Compared to other colonial towns in Central America (and quite possibly the whole new world) Antigua has no equal. We arrived at night and the first impression was of how wide the streets are. Totally unlike other old towns which usually feel so cramped. It is beautifully preserved and maintained and the historic area is much larger than I expected. Make no mistake, this is a well-oiled tourism machine used to lots of visitors passing through. But rather than going the overly tacky route, they cater to foreigners with nice hotels, pretty cafes, good food and clean streets. There always seemed to be something pleasant around the next corner to find and even with only a single rainy day to visit (we couldn't even see the surrounding volcanoes) it was easy to see why so many people end up spending longer here than initially planned. 

My only complaint is that they charge high fees for every ruined convent and site. They need some kind of tourist pass for the whole town which includes most or all of the sites. Many of the ruins you can see from outside through the gate or over the fence though and that was good enough for us.