Find places in El Salvador

Must-Haves

• Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador (Centro Histórico)
  The cathedral holds the tomb of Saint Óscar Romero in its crypt and a bright Fernando Llort facade story.
• Palacio Nacional (Centro Histórico)
  A grand early twentieth century palace of state rooms, open to visitors on the main square.
• Teatro Nacional de El Salvador (Centro Histórico)
  A beautifully restored French style theatre with a painted ceiling and regular performances.
• Museo Nacional de Antropología David J. Guzmán (Colonia San Benito)
  The best introduction to the country's Maya, Lenca and Pipil past and its everyday traditions.

Fun for Everyone

• Iglesia El Rosario (Centro Histórico)
  A concrete arch from outside, a cathedral of rainbow stained glass light inside.

Fun for Everyone

• Parque Nacional El Boquerón (San Salvador Volcano)
  An easy, cool walk to the rim of the San Salvador volcano crater above the city.
• Puerta del Diablo (Los Planes de Renderos)
  Two huge rock pillars with sweeping views over the city, Lake Ilopango and the coast.
• Lago de Ilopango (Ilopango)
  A huge volcanic crater lake east of the city, with lakeside restaurants and boat trips.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cerro Verde National Park day trip (Santa Ana Volcano complex)
  An easy day trip from the capital to cloud forest and the volcano trailhead.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pupuserías de Los Planes de Renderos (Los Planes de Renderos)
  A hillside strip of pupusa stalls where families come for evening pupusas and the view.
• Típicos Margoth (Colonia Escalón)
  A long-running local chain for pupusas, tamales and traditional breakfasts.

Great for Date Night

• Paseo El Carmen (Santa Tecla)
  A weekend street of food stalls, bars and live music in neighbouring Santa Tecla.

Must-Haves

• Mercado Nacional de Artesanías (Colonia Flor Blanca)
  The easiest place in the capital to browse crafts from every region under one roof.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado Central de San Salvador (Centro Histórico)
  The noisy, colourful heart of the old city for fruit, cheap eats and everyday life.

Fun for Everyone

• Biblioteca Nacional de El Salvador (Centro Histórico)
  The striking new national library is open late, with a children's floor, games and city views.
• Parque Bicentenario (Antiguo Cuscatlán)
  A large wooded city park with trails, cycling and playgrounds on the edge of the city.

Great for Date Night

• Zona Rosa (Colonia San Benito)
  The capital's long-established strip of bars, restaurants and clubs.

Must-Haves

• The Coffee Cup (Colonia Escalón)
  A homegrown café chain serving Salvadoran single origin coffee in comfortable, quiet rooms.

Must-Haves

• Fiestas Agostinas (San Salvador)
  The capital's August festival for the Divine Saviour of the World, with parades and fairs.

Fun for Everyone

• Bolas de Fuego in Nejapa (Nejapa)
  Each August 31 locals throw flaming balls in the streets to remember a volcanic eruption.

Off the Beaten Path

• Festival de las Flores y las Palmas (Panchimalco)
  Each May, Panchimalco's streets fill with processions carrying palms decorated with flowers.

Must-Haves

• Playa El Tunco (Beachfront)
  A black sand surf beach with the famous rock formation and some of the coast's best sunsets.
• Playa El Sunzal (El Sunzal)
  A long right hand point break that suits both learners on the inside and experienced surfers.
• Punta Roca (Puerto de La Libertad)
  One of the most famous right hand breaks in Central America, for experienced surfers only.

Off the Beaten Path

• Playa El Palmarcito (El Palmarcito)
  A small, quiet cove beach and gentle beginner break west of El Tunco.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa San Diego (La Libertad)
  A long, open stretch of sand east of the port, popular with local families at weekends.

Fun for Everyone

• Surf lessons at El Tunco (Beachfront)
  Local surf schools teach beginners on the gentler waves at Playa El Sunzal next door.
• Malecón de La Libertad (Puerto de La Libertad)
  The rebuilt seafront at the old port, with a pier, fish market and family friendly promenade.
• Surf City coastal road drive (Carretera del Litoral)
  The coastal highway west of La Libertad passes cliffs, tunnels and surf beaches.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Muelle de La Libertad fish market (Puerto de La Libertad)
  Fishermen sell the morning's catch on the pier, and stalls cook it fresh.

Great for Date Night

• Mopelia (El Tunco)
  A long-running El Tunco bar and hostel known for live music and weekend parties.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Mopelia (El Tunco)
  A relaxed hotel with a pool, garden rooms and a short walk to the beach.

Great for Date Night

• Palo Verde Hotel (El Tunco)
  A small hotel close to the beach with a pool and a calm feel.
• Casa de Mar Hotel and Villas (El Sunzal)
  A boutique hotel above El Sunzal with ocean views and a well known restaurant.

Must-Haves

• Playa El Zonte (Beachfront)
  A rocky, laid-back surf beach with a consistent point break and a quieter feel than El Tunco.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa Mizata (Mizata)
  A wide black sand bay further west with a powerful break and few people.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bitcoin Beach (El Zonte)
  The village where El Salvador's bitcoin experiment began, with a community project still running.

Fun for Everyone

• Esencia Nativa (El Zonte)
  A long-established surf hostel and hotel with a pool and a surf school.

Fun for Everyone

• Esencia Nativa restaurant (El Zonte)
  A relaxed restaurant beside the beach for seafood, smoothies and sunset dinners.

Must-Haves

• Ataco murals (Town centre)
  Almost every wall in town is painted with bright murals of flowers, coffee and local life.

Fun for Everyone

• Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción (Parque Central)
  The white colonial church on the main square anchors weekend life in town.

Must-Haves

• Diconte Artesanías (Town centre)
  A workshop and shop where you can watch backstrap weaving and buy handmade textiles.

Fun for Everyone

• Café Albania (Ataco)
  A coffee farm café with a viewpoint, gardens and adventure activities for families.

Fun for Everyone

• Coffee farm tour on the Ruta de las Flores (Ataco)
  Local fincas show how coffee goes from cherry to cup on the slopes above town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Apaneca canopy and coffee lands (Apaneca)
  Zip lines and buggy rides run through the cloud forest above the next town on the route.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ataco weekend food stalls (Parque Central)
  At weekends the square fills with stalls selling pupusas, panes con pollo and atol.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mirador La Cruz (Ataco)
  A short walk up to a cross above town for a view over the rooftops and coffee hills.
• Laguna Verde de Apaneca (Apaneca)
  A misty crater lake reached on a short walk through forest and farmland.

Must-Haves

• Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec) (Parque Nacional Los Volcanes)
  The country's highest volcano, with a guided hike to a steaming turquoise crater lake.

Off the Beaten Path

• Izalco Volcano (Parque Nacional Los Volcanes)
  A steep black cinder cone once called the Lighthouse of the Pacific, climbed with a guide.
• Lago de Güija (Metapán)
  A quiet border lake with islands holding ancient rock carvings.
• Parque Nacional Montecristo (Metapán)
  Cloud forest where El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet, with mossy oaks and orchids.

Fun for Everyone

• Lago de Coatepeque (Coatepeque)
  A bright blue crater lake with swimming docks, kayaks and lakeside restaurants.

Must-Haves

• Catedral de Santa Ana (Parque Libertad)
  A gleaming white Gothic cathedral that dominates the city's main square.
• Teatro de Santa Ana (Parque Libertad)
  An elegant early twentieth century theatre that hosts concerts and shows.
• Tazumal (Chalchuapa)
  The best known Maya site in the country, with a large stepped pyramid and museum.

Off the Beaten Path

• Casa Blanca Archaeological Park (Chalchuapa)
  Maya mounds and an indigo dyeing workshop where you can colour your own cloth.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado Central de Santa Ana (Centro)
  An authentic city market for cheap meals, fruit and everyday goods.

Great for Date Night

• Lake Coatepeque lakeside hotels (Coatepeque)
  Several small hotels sit right on the water with docks for swimming at dawn.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cerro Verde cloud forest trails (Cerro Verde)
  Short trails through cloud forest with orchids, birds and volcano views.

Fun for Everyone

• Fiestas Julias (Santa Ana)
  The city's patron saint festival each July, with parades, fairs and music.

Must-Haves

• Iglesia Santa Lucía (Parque Central)
  A gleaming white colonial church at the heart of one of the country's best preserved towns.
• Centro Arte para la Paz (Barrio San José)
  A former convent turned arts centre and museum about the town's history and the war.

Off the Beaten Path

• Casa Museo de Alejandro Cotto (Suchitoto)
  The home of a Salvadoran film director, filled with art, antiques and lake views.

Must-Haves

• Lago Suchitlán boat trip (Puerto San Juan)
  Boat rides on the reservoir pass bird islands and fishing villages.

Fun for Everyone

• Cascada Los Tercios (Suchitoto)
  A small waterfall over unusual hexagonal basalt columns, best after rain.

Great for Date Night

• Los Almendros de San Lorenzo (Suchitoto)
  A boutique hotel in a colonial house with a garden pool and refined restaurant.

Must-Haves

• El Tejado (Suchitoto)
  A friendly hotel with a pool and some of the best lake views in town.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Suchitoto weekend food market (Parque Central)
  Weekend stalls on the square sell pupusas, yuca frita and sweet treats.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ruta de la Paz to Cinquera (Cinquera)
  A drive to a former war zone forest park where former guerrillas guide visitors.