El Afro , 6 C Pte 9. Funky, sociable bar, usually crammed at weekends with a salsa-stepping crowd, though space is tight for really serious dancing.

La Canoa , 5 C Pte between 4 and 5 avenidas. A small, unpretentious club where people come to dance to mainly Latin sounds. Merengue is the main ingredient, spiked with a dash of salsa and reggae; they also play a few tracks of Western and Latin pop/rock. Good mix of locals and foreigners and reasonable drink prices, though perennial licensing problems means it shuts down from time to time. US$2 entrance at weekends, free in the week.

La Casbah , 5 Av Nte 30. Spectacular venue in the ruins of an ancient church, attracting a well-heeled crowd from Antigua and Guatemala City. The music can occasionally match the site, with deep bassline-driven dance mixes, though drinks are expensive. Gay night on Thurs. Mon-Wed free, Thurs, Fri & Sat around US$3.50.

La Chimanea , 7 Av Nte 7. One of the more popular bars, though the music selection is disturbingly eclectic - expect everything from Rod Stewart to Black Sabbath.

Dante's 7 C Pte 6B. Arguably the hippest place in town, this large, stylish bar hosts live bands and regular Cuban and house music club nights.

Equinoccio 7 Av Nte and 2 C Pte. Bar-cum-club that's the place to groove to Latin music - predominantly merengue and salsa, but occasionally a little Cuban hip-hop - with a dark bar zone and a large dancefloor. Moderate drink prices.

Macondo's , 5 Av Nte and 2 C Pte. Probably the closest thing Antigua has to a pub, though the themed nights (Wed is ladies night) and constant visual barrage of music videos spoil things somewhat.

Mono Loco 2 Av Nte 6B. Popular gringo bar, with full US and some European sports coverage, though the music selection can be banal.

Picasso's , 7 Av Nrte 16. No-nonsense drinking-hole that can get quite lively in high season. Usually closed Sun.

Riki's Bar , 4 Av Nte 4. Unquestionably the most happening place in town due to its excellent site inside La Escudilla , to the eclectic funk, nu jazz and downbeat music policy, and to the unrivalled happy hour (7-9pm), which means this place is packed most nights.