San Salvador

El Salvador's capital and gateway: the old town has the cathedral where Saint Óscar Romero is buried and the luminous Iglesia El Rosario, while El Boquerón crater, the Joya de Cerén Maya site, the colonial town of Suchitoto and Pacific surf beaches are all within an hour.

San Salvador is the capital and largest city of El Salvador, set at about 660 m in the "Valley of the Hammocks," with San Salvador Volcano to the north, Lake Ilopango crater lake to the east, and the Pacific coast only about 35 km away. The country is small and the roads are good, so with the capital as your base, volcanoes, Maya ruins, colonial towns and surf beaches are all within one or two hours' drive. The climate is warm year-round. Nov–Apr is the dry season, with clear skies that are ideal for volcano hikes and the coast; the May–Oct rainy season brings frequent afternoon thunderstorms, but mornings are usually still fine for outings, and the surf is actually better. Sightseeing in the city falls into two parts. The historic center revolves around Plaza Barrios, with the Metropolitan Cathedral (where Saint Romero is buried), the National Palace, the National Theater and Iglesia El Rosario, with its stunning stained glass, all within walking distance. To the west, the San Benito and Escalón districts form the newer city, home to the Monument to the Divine Savior of the World, the anthropology museum (MUNA), the art museum (MARTE), a handicrafts market, and plenty of restaurants and malls. Classic day trips include hiking El Boquerón crater; visiting the World Heritage site of Joya de Cerén, the "Pompeii of the Americas," along with the San Andrés ruins; heading north to the colonial town of Suchitoto and Lake Suchitlán; going south to Puerta del Diablo for sunset; or hitting the beaches of "Surf City" such as La Libertad, El Tunco and El Sunzal. Santa Ana Volcano, Lake Coatepeque and the Ruta de las Flores to the west are best explored separately with Santa Ana as your base. Getting around: Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport is about 40 km south of the city, about 45 minutes by taxi or private car; within the city, ride-hailing apps like Uber are recommended, as bus routes are complicated. The currency is the US dollar. Safety has improved greatly in recent years, but it's still best to avoid walking in the old town at night and to keep valuables out of sight. Plan on 3–4 days: one day in the city, one for volcanoes and ruins, and one or two for colonial towns or beaches.

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Itineraries