Backpacking Santa Ana, El Salvador, 7 top things to see and do.
After Suchitoto, I stayed another 5 nights in San Salvador and then took the bus to Santa Ana.
Having loved my stay in San Salvador, I was totally up for exploring Santa Ana.
The people of El Salvador are extremely welcoming, and since it is now one of the safest countries in the whole of the Americas, it is definitely one of my favourite countries to go backpacking in. And you can do it on a budget, too.
Santa Ana – A Great Place To Stay
Not only is Santa Ana a decent city for some local exploration, but it makes for a great place to base yourself. The bus network is awesome and cheap to boot.
I visited the Railway Museum at Sonsonate, hiked the Santa Ana Volcano, backpacked the Archaeological Sites of Tazumal and Casa Blanca and did the Ruta de las Flores, all whilst staying in Santa Ana. I can recommend both the Pool House Hostel and the Hostal Casa Verde.
Top 7 things to see and do in Santa Ana
1. Catedral de Nuestra Señora Santa Ana:
This beautiful neo-Gothic cathedral was built in 1575/6. As I backpacked Santa Ana on my first afternoon with my roomie, we were lucky that it was open and we could enter.
2. Teatro Nacional de Santa Ana:
Built between 1902 and 1910, it was declared a national monument in 1982. Restoration began in 1987.
3. Palacio Municipal de Santa Ana:
Built between 1874 and 1878. Notice the clock?
4. Drink a beer at Simmer Down:
Simmer Down is a restaurant/bar right next to the Catedral de Nuestra Señora. Make sure you head up to the 1st floor for the best views and catch the breeze.
5. Parque Libertad:
In the Parque Libertad (Liberty Park), you can find the I Love Santa Ana sign and Monumento de la Libertad:
6. Ex-Escuela de Artes y Oficios
It was used as an art school as far back as 1855 until it closed in the 1970s due to damage to the roof.
Ordinarily, I think it’s closed, but they were setting it up to host a performance, so I just wandered in, said a few ‘buenas tardes’ and had a good look exploring what is left of it.
7. Grab lunch at the Central Market
On my first day, fresh off the bus from San Salvador, I headed to the Central Market for some grub. This was during COVID, so many of the stalls were closed. Luckily this one was open:
Great meals such as this one for just 2 USD:
It became my go-to place for lunch during my two visits to Santa Ana (Feb/March and July 2022).