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Experience the best of San Salvador

San Salvador is El Salvador's capital, set in a valley beneath a volcano, with a historic centre of plazas and cathedrals, museums and mountain viewpoints.

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San Salvador sits in a bowl-shaped valley under the San Salvador volcano, whose crater, El Boquerón, rises above the city to the west. The historic centre around Plaza Gerardo Barrios has the neoclassical National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral, where Archbishop Óscar Romero is buried, and the Teatro Nacional stands nearby. The Divine Saviour of the World monument, a statue of Christ on a globe, stands on a busy roundabout.

A road climbs to the summit of the volcano, where El Boquerón is a green pit that can be reached by a short walk. The Museo Nacional de Antropología and the MARTE art museum show the country's history and art. Within an hour's drive are Lake Coatepeque, in a volcanic caldera, the Maya farming village of Joya de Cerén, preserved under volcanic ash, and the Pacific surf beaches near La Libertad.

Pupusas, thick corn or rice tortillas filled with cheese, beans or pork, are the national dish, eaten with pickled cabbage and tomato sauce, and they are made fresh at small pupuserías. Horchata de morro, a drink of ground seeds and spices, and strong coffee from the mountains are served alongside. Days are warm all year, and the heavy afternoon rains fall from May to October.

  • Free cancellation on 90% of experiences
  • 4.9 across the top 24

Top 10 attractions in San Salvador

See all 12 attractions
  1. Number 1

    Lake Coatepeque

    4.91k reviewsfrom $45
  2. Number 2

    El Rosario Church (Iglesia El Rosario)

    4.9793 reviewsfrom $16
  3. Number 3

    Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana)

    4.9760 reviewsfrom $16
  4. Number 4

    Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

    4.9695 reviewsfrom $94
  5. Number 5

    Cerro Verde National Park

    4.9504 reviewsfrom $75
  6. Number 6

    National Theatre of El Salvador (Teatro Nacional de San Salvador)

    4.9474 reviewsfrom $20
  7. Number 7

    Devil's Door (Puerta del Diablo)

    5.0271 reviewsfrom $85
  8. Number 8

    El Boquerón National Park

    4.9196 reviewsfrom $49
  9. Number 9

    National Palace

    4.8190 reviewsfrom $30
  10. Number 10

    Suchitoto

    4.962 reviewsfrom $65

Special offers in San Salvador

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

Day trips from San Salvador

96

Landmarks and attractions in San Salvador

9

Guided tours in San Salvador

73

Walking and bike tours in San Salvador

7

Food and drink experiences in San Salvador

9

Outdoor and adventure activities in San Salvador

16

Nature and wildlife tours in San Salvador

8

Go beyond San Salvador

  1. Santa Ana · 49 km

    Santa Ana Volcano (Volcán Ilamatepec)

    8–9 hr4.92k reviewsfrom $60
  2. Santa Ana · 49 km

    Lake Coatepeque (Lago de Coatepeque)

    8 hr5.0699 reviewsfrom $75
  3. Copán · 128 km

    Macaw Mountain Bird Park and Nature Reserve

    2 days4.212 reviewsfrom $300
  4. Puerto Quetzal · 172 km

    Puerto Quetzal Cruise Port

    7 hr5.03 reviewsfrom $364
  5. Guatemala City · 176 km

    Plaza de la Constitución (Parque Central)

    4 hr4.9628 reviewsfrom $32
  6. Guatemala City · 176 km

    Iglesia Yurrita

    4–5 hr4.9550 reviewsfrom $45
  7. Antigua · 190 km

    Antigua Central Park (Parque Central)

    5–6 hr4.82k reviewsfrom $20
  8. Antigua · 190 km

    Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross)

    5 hr4.92k reviewsfrom $35
  9. Tegucigalpa · 223 km

    Museum for National Identity (Museo Para La Identidad Nacional)

    3 hr, 30 min4.317 reviewsfrom $60
  10. Tegucigalpa · 223 km

    El Picacho

    5 hr4.213 reviewsfrom $100
  11. Cobán · 233 km

    Orquigonia

    3 days5.02 reviewsfrom $1,165
  12. Panajachel · 239 km

    Lake Atitlan (Lago de Atitlán)

    10–12 hr4.7928 reviewsfrom $35

Questions about San Salvador

What is there to do in San Salvador?
We list 228 experiences in San Salvador. The largest groups are day trips (104), city tours (17).
What are the top attractions in San Salvador?
Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in San Salvador are Lake Coatepeque, El Rosario Church (Iglesia El Rosario), Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana), Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site.
What is the most popular experience in San Salvador?
By number of traveller reviews it is "Best Day Tour: Santa Ana Volcano Hiking + Lake Coatepeque", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 904 reviews.
How long do tours and tickets in San Salvador take?
The typical experience in San Salvador lasts about 7.5 hours; the middle half run between 4 hours and 9 hours.
Can I cancel a booking in San Salvador?
The operator lists free cancellation on 91% of the 228 experiences we hold for San Salvador. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.

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