Walking around in downtown Santa Tecla you are immersed in Salvadorian history and culture.
Architecture from the early 1900 makes a regular appearance in the Santa Tecla landscape. Beautiful
neoclassical buildings line the streets and remind us of a simpler time in El Salvador.
A must see example of this architecture is the Palacio Municipal de las Bellas Artes. Here modern
art meets classical Salvadorian arts and crafts. Built in 1911 by Jose Jerez, as a family home and later
donated to the municipality this building became the municipal building in the late 1920’s. In 2001
the building suffered some major damage from an earthquake and was left to gather dust. In 2008 a
remodel was completed and this local Read more
Apaneca’s location is what makes it perfect for harvesting coffee. At 1455 meters above sea level, it is the city with the highest altitude in El Salvador, and the next stop after Juayua on the Ruta de las Flores. Due to its height, some of the best coffees in the world are produced here.
Apaneca means “the river of the winds” and the city holds up to its name, with constant breezes throughout the day. Many wind barriers are created using coffee bushes, making the whole region very picturesque.
There are lost of different sights to see in Apaneca, such as the Laguna Verde and the Laguna de las Ninfas, and touring a coffee plantation is a must.
With all the fun hiking to do in and around Juayua it is important that you choose a reliable tour company. Juayutur on the east side of the town’s central park is known for providing a variety of excellent tours, even custom fitting tours to tailor to the needs of your group.
Really, if you come to Juayua during the week, you are going to want to fill your days with different hikes, bike rides, and swims in anticipation of the weekend’s Gastronomic Fair.
That’s where Juayutur fits in. Although at the moment they don’t have a web-site, you can call Edgar Antonio Alfaro at 011 503 2469 2387, or just stop by the office!
Heading up the mountain of Apaneca you will pass through San Juan de Dios, a small coffee oriented community. Just beyond the city you will come to Finca El Portezuelo, which is a farm that runs a variety of tours in the mountainous region.
From Finca El Portezuelo you can take a hiking tour up through the mountains into the cloud forest, where there are amazing wild orchid gardens and other plant life. The hike takes you through coffee plantations and ravines, ending in a series of geishers. The mud from the geishers is said heal the skin, and that combined with a nice soak in the hotsprings melts away the outside world.
Juayua is one of the best places for eco-tourism in El Salvador – in all of Central America actuallly. The landscapes are incredible, yes, but what makes it so great is that it is still a virtual unknown in comparison to countries like Costa Rica and Panama.
Juayua in particular is popular among tourists that come to El Salvador, but honestly the amount of people who end up here are quite few. The country is still a little more rugged than other popular eco-tourism destinations, but for many, that makes it all the more fun.
In Juayua it is a good idea to ask at your hotel guest for a local guide. Sure, you can hike around yourself, but Read more
The most popular first stop on the Ruta de los Flores is Juayua. It is most famous for it’s food festival held every weekend, with tons of different dishes to choose from, most of them being carnivorous.
Make sure you plan a trip to Juayua on the weekend to make sure you get to take part in this fabulous event.
Another fun thing to do in Juayua is visit the Coffee Museum in the nearby town called San Jose La Majada. They have a little guided tour that takes you through the coffee mill and shows you the process of making coffee. The museum is across the street from the processing plant, where you might see a Starbucks truck Read more
After Nahuizalco the next stop of the Ruta de las Flores is Salcoatitán. It is famous for being the first home to coffee plantations back in the 1860s and coffee is still the village’s primary source of income.
Although Salcoatitán isn’t a particularly large town, it does draw a number of visitors since it is on the Ruta de las Flores. As with Nahuizalco one of the major attractions for tourists are the local arts and crafts.
Salcoatitán is home to some very talented artists that create works of art out of everything! (Even the homes… take a stroll down the streets to enjoy the brightly painted homes.) There are also a number of art galleries that feature local artists. Read more
If you are headed to Nahuizalco within the next 5–10 days you are just in time to celebrate the patron saint festival in honor of San Juan Bautista, as well as the annual arts and crafts festival. The 5 day fesitval is held annually from June 20–25.
San Juan Bautista is the namesake for the Nahuizalco Chapel which was built in 1859. It is an interesting archaeological site, which is home to several graves. (In colonial times, before cemetaries, they buried people in the church!) Several tombs have already been discovered, and many people hold to the belief that another temple or grave might exist underneath the floor.
During the festival the whole town lights up! Local furniture, arts and Read more
Past La Libertad to the west there are plenty of other beaches to visit: Conchalio, San Blas, El Cocal, El Majahual and El Sunzal. El Sunzal is located at Kilometer 42 from San Salvador, and it is one of the most popular surfing destinations in El Salvador, in all of Central America actually.
If you don’t know how to surf, but you want to learn, then El Sunzal is the place to go. Many of the skilled local surfers make a living by teaching foreigners and other Salvadorans who wan to learn how to surf. Renting a surfboard for a day costs only about $12–$15 dollars.
El Tunco (The Pig) is a large rock that splits the El Sunzal beach Read more
The closest beach to San Salvador is in the southern department of La Libertad, and is only about 32 kilometers from the city.
The most popular beaches dot the coast, and are situated between kilometers 30 and 53. The main entrance to the town of La Libertad is the El Puerto de la Libertad (The Pier). The namesake for the city is an old wooden pier that was originally built in 1579. It is still in operation today that serves fishing boats. It is also the best place to buy cheap, fresh seafood.
The first beach area east of the pier is El Obispo. It is popular because of its large shopping mall and many commercial developments. To the west of Read more
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