Before you start
San Salvador is a very easy base: the country is small and almost everything is less than two hours away. With three full days you can see the city, take a trip into nature and have a beach day without rushing.
The itinerary assumes you’re staying in the Zona Rosa, the most central area for getting around and the easiest one to come back to for dinner.
Day 1 · The city
Morning: the historic centre
The historic centre of San Salvador is 5.1 km from the Zona Rosa and is best explored on foot once you’re there. The essentials: the Catedral Metropolitana —with the crypt of Saint Óscar Romero—, the Teatro Nacional, the Palacio Nacional and Plaza Libertad. The area has been restored in recent years and today it’s pleasant to walk by day.
Afternoon: the Zona Rosa museums
Back in the neighbourhood, MARTE and the Museo Nacional de Antropología stand side by side on Avenida La Revolución, three hundred metres from Boulevard del Hipódromo. End the day at the Monumento a la Revolución, two hundred metres away.
Evening
Dinner on the boulevard. See the guide on where to eat in the Zona Rosa.
Day 2 · Volcanoes and a lake
The classic trip west. Two options, depending on how much you want to walk:
- Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec). The highest in the country. The climb takes about two hours and is done with a guide; at the top is the turquoise crater lake. You need to leave early.
- Lake Coatepeque. A volcanic lake close to the volcano, for anyone who prefers a quiet day: lunch with a view of the water and back.
Many people combine both in one day, climbing the volcano in the morning and going down to the lake for lunch. Also nearby is Joya de Cerén, the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site known as «the Pompeii of the Americas».
How to do it
For the volcano day it’s best to rent a car or go on a tour, not to rely on ride-hailing apps: getting back from the west is hard to arrange. The front desk can set up either.
Day 3 · The beach
The Costa del Bálsamo is less than an hour away. El Tunco is 27 km from San Salvador and is the best-known surf town in the country: black volcanic sand, strong waves, beachfront restaurants and a relaxed atmosphere. A few kilometres away are El Sunzal and El Zonte, which are quieter.
It’s a full-day plan: leave after breakfast, have lunch by the sea and come back at sunset. If you want to surf for the first time, there are schools in the area with beginner lessons.
If you have one more day
- Ruta de las Flores. Mountain towns —Juayúa, Apaneca, Ataco, Nahuizalco— with weekend food fairs, coffee farms and murals.
- Suchitoto. A colonial town by Lake Suchitlán, just over an hour away, with cobbled streets and good restaurants.
- A day with no plan. The pool, the gym and a long lunch on the boulevard. After two days on the road, you’ll be glad of it.