After my epic volcano hike, it was time to relax and Guatemala's beautiful Lake Atitlán region was the perfect place for it! I spent three days exploring the small lakeside towns by foot, shopping for handwoven textiles, admiring the street art and enjoying volcano-fringed sunsets. Here's my guide for making the most of your time in Lake Atitlán.

"The first hour is very hard," my guide warns as I start the hike up Guatemala's Volcán de Acatenango. "But it will all be worth it when you catch that first glimpse of Fuego at basecamp." I didn't plan to do a volcano hike in Guatemala but the more I read, the more hiking Acatenango felt like one of the country's most unmissable experiences. I rearranged my itinerary accordingly — and what an exhilarating adventure I had!

The erstwhile Guatemalan capital Antigua is located in one of the country's main coffee growing regions, where the fertile volcanic soils and subtropical highland climate combine to produce delicious coffees. Antigua is also one of the best cities for specialty coffee in a producing country and I spent several days exploring its beautiful coffee shops and cafés.

Last month, I travelled to Central America for the first time in a decade to spend two weeks in Guatemala and Belize. First stop? The historic city of Antigua. I spent three days exploring the cobbled streets, baroque architecture, Mayan culture and coffee scene, in the shadow of the volcanoes that surround the city. Read on to find out what I got up to.