all sides and offer a nice alternative to the more crowded and hectic islands around it. Like its "parent island" Paros, it is also known for its excellent wind conditions for wind- and kitesurfing.

From the 1970s, Antiparos became a popular tourist destination among nudist lovers, attracted by the remote and sandy beaches of the island. The most frequented by nudists was and still is the campsite on the Teologi beach, to the north, opposite the uninhabited islet of Diplo. The end of the beach of the village is also nudist, as well as that of Perigiali.

Today Antiparos welcomes much more diversified forms of tourism since the times of the hippies. Since the 1990s there has been a constant improvement in the tourist infrastructure which has also attracted families.

Talk
Most of the population of Antiparos, and certainly in the tourist business, speak English fairly well.

By sea
There are two ferries from Paros:
 * Pounta - Antiparos, ten minutes with departures every hour from early morning until late night.
 * Parikia - Antiparos, half an hour with about ten daily departures each way.

There are several ferries to get you as far as Paros, notably from Athens and Santorini.

By plane
The nearest airport is Paros Airport. Olympic Air and AirSea Lines  operate a daily air service from Athens.

Get around
Being a small island, public transport is scarce. There are however several rental shops by the port that offer bicycles, scooters, ATVs and cars. Note that many of the smaller roads are in poor condition and that the ATV is likely to be the best mean of transport, though all companies offer 50CC quads that are not quite powerful enough to pull two adults up the steepest hills.

The town of Antiparos is best explored by foot, and several beaches are within fifteen minutes of walking from the main street.

See

 * Despotiko: This small island to the south west hides architectural components of a Doric temple built around 500 BC. Excavations have been ongoing since 1997.
 * The Castle: A single wall is all that remains of a 1440 venetian castle in the middle of the capital.
 * The Castle: A single wall is all that remains of a 1440 venetian castle in the middle of the capital.

Do
There are many beautiful beaches and coves to see and enjoy, though the rarest gems are on the far south or west coast of the island, for instance Sostis Bay, Monastiria and Livadi. Mind that some of the roads are very poor, particularly to Monastiria (only suited for ATVs or tough 4x4 cars - not SUVs).

Blue Islands Divers in the main street offer snorkeling and diving trips/classes, as well as wind- and kitesurfing classes.

Alexandros, Captain Ben and Iason are the names of three wooden boats offering trips around the island including refreshments, barbecue and time for bathing/snorkeling. Captain Antonis of the former offers excellent octopus, sea urchin, tzatziki, local sausage and souvlaki, while being generous with his bottle of Ouzo.

Eat
There are many tavernas in the main street and along the port of Antiparos, as well as a few hidden gems in the small alleys. The one thing they have in common is good food; it is virtually impossible to go wrong on Antiparos. There are also fairly good taverns on the larger beaches. Prices differ slightly, but the quality is largely very good and the all serve traditional Greek food such as salads, grilled meat and fish.

 * Yanni's Place in the main street has incredible pasta dishes.

Drink
The entire town of Antiparos comes to life in the summer evenings.

 * Sunset Beach on the north western shore, a five minute walk from the main street, offers drinks and light meals accompanied by one of the world's pretties sunsets.

Sleep
There are several hotels in Antiparos town and along the port, as well as a camping area on the northern coast, a ten minute walk from the main street.

 * Hotel Begleri A family run hotel in the southern area of town. Small but comfortable rooms.

Go next
Move on by boat back to Paros and explore the other islands of the Cyclades

title: Antiparos


text:
Antipolo

Antipolo is a city in Rizal Province, Philippines. Sitting above a plateau above sea level, Antipolo is a respite from Manila's chaos, allowing a scenic view of an otherwise crowded and bustling metropolis.

Understand
While Pasig remains the de jure capital of Rizal (despite being separated from the province to become part of Metro Manila in the 1970s, and the provincial government center there redeveloped into a lifestyle strip), Antipolo is the de facto capital of the province, and despite what the law says, the provincial capital has been relocated into this city since 2009. Antipolo is planned to be converted into an independent city, but a plebiscite has not been held to completely ratify its autonomy from the rest of Rizal. Even when a vote occurs, the city will remains part of Rizal practically for travel purposes.

Most visitors go to Antipolo for pilgrimage as the city's cathedral houses the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje, Tagalog: Birhen ng Kapayapaan at Magandang Paglalakbay). There is continuing local following; devotees to the Marian image customarily undertake a trek, Alay Lakad, from Quiapo Church to the cathedral, which is a 5-hour sacrifice, when it is possible to reach it within a half hour without Manila's perennial traffic snarls.

Get in
Antipolo is around 25 km away from Manila, you can drive from Manila to Antipolo around an hour by car.

By bus
Antipolo is directly served by Metro Manila's city bus network, with routes running from Cubao or Quiapo, either via Marcos and Sumulong Highway, or Ortigas Avenue. Buses terminate at the Robinsons mall at the city's ring road. RRCG Transport operates luxury express buses from malls in Makati and Mandaluyong.

Robinsons Mall Place Provincial Bus Grand Terminal Antipolo: Eastern Visayas, Bohol Province and Bicol Bus Terminal on Robinsons Place Mall Antipolo During Local Christmas New Year & Lenten Season Holiday is Fully Booked Ticket.
 * Mega Bus Lines Corporation
 * Elavil Travel and Tours Philippines, Inc
 * RMB Transit (via Tanay Rizal-Mabitac in Laguna Province or Lucena City in Quezon Province)

 * Jac Liner Bus Garage Official Bus Deport is located in Sumulong Highway Antipolo City Rizal Province Since 1987.

 * RRCG Transport

 * EMBC in Partnerships under RRCG Transport bus driver

 * G Liner

 * Green Star Bus Corporation

By train
LRT Line 2 (LRT-2) directly serves Antipolo, with a station near SM Masinag. There are plans to extend the line to downtown.

By van
Antipolo is accessible by UV Express van shuttles, with terminals in Metro Manila including one around Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City and around Shangri-la Plaza in Mandaluyong.

By jeepney
Jeepneys, while made redundant by buses, serve Antipolo from Taytay and Cubao, with terminals closer downtown. Beware of "patok" jeepneys – known for their loud stereo playing EDM and techno, and drivers speeding and doing dangerous maneuvers – on the Cubao-Antipolo route, though increased traffic police presence and direct bus service to Antipolo have largely forced such vehicles out of service.

Get around
With over 8000 tricycles in the town center alone, you will have no problem looking for a ride to nearby destinations. Places along the main roads are accessible by jeepney. It is advisable to travel by car to other destinations as jeepneys do not cover every corner of the city, especially the mountains.

Do

 * Enjoy the overlooking views of the Manila skyline along Sumulong Highway. One could even stop for a drink at one of the restaurant-pubs on the roadside.

Buy

 * Roasted cashew nuts: Hot from the vendors outside of Antipolo Cathedral (the vendors will most likely come to you, rather than you come to them)
 * Filipino rice cakes: The most famous form of which, "kalamay", is another popular "pasalubong" that visitors carry away from Antipolo

Eat
There are a lot of fast food chains located at the town center (Upper Antipolo) and in Cogeo area (Lower Antipolo) such as Jollibee, McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut, and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Ministop.

Also, these includes numerous restaurants and bars located at OL (Over-Looking) at Sumulong Highway wherein you'll have the best view of Metro Manila, seeing Ortigas Buildings, and residential areas.

Drink
There are also numerous places to drink in the mountainous city, along Marcos Highway you can find several spots for drinking like 22nd St. Comedy Bar, X Factor Bar, Dampa sa Antipolo to name a few. In the Sumulong Highway you can also find classy places to drink like the Padi's Point and Cloud 9 bar.

Go next
Come down into other lower-lying towns of Rizal, one of the most interesting of which is Angono (named the Art Capital of the Philippines) and host of two National Artists. In the backdoor entry to Angono from Antipolo (through the Eastridge Country Club), visitors can stop by to take a visit at the famous Angono Petroglyphs (now managed by the National Museum).

title: Antipolo


text:
Antique

Antique is a province on the island of Panay in the Philippines.

Cities

 * , the capital

Understand
Antique got its tagline "Where the mountains meet the sea" because of the relatively short distance between its mountains and its coast, which lies parallel to it. Just like its highland attractions, there's absolutely a lot to explore in Antique's long coastal area aside from providing an unobstructed view of the sunset. On the southernmost tip of Antique is Nogas Island, an uninhabited 26-hectare marine and bird sanctuary.

According to oral history, related as the legend of Maragtas, Antique is believed to be the landing site of ten Bornean Datus who escaped persecution from Sri-Vishaya, a Hindu-Malay empire that existed from the 7th to the 14th century in Borneo and Sumatra. There they met the Negrito/Ati (earliest settlers of Panay) chieftain Marikudo. They bought the island from the chieftain for a golden saduk (headpiece or helmet), and a golden necklace, among other gifts, the event is known as the "Barter of Panay". The Negritos then retreated to the mountains, while the Borneans settled in the lowlands. Today, the landing is commemorated every year in Antique in the Binirayan festival on the month of April with highlights on April 27 to 29.

The Antiqueños are noted for their industry. They are renowned weavers throughout the Visayas. The Bugasong patadyong, a tube cotton fabric of plaid design, is highly valued because of its fineness of weaving. Piña cloth is also produced in looms throughout the province. Wine manufactured from the sap of the coconut is a cottage industry. Muscovado sugar production is also a big industry in Antique, which has become an attraction of sorts because of Antique's native delicacies derived from muscovado sugar.

Talk
The people of Antique speak Kinaray-a (Karay-a), an Austronesian language characterized by the predominancy of r's and schwa sounds spoken with a gentle intonation. Hiligaynon is also spoken, mostly onto out-of-province visitors. Both have marked similarities, and Karay-a is sometimes perceived as a Hiligaynon dialect especially by Iloilo residents.

Get in
Iloilo and Aklan are the gateways to Antique by land. It is also accessible from Palawan, Manila, Romblon, and Mindoro by sea. Buses and Vans bound for San Jose and Libertad are stationed at the terminal in Molo District, Iloilo City. Transportation time from Iloilo City to the capital San Jose is 2-3 hours.

The provinces only airport is at San Jose, served by PAL Express.

Get around
It is possible to get around Antique by Jeepney, trike (motorbike with sidecar) or hired cars. Foreigners may be a little daunted at first by the Jeepney or trike but the drivers are experienced and charge very reasonable fares.

See
The Batbat and Punta coral reef in Barbaza and Seco Island in Tibiao feature unparalleled wonders of marine life. Antique's best kept secret though is the Caluya group of islands, with natural beauty and resources that can easily compete with what the world famous Boracay can offer. Tourists that can bear the 3 hour travel to Caluya are rewarded with white, powdery sand beaches surrounded with pristine waters and diverse species of marine life that have not yet been touched with commercialism.

Another attraction in Antique is its historical sights. The Catholic Church holds a very strong influence on Antiqueños. For centuries, the churches were the physical vanguards of the people. Being a coastal province, and having been vulnerable to attacks by Moro raiders, Antique was guarded by a series of watchtowers, like the 'Old Watchtower' in Libertad and Estaca Hill in Bugasong all of which were built under the direction of the Spanish friars. A lot of these heritage structures still stand as a reminder of Antique's history and culture.

Do
For the more aventurous, climbing Mt. Nangtud, considered as the highest peak in Panay, offers a great view and the experience of discovering unexplored sights. The rugged and varied land of Antique offers visitors a variety of exciting outdoor activities from white water kayaking and white river rafting in the northern town of Tibiao to relaxing in Sira-an Hot Springs of Anini-y, Antique's southernmost town.

Eat
People in Antique eat most dishes common to the rest of the Philippines however visitors should try 'Batchoy' which is a local noodle dish in a pork broth.

Stay safe
Antique as with many parts of the Philippines, struggles with poverty so violent and financially motivated crime can happen. This can be avoided by staying near your travel party or guide, and other common sense measures such as not venturing away from the beaten track at night.

You should be sure to bring mosquito repellent because Antique has problems with mosquito bites and dengue fever, due to it being in quite a rural area. Ensure that you travel with comprehensive travel health insurance as universal health care is limited to residents and hospital facilities are also a concern. The best hospital in Panay is in Iloilo City, away from Antique.

title: Antique


text:
Antler

Antler  is a small town of 47 people in the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota. It lies just south of the border with Canada, the 49th parallel, at coordinates are latitude 48.97 N & longitude 101.28 W. Elevation: 1,535 feet.

Understand
Antler is a border town. It received minor notice because of the North Dakota centennial quilt, which was reputedly the world's largest until it was eclipsed by the AIDS quilt.

Get in

 * By car: US-83 north from Minot, approximately 53 miles.

title: Antler


text:
Antlers

Antlers is a city in Oklahoma.

title: Antlers