Things to do in El Salvador
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Museo de la Palabra y La Images
In its brand-new location, the Museum of Word and Image is a museum of Salvadoran writing and writers, with a heavy emphasis on the revolutionary movement of the '70s and '80s. No surprise really - the museum's director is Carlos Henríquez Consalvi, aka 'Santiago,' the Venezuelan-born journalist who was the founder and main voice of Radio Venceremos during the war. (You're liable to see him around the museum most days.)
The museum has three small exhibit areas, through which it rotates compelling exhibits on themes such as writers (like Roque Dalton and Salarrué), the massacre of 1932, and women in Salvadoran history. Throughout the museum are terrific black-and-white ph…
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Military History Museum
Head to the troubling but surprisingly interesting Military History Museum. In a series of interconnected, barrack-like rooms, President Maximiliano Martínez is praised for the 'resolve and patriotism' with which he suppressed Communist insurgents in 1932 - some 30,000 indigenous men, women and children were killed in the process - and Colonel Domingo Monterrosa, alleged mastermind of the massacre at El Mozote, is described as having 'written pages of glory for the history of the armed forces.'
On the walls and in floor-mounted displays is an incredible array of rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, flame throwers, radio and night-vision equipment - almost a…
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La Ventana
Located in the heart of the bohemian bar-lounge scene, La Ventana is a smart, laid-back place that's popular day or night. Tables line the long windows - perfect for people watching - and the menu offers an excellent variety of international meals. Clients can choose from any number of creative sandwiches, big salads, pasta dishes and quiche…plenty of vegetarian options! Food is prepared fresh and portions are decent.
Belgian and German ales are also served, as are tasty coffee drinks. A lively bar scene at night makes it a particularly cool place to have a bite. Buy postcards and La Ventana will mail them for free.
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La Fonda del Mirador
This Suchitoto institution has spectacular views of Lago de Suchitlán far below. The open air-dining room has exposed beams and a low-slung clay tile roof, with ferns hanging here and there. The food is great - gallo en chicha (chicken marinated in homemade moonshine) is a weekend favorite, and the boca colorada filete (fillet of smapper) is prepared with a homemade salsa of arrayan, mamey and tamarindo - all local fruits. The ensalada marinera (seafood salad) is a meal in itself.
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Paso de Alaska
This good, friendly restaurant is located in Los Naranjos, El Salvador's highest town, in the shadow of Volcán Santa Ana and at the top of a scenic mountain pass between Santa Ana and Sonsonate (Hwy CA-12). The climate is cool, and you can see all the way to the ocean from the upper-level dining area. Hamburgers and sandwiches leave something to be desired - better to go with a typical lunch plate, like a quarter chicken with rice and garlic bread. Follow signs from the highway.
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Volcán Guazapa
Volcán Guazapa, towering to the southwest of Suchitoto, was an FMLN stronghold during the war. Today you can see bomb shells, craters and tatús, plus views of San Salvador and San Vicente volcanoes. You can visit by horse or on foot; the tours are operated by an independent cooperative, and the quality (vegetation cleared, tatús maintained, horses not depressed) depends greatly on who's in charge at the time. Check with the tourism office for details.
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Los Tacos de Paco
Near Metrosur, this may be the most culturally enlightened taco joint you'll ever encounter. It hosts a poetry reading on Wednesday at 18:00, and has a small but good selection of books and artwork for sale. And as for the tacos…the sign says 'The Best Mexican Food in El Salvador,' which is either true or nearly true - either way, you won't be disappointed.
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Café Baguette Lido
A friendly bakery with two pages of creative sandwiches, divided into lite and, well, the opposite of lite. Try the turkey breast with cottage cheese, or salmon with capers, both served on wholegrain bread; or turn the page to the pesto chicken and NY Polish sausages. All come with a salad, fries or potato salad - whether you want it or not!
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Tienda San José
Inside this ordinary chips-and-soda minimart hides a surprisingly pleasant dining area with a sunflower motif and picnic tables. Friendly service and large plates of well-prepared típica make this a good choice. In the evening it becomes a popular meeting spot for locals and travelers alike.
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Típicos Margoth
A popular cafeteria-style restaurant serving, as the name suggests, típico. Food is fresh and served in good-sized portions. There's occasional live music on Saturday night.
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Chaparrastique
Also known as Volcán de San Miguel, Chaparrastique is the 2130m volcano towering southwest of San Miguel. It's a real behemoth, and climbing it requires some advance planning (and should be done only in the dry season). First, you'll need a police escort, usually arranged through the Chinameca police station, whose jurisdiction the volcano falls into. Two weeks' notice is preferred, but with some friendly pleading you may be able to get an escort, within a couple of days.
You'll have to fax a written request with the date and names of the people in your group. There is no fee, but definitely bring food for all - say, tamales for breakfast and pupusas for lunch - and extr…
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Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad
The Mélida Anaya Montes Spanish Language School is one of the principal programs offered by CIS, a community advocacy organization founded in 1993 by foreign and Salvadoran solidarity workers following the signing of the peace accords. Courses incorporate progressive social and political themes into assignments and discussions. Students live with local families and classes, taught by Salvadorans, are held weekday mornings.
Afternoons are reserved for the school's 'Political Cultural Program,' which entails daytrips (and occasional weekend overnights) to coffee plantations, women's' cooperatives, health centers, social organizations, and other sites, to give students an i…
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Tin Marín Museo de los Niños
Where to start? This gem of a museum has so many interesting hands-on features, your little one may need a return trip. Roughly divided into four sections - health, environment, technology and culture - exhibits include a miniature supermarket (to learn about food groups), a huge artificial volcano (complete with smoke and red lights for lava) and a papermaking area (to learn about recycling).
There's a cockpit and fuselage of a real Boeing 727 airplane, and a real VW Beetle that kids can handpaint to their heart's delight - part of an exhibit on color and senses, it looks like an Andy Warhol piece. Another kid-favorite is the Casa de Gravedad (Gravity House) - a small ho…
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Plaza Barrios
The main plaza is called Plaza Barrios and dedicated to a former president and crusader for the separation of church and state. There is a statue of Barrios astride a horse in the middle of the plaza, turned to face the cathedral and streaked (of course) with pigeon shit. The Palacio Nacional is on the west side of the plaza and all the trees have been removed directly in front of it - the view is clear, but the stone-paved plaza can get hot in the afternoon as a result.
Plaza Barrios is where most political protests begin or end (on our last visit, a group of family members and advocates for imprisoned gang members took control of the cathedral to protest new highly rest…
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Museum of Popular Art
Yet another terrific museum is the Museum of Popular Art, which showcases El Salvador's underappreciated contribution to Central American folk art. The main attraction is the Sala Dominga Herrera, which describes the evolution of 'sorpresas,' the tiny clay figures made and sold in nearby Ilobasco.
Dominga Herrera (1911-1982), the daughter of ceramic doll makers, gained modest fame for her miniature and meticulously painted creations, which she began making on a whim but have since become a cottage industry for the whole town, even the country. Classic sorpresas are single pieces, usually portraying a profession, domestic scene or, more recently, sexual entanglements. Cont…
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Cascada Los Tercios
Cascada Los Tercios is a small waterfall that tumbles over a cliff of tightly packed hexagonal stone spires, a geological oddity related to volcanic activity. The falls are a bit underwhelming when the water is low (often), but the rock formation is interesting enough, as is getting there.
To visit, go south on the road in front of Iglesia Santa Lucia; it curves left, down and up again, before intersecting with a main road at a soccer field. Turn left and continue for about 1.5km. Right after a smoking garbage dump, look for a gate on your left. Enter here or continue to the next house, where one of the kids can guide you - either way, you pass through the family's proper…
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Capilla Medalla Milagrosa
Built in 1904 by an order of French nuns and modeled after their church in Paris, the small Gothic-style Capilla Medalla Milagrosa is one of San Miguel's best attractions. It's a sublime place, set in the middle of large tree-filled grounds, with a high arched ceiling (painted baby blue) and famously gorgeous stained windows.
The altar is populated with flowers and statues of saints, most prominently the Virgin Mary, who has a neon crown and displays the words - also in neon - María, concebida sin pecado, rogad por nos que recurrimos a vos (Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee). The saying comes from the namesake 'Miraculous Medal,' which w…
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Prodetur
Perquín's tourism and environmental-protection organization, Prodetur, operates the eco-hostel, Eco Albergue de Río Sapo, in the Río Sapo protected area, and offers guided hikes there and around Perquín. Guides are local residents, many of them former guerrilla members, and have ample information on the area as well as fascinating accounts of the war years; most speak Spanish only.
The longer hikes are best begun early in the morning to avoid the heat and (more importantly) afternoon rains. Stop by the Prodetur office when you arrive to arrange a tour for the following day; or call ahead if you're only visiting for a day. If you stay at the eco-hostel, the guide will …
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Ruinas de Tazumal
The Mayan ruins of Tazumal, in Chalchuapa, are considered the most important and best preserved in El Salvador. The name Tazumal means 'pyramid where the victims were burned' in the Quiché language. The excavated ruins on display here are only one part of a zone covering 10 sq km (4 sq mi) - most of the ancient wonders still lie buried under the town.
Archaeologists estimate that the first settlements in the area date from around 5000 BC. The excavated structures date from a period spanning over 1000 years. The artifacts found at Tazumal provide evidence of ancient trade between Tazumal and places as far away as Panama and Mexico.
One of the most important artifacts unco…
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Tour Guide, René Barbón
Tour Guide, René Barbón, the young English-speaking owner of Restaurante Vista Conga leads excellent eco-tours around the area. A waterfall tour is a 3½-hour trek along - and sometime in - a frigid river that tumbles over four different waterfalls. Two are massive - 42m and over 100m - while the others, at 7m and 12m, are jumpable if you have the nerve.
A highly recommended Cinquera tour visits both Cinquera town and the nearby national forest. The tour offers hiking; great views; a stop at a reconstructed guerrilla campsite, including tatús (trenches and underground rooms used by guerrillas as field hospitals and air-raid shelters), kitchen, barracks etc; and a fasci…
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Market
San Miguel's Market, west and southwest of Parque Gerardo Barrios, makes for fascinating exploration; it's a labyrinthine journey through Salvadoran small commerce. Several square blocks of indoor and outdoor stands are connected by long, sometimes winding corridors, the sections distinguished by what is predominantly sold there.
Wandering through you will see shoes, machetes, pots and pans, bootleg CDs, electronics, hardware goods, soccer shirts, rough-hewn wood tables, hammocks, a small amount of artesanía, fruit, vegetables, whole plucked chickens and slabs of meat hanging from hooks. In the food section, smoke hangs low in the air and grease-spattered stands, packed …
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Museo de la Revolución Salvadoreña
Just west of the parque central, the Museo de la Revolución Salvadoreña is an excellent museum that charts the causes and course of the armed struggle with photos, posters, weapons and histories of those who served and died in action. Weapons range from high-tech hardware to homemade bombs and mines. Behind the main building are the remains of the downed helicopter that carried Lieutenant Colonel Domingo Monterrosa, head of the notorious Atlacatl Battalion, to his death.
The studios of the FMLN's clandestine station Radio Venceremos (We Shall Prevail Radio) are also here; an elaborate hoax involving a radio transmitter rigged with explosives was what brought Monterrosa…
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Salto El Cubo
Salto El Cubo is a somewhat larger waterfall (about 15m) than Cascada Los Tercios and has water year-round. A pair of pools has been formed at the base of the falls - climb from the lower one to the upper, hemmed in by rocks with the water crashing down from above.
To get there, take Calle Francisco Morazán west out of town; it turns to dirt before reaching the trailhead. A narrow path descends steeply to the falls. To return, continue on the same trail, which climbs through the trees and has some excellent lake views before reaching town, near the Hotel Villa Balanza. The first leg takes about a half-hour, the second about double that. You can also go the reverse directi…
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Iglesia El Rosario
What appears from the outside like a dilapidated airport hangar is, in fact, one of the most intriguing churches in the country. After entering through an easy-to-miss corridor, you'll see that Iglesia El Rosario opens into a shallow nave backed by a high brick wall and soaring arched roof above. The roof isn't a true arch, though, but a series of overhanging steps inset with a rainbow of stained-glass panels.
On the walls are figures made of scrap metal, with larger, more detailed stone and metal statues displayed in the wings on either side of the main entrance. Besides the simple beauty of the place, the contrasts are striking - the modern industrial-style artwork, the…
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Parque Nacional Los Volcanes
One of El Salvador's gems, this park encompasses three major volcanoes and thousands of acres in the heart of the country. Cerro Verde is 1.5 million years old, Izalco began burping lava in 1770 and Santa Ana, aka Mother Hill, awoke from its slumber in 2005 in a dramatic cloud of ash. Closed for months, the park will reopen when scientists give the go-ahead.
A paved road leads all the way to the visitor center. You can climb Izalco or Santa Ana in a day - not the same day - or take a short stroll on a nature loop in the forested area. For a little more adventure, there are areas for camping, and guided hikes up the volcanoes from there. Before 2003, the park was simply ca…
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