El Salvador
San Salvador (Capital)
El Centro Tour – City Center
Plaza Barrios – Main City Square
Colorful Cathedral – 1999
Palacio National – National Palace, Italian Marble
Teatro National – 1917
1.8 Million, 470 years old
Spanish Conqueror – Pedro de Alvarado – 1811 (Independence)
History of Sal Salvador – David J. Guzman
Night Clubs – La Luna Casa y Arte
Platinum Pop Orchestra & Youth Orchestra
International Festival of Contemporary Music
Hotels – Decameron Hotel, Raddisson Plazza, Pacific Palasades, Terraza & Villa Serena (Located in the Zona Rosa and Colonia Escalon Districts)
Tours
Suchitoto - Let’s visit "Old City" as it is called due it’s cobblestone streets and big colonial type houses with antique balconies. Its name in Nahuatl means "ThePlace of theFlower Bird" and it is a peaceful littletown that has stopped in time. In Suchitoto we find boutique hotels, a beautiful church that dates from 1842, good restaurants, art galleries, a wonderful lake view...We also find artisans working their art.
Joya De Ceren (Volcano hidden 600 AD, 12 structures found)Heritage for Humanity, is the only place in the Mayan World to show us, first hand, the simple way of life of the indigenous people that use to live here more than 1400 years ago.Thestory was well kept by theashes of the eruption of a volcano nearby.In the same trip we will visit San Andrés which is believed to be the worship center for the settlers of Joya de Ceren.
El BoqueronThe group coming from Joya de Ceren that wants to hike a little are going to stop at El Boquerón which is the largest cráter of San Salvador Volcano, also named Quezaltepeque volcano. San Salvador capital city was founded in the skirt of this beautiful volcano. From up there we can have a nice view of our Capital city and an impressive view of this huge crater.
History
Mayan, Pipil, Lenca
Chalchuapa – Casablanca – 1500 BC
Tazumal – 1200 BC (Indigo)
Olmeca – 700 BC
San Andres – 600-900 AD
Chiuatan – 700-acre village
Santa Anna – Many other sites
Cities
Colonial Cities – Great architecture and color, Fernando Llort Choussy (native artist)
Concepcion de Ataco – Coffee plantation, hand made sculptures, masks, and textiles
Apendeca – Mountianous cobblestone streets, wood furniture
Crater Lakes – Laguna de las Ninfas & Laguna Verde
Llobasco – Clay handcraft, cave painting = Las Figuras Cave Titihuapa River
Juayua – Coffee plantation and volcanoes, waterfalls and hot springs, Christo Negro, 16th Century
La Palma – Colorful Tile Homes, Fernado Llort developed El Savadorian art – 1972
Perquin – Guerilla Group – FMLN, Museum of the Revolution
San Sabastian – Beautiful Textiles, tablecloths, fabric, Clothing and Hammocks
Santa Anna – Second largest city
Suchitoto – Indigo, Cultural hub, Lake Suchitoto, Guazapa Volcanoe, Nightlife, Art, and Museums
Achuachapan – Colonial City near Gautemala, Route of Flowers
Chalchuapa – 50 miles from San Salvador, Tazumal, Casablanca, Trapiche, Pampe, Las Victoria
Panchimalco – 10 Miles from San Salvador, Church – 1543/1739, Huipiles(Blouses)
Nahuizalco – Wicker and wood works
Beaches
El Sunzal – one of the top ten surfing spots in the world (also La Paz and Palmarcito)
Los Cabanos Beaches – Diving
Barra De Santiago – swimming, kayaking, water skiing
Los Charros De La Calera – Rapelling
Volcanoes and National Parks for hiking and camping
Volcanoes
Llamateca (Santa Anna) – Tallest and Largest
Izalco – Youngest and active
San Blas Plateau – 40 miles from San Salvador
Tecapa Volcano (Alegria Lagoon) – 3000’ crater, Emerald Lagoon
Laguna Verde – 6000’tall
Guazapa (need reservations) – Waterfalls, caves, bird, plants
Cerro Verde – Lush vegetation, 25,000 years old, 6,600’ Park, Picnic area, Orchid Farm
Quetzaltepeque – San Salvador View, Flowers, thick forest
Chaparrastique – Active, best views of Gulf of Foneca, El Jocotal Lagoon and Jiquilisco Bay
Chinchontepec – 7,155’
Chinameca – Cloud Forest, National Forest, 3,200’ tall, 1.2 mile crater, 500’ deep
Con Chagua – Eco Park
National Parks
Bosque El Impossible – Butterflies, birds, animals of many species, ancient stone carvings
Jiouilisco Bay – Eco system, Spider Monkeys, Butterflies, swimming, Kayaking, hiking
Cerro Verde – Orchid Farm, Volcano views
Montecristo – National Park – El Trifin = three corners on border of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador
Walter Thilo Deinenger –National Park – Animals, Sight seeing
Lakes
Lake Llopango – Cliff walls, sailing
Coatepeque – Temple, Ancient sites
Suchitoto Lake – made by big dam
Travel Tips
Why El Salvador – Safe, stable, easy to visit, natural beauty
Hotels (many luxury)
Tour Operators (many good operations)
Currency – US dollar with ATM’s
Customs – Need passport and $32 Departure Tax
Take casual light clothing
Tipping 10%
Electric = 110 v
Taxi and shuttles available
El Salvador Population is
Ministry of Tourism –
Convention Bureau –