San Salvador Itinerary (3 days): Ultimate Day-by-day Guide

San Salvador Itinerary (3 days): Day-by-day Guide

San Salvador is El Salvador’s largest city and also the capital city. It is the main business, finance, and industry hub holding half of the country’s wealth, as well as one-third of the country’s population. Compared to many other Central American capital cities, San Salvador is maybe one of the more interesting ones. Lying on a fault line, San Salvador has had several earthquakes over the years meaning that rebuilds were frequent. This has led to a varied architectural style across the city, with no colonial buildings remaining, making it particularly unique.

Lots of tourists may have been put off of San Salvador, or even El Salvador as a whole because of its frankly poor reputation as an unsafe place. Of course, like anywhere there is still crime, but the city is quickly being restored and regenerated. So whether you’ve flown in, are passing through or simply want to explore the capital of El Salvador, this detailed San Salvador itinerary will cover everything you need to know.

San Salvador Itinerary in Short

• Day 1: Explore the city: Historic Centre and Viewpoints
• Day 2: El Boqueron National Park including San Salvador Volcano and Rainbow Slide
• Day 3: Joya de Ceren (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

San Salvador Itinerary in Full

How many days do you need in San Salvador?

A lot of travellers skim over the Central American capital cities, and San Salvador is no different. But if you do decide to stay, then 2 to 3 days to explore San Salvador is sufficient to see everything you would want.

3-Day San Salvador Itinerary

Day 1: Explore the city

Walking Tour

Your first day in El Salvador should be spent exploring the city. Yes, there are parts that you won’t want to visit, but the historic center is definitely worth checking out. And thankfully, a lot of the main attractions are all within walking distance of each other!

Arguably the best option to see and learn about San Salvador is to join one of the many free walking tours on offer. Guides provide interesting information and history about the area as well as a local’s insight into life here that you wouldn’t otherwise get. Most tours run on a tipping-only basis and last approximately 2-3 hours in total. One of the most reputable walking tours in San Salvador is with EC Tours.

If you would rather explore the city independently and at your own pace, below are some of the best things to check out in San Salvador city:

El Rosario Church (Iglesia El Rosario)

This uniquely-shaped church may not be the most aesthetic from the outside, but inside it contains the most amazing stained glass, which fills the room with an array of colours.

Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana)

Metropolitan Cathedral, the most famous church in El Salvador, is worth noting given the country’s deeply religious heritage. This Roman Catholic Church is an architecturally beautiful structure that you can enter to take a look at its decadent inside.

National Palace (Palacio Nacional de El Salvador)

Despite being burnt down in 1889, the National Palace was rebuilt in the early 1900s and used as government offices until 1974. Since then, the palace has been declared a national historic landmark, where you can explore the old government rooms and courtyards. The rooms were used for a variety of reasons including for the Supreme Court, receptions of the Salvadorian Foreign Ministry, and an office for the President.

Monument to the Divine Saviour of the World (Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo)

Located on a roundabout at the Plaza El Salvador del Mundo, this historic landmark is comprised of a statue of Jesus standing on the globe. It is a symbol that represents the country and its people across the world.

National Craft Market (Mercado Nacional de Artesanías)

Every day from 9am until 5pm the National Crafts Market is open selling a huge variety of goods! Merchants will sell anything from little keyrings to ornaments and paintings. It’s a great place to go souvenir shopping, or simply just browse the quirky things you can buy. Plus you can practice your Spanish whilst bartering with the vendors!

There are several other street markets around the historic downtown of San Salvador including the afternoon market around Calle Ruben Dario.

Enjoy the local street food

How could any list of activities in a Central American city not include grabbing some street food? El Salvador is THE home of pupusas – little, round flatbreads filled with cheese, pork, or refried beans. Since it’s the El Salvadorian national dish, you will find people selling them all over the city for less than a dollar each!

Viewpoint over San Salvador

End your day exploring San Salvador from a viewpoint overlooking the city. The three best options are below:

Devil’s Door

This is probably the best viewpoint in the San Salvador area. Located on the southeast edge of the city near San Marcos, these three huge boulders give you a panoramic view of the surrounding area. There are steps most of the way to the top.

NOTE: Closed for construction work (updated March 2023).

Mirador de Los Planes de Renderos

This viewpoint on the edge of the city provides fantastic views of San Salvador. It also has a number of stalls where you can enjoy pupusas and other food.

Mirador Municipal de San Salvador

Located more centrally in San Salvador, the Mirador Municipal offers a vantage point to look over the city. The views aren’t as good as the Mirador de Los Planes de Renderos nor Devil’s Door, but it’s a lot easier to get to. There isn’t much else beyond the observation deck, so treat this as a quick stop-by if you want to see the city from a different angle.

Day 2: Visit El Boqueron National Park

Hike San Salvador Volcano

El Boqueron National Park, located 23km from the historic district of San Salvador, provides a refreshing getaway from the city bustle.

It takes approximately 30 minutes in a taxi or Uber to get there, costing around 6 USD. The bus is considerably cheaper but can take up to 2 hours due to the awful traffic in San Salvador. Catch the 101B bus to Santa Tecla, change and head towards Parque Daniel Hernandez where you can catch the 103B bus to El Boqueron National Park. You will be dropped off on the road nearest the entrance.

There are a number of hikes and viewpoints to check out in El Boqueron National Park. If you have one day to explore, I would recommend hiking San Salvador Volcano (also known as Quezalpeque Volcano) as this is the most spectacular. The crater of the San Salvador volcano is 1.5km in diameter and 550m deep! It even has a much smaller crater inside, known as El Boqueroncito!

You can either hike around the edge of the crater, looking in. From the entrance point, you can head around the crater (Suggested Route) or if you are looking for a challenge, you can head into the crater (route).

There is also a small museum at the entrance to the National Park.

NOTE: When you leave the national park, you may struggle to get an Uber to accept you. Either take the bus back or arrange for your driver to collect you afterwards.

Times: 8am-5pm
Duration: 
Price: 2 USD (1 USD for locals)

Rainbow Slide at Picnic Steak House

Just along the road from the entrance to El Boqueron National Park is the Picnic Steak House. As the name suggests, it does sell steaks, but there is also a lot more on offer!

One of the most popular attractions in San Salvador is the multicoloured slide on the side of the San Salvador Volcano. Get amazing views over the city as you fly down on an inflatable ring! If you have already explored the Ruta de Flores in Santa Ana, it is similar to Cafe Albania which also has a colourful, rubber slide.

Spend the rest of your afternoon here, take on the slide, grab some food and drink, and watch the sunset. It’s probably not worth the visit just for the slide costing $5 per ride. However, if you’re heading back from El Boqueron, then why not pair the two and check it out?

Times: Weekdays 10:30-am-10pm, Weekends 7am-10pm
Duration: N/A
Price: 5 USD (for the slide)

Day 3: Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site

Also referred to as the ‘Pompeii of the Americas’, Joya de Ceren is El Salvador’s one and only UNESCO World Heritage Site. When the Laguna Caldera volcano erupted around 600AD, it covered the surrounding area in ash and volcanic rock. Left behind are some of the most intact remains of prehispanic civilization. A farming village with homes, saunas, agricultural tools, and much more was initially discovered in fantastic condition in 1976. Since then, the site has been excavated and preserved as one of the best insights into the daily lives of past Central American populations.

There is no food or drink on site, however there. are shops and stalls just outside.

Times: 9am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday
Duration: 2-3 hours
Price: 10 USD

San Salvador Itinerary Map

What to do if you have more time in San Salvador?

Los Chorros Water Park

Los Chorros is a nature park near Santa Tecla on the west side of San Salvador. It’s a nice place where locals go to chill out and bathe in the natural water baths surrounded by nature. Please note that the natural springs are cold, and are not thermal springs, otherwise you might get a shock! It costs 3 USD to enter and is a great way to relax and cool down in the heat.

National Theatre (Teatro Nacional de San Salvador)

Check out a show at the National Theatre, the oldest theatre in the whole of Central America! They offer a varied schedule of performances including classical and folk music as well as theatre productions.

If you don’t want to commit to spending a few hours inside, you can check out the outside in the middle of the historic district.

Visit Lake Ilopango

Just east of San Salvador is Lake Ilopango (Lago Ilopango), a volcanic caldera formed by an eruption many years ago. Nowadays, it’s a beautiful lake where locals often go to relax by the water’s edge. You can swim, kayak, or kitesurf at the lake.

Shop at Metrocentro San Salvador or La Gran Via

These two shopping centers offer a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops where you can spend an afternoon. It’s predominantly locals. Metrocentro is nearer the historic district, whilst La Gran Via is nearer Santa Tecla.

Daytrip to Suchitoto

Suchitoto (‘Suchi’) is a small town set in the mountains of northern El Salvador around 30km north of the capital. Its colonial architecture, cobbled streets, quaint markets, and vibrant art scene make it a popular day trip for many San Salvadorian locals. Also famed for its booming indigo trade, you can immerse yourself in the history of Suchitoto by taking part in an indigo-dyeing workshop.

Suchi also offers a chance to get out into nature, with several trail walks heading out towards caves, waterfalls, and the nearby Lake Suchitlan. Down by the lake, you can kayak and look out for birds of prey.

Cihuatan Mayan Ruins

Nearby Suchitoto, are El Salvador’s most extensive Mayan ruins: the Cihuatan Ruins. They may not be as impressive as Tikal in Guatemala or Chichen Itza in Mexico, but they are unique and worth a visit if you are into that scene. Within the 180-acre site are pyramids, Mesoamerican ball courts, and over 900 other structures dating back to 950-1200 AD. Entry to Cihuatan costs 3 USD, but I recommend hiring a guide to make the most of your visit.

Before you go

Thank you for reading my 3-day San Salvador itinerary. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more.

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Happy travelling!