Centro Historico

Antigua's Centro Historico is the postcard core: Parque Central, the Santa Catalina Arch, ruined convents and pastel one-storey casas behind heavy wooden doors. Days fill with tourists, weddings, coffee culture and Spanish students; nights are lively but low-rise, since heritage codes forbid towers. Owning here means owning scarcity, restored homes change hands quietly and rarely hit the open market. For investors, the core is the strongest play in the country. Restored casas trade at USD 3,400-5,200 per m2, and a 2-bed near the plaza runs around USD 320,000-450,000. Long lets yield 6-8% gross, but a turnkey Airbnb routinely clears 8-12% given year-round occupancy. With supply capped and appreciation at 5-8% annually, the core combines hard-currency income with genuine capital scarcity, the trade-off is premium entry pricing and all-cash purchases.

Centro Historico in Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepequez, Guatemala