Understand
San Salvador lies in the "Valle de las Hamacas" (literally "Valley of the Hammocks", as it was called by the Pipil, due to its intense seismic activity) at the foot of the San Salvador volcano. It covers an area of 600 square km and is home to nearly 2.1 million people. It is home to one-third of El Salvador's population and one-half of the country's wealth. Its location along the Pan American Highway makes it the country's transportation and economic hub. The downtown area is filled with shops and modern buildings, but unfortunately earthquakes have damaged or destroyed many of the city's historic buildings.
The people of San Salvador are generally friendly. The wealthy live in exclusive suburbs behind tall security walls or luxury condominium buildings. Wealthier areas such as San Benito, Colonia Escalon, Colonia San Francisco, Colonia Maquilishuat, Santa Elena (where the U.S. embassy is located) and Ciudad Merliot have tree-lined avenues, the biggest malls in Central America, bars, clubs, gyms, restaurants, luxury hotels, modern high-rise buildings, plazas, boutiques, cafes, luxury salons, jewelery stores, etc. Some of these neighborhoods are located in the hills surrounding the city and have breathtaking views. A number of new gated housing communities complete with parks, swimming pools, fitness facilities & tight security are popular with middle class families. Most of the city's hotels can be found in these suburbs.
There are middle class neighborhoods and residential areas close to the wealthy neighborhoods. Poorer areas are located in the northern & eastern districts, along with an abundance of shanty towns sprawling along the city's fringes.
San Salvador's climate is tropical, although the weather can vary; the nights may be cool (especially in December), however, most of the time it is sunny and warm. Wearing t-shirts, jeans, and possibly a light rain jacket is usually sufficient.
Today it is with Guatemala, the most modern city in the region.
Get in
Travelers arriving by air will fly into Comalapa Airport, the most modern and biggest airport in Central America, which is located 45 minutes by highway from the city.
NOTE: If driving to the city from Comalapa, please exercise extreme caution. There are many residents who walk this highway as well as cross it. With this said there are many accidents with vehicles speeding as well as people who are hit.
Get around
If driving, rental car agencies include Budget, Alamo, Hertz & Argus Rentals. Buses and taxis also provide good ways of getting around. Negogiating the cost of your taxi before as soon as you step in is common practice and expected. Distances between sights make walking an unpopular option, as does the street layout in the city; San Salvador is not a square city, but has long avenues that are straight and streets that aren't. That said, in some areas walking is a great option, such as from Zona Rosa to Las Terrazas (Sheraton hotel) which are close together and within sight of one another.
The Micro Buses have the reputation to drive fast and sometimes very dangerously. Take caution in using the Micro Buses as they are places where tourists are most likely to be robbed.
See
Boulevards
Like Guatemala City, San Salvador has very wide avenues and boulevards, including the two widest boulevards in Central America: Boulevard de los Proceres and Boulevard de los Heroes. Other important boulevards include Alameda Roosevelt, Paseo General Escalon, Av. Jerusalem, Boulevard Constitucion and Av. Juan Pablo Segundo.
Monuments
San Salvador has many beautiful monuments, some of them dating back to the early 20th century, while others are more modern. Some of the most important monuments include the National Palace, Plaza Gerardo Barrios, Plaza Morazan, Water Clock, Monument to the Sea, Atlacatl Monument and the Proceres Monuments (it has 10 monuments). One of the most recognizable monuments in El Salvador is the Monumento a El Salvador del Mundo, or "Monument to the Saviour of The World".
Business
Feria Internacional de El Salvador is the largest convention center in Central America. El Salvador is rated third best place for investment in Latin America by Moody's. Some of the business families in San Salvador are, Siman (owners of the largest department store chain in Central America), Poma (owners of Grupo Roble and Grupo Poma), Quiros (owners of Grupo Q in Central America), Kriete (owners of TACA Airlines), Dueñas (owners of La Gran Via), the family that owns Biggest, Pops, Nash and Mister Donut, and a lot of other important families. In addition, San Salvador is the only city in Central America with a World Trade Center.
Parks
San Salvador has the large urban park, the "Parque de los Pericos". There is another park called Parque Cuscatlan (close to downtown), which is very elegant, with lights, trees and paths. Popular with locals, the beautiful botanical gardens of La Laguna (close to the the U.S. embassy) showcase much native fauna. Zoologico Nacional (The National Zoo), and Parque Saburo Hirao (with a collection of native plants) are in the SE part of the city by the old Presidential House.
If you don't get a chance to visit smaller towns & villages outside the capital, a must see destination is Los Planes De Renderos. 1000 Metres above sea level, the mountain offers a spectacular view of San Salvador, and is a popular oasis for locals from the hectic city. Check out the restaurants, walking tracks & parks ideal for picnics. Visit the nearby colonial town of Panchimalco.
Museums
San Salvador has many museums, the two most important are "Museo David J Guzman" and "Museo de Arte MARTE". David J Guzman National Museum of Anthropology contains a variety of Mayan and Pipil artifacts, while Museo de Arte MARTEdisplays an extensive collection of international art. Both are located in the Zona Rosa district. There is also a children's museum, the Tin-Marin museum, where kids can experience the world in a fun way. The old national palace is being restored to house the "National Archives," and the "National Museum." Also a new display of early mammal fossils, including a giant sloth, mastodon and more than twenty other species is being set up in the "Museo de Historia Natural," or "Natural History Museum" situated in the SE section of Saburo Hirao park by the National Zoo. Close to the zoo is the
"Museo Militar," or Military Museum which is housed in the old castle-like "El Zapote" barracks built in 1895. In the military museum you can find weapons and army uniforms from the 17th, 18th, and early 20th centuries, which were historically used by the Salvadoran army.
Theatres
San Salvador has numerous theatres, including the beautiful Teatro Presidente (located near Zona Rosa), where the symphony regularly performs expensive and inexpensive concerts, and the Teatro Nacional (downtown), which was recently restored to its full splendor. Here you can step back and experience the grandeur once reserved for the city's elite in the early 1900s.
Aquarium
There are plans for an aquarium to be built in El Salvador. This Aquarium will be built in El Parque de los Pericos, next to the Multiplaza mall.
Entertainment
San Salvador has several entertainment venues. You can go to restaurants, bars, clubs, casinos, or if you are traveling with kids you can go to the cinemas, bowling, bingo, arcades etc. Cinemas in San Salvador include
You can also play video games at World Games and El Mundo Feliz. Families may also want to visit Central America's largest toy store,
The trendiest night spot to visit is called Zona Rosa. Some of the best hotels are located there, including the Sheraton Presidente as well as one of the most luxurious hotels in Central America, the Hilton Princess.
Although Zona Rosa doesn't cover a large area (around 1sq mile), it's home to many exclusive, upscale bars and nightclubs (Los Alambiques, Code), and the best restaurants in town (Paradise, 503, A lo Nuestro).
If you want to visit a nightclub without the probable inconvenience of not being let in, you should visit Las Terrazas (Stanza, Envy) at Multiplaza Mall or La Gran Vía (Llenya, El Alebrije), a life style center.
Learn
There are many private schools and universities, including numerous language schools.
Some of the best private schools are
Some of the best higher education institutes include
A list of El Salvador's Universities and their websites can be found here
Buy
Bookstores
Malls
San Salvador has the largest malls in the region and has the highest number of shopping centers in Central America. Some of the shopping malls include: Loma Linda, Multiplaza (very modern), Las Fuentes, Galerias (elegant), Metrocentro (said to be the largest in Central America), El Paseo (expensive), Plazamundo, Plaza Merliot, La Gran Via (a lifestyle center / "city walk"), Las Cascadas, Basilea (unique), Plaza San Benito, Villas Españolas and many more. These malls have luxury boutiques, the latest in international fashion, specialty stores, large foodcourts (some even have 3 food courts) and many other amenities.
Local Crafts
For local arts & crafts, visit the Ilopango markets east of the city. Test your bargaining skills & take home some unique, handmade goods.
Fuel
There are many gas stations, including Texaco, Shell, Puma, Petrotec, Esso and others all over the city. No need to step out of the car.
Department stores
San Salvador and some Mexican cities are the only cities in Latin America with Sanborns (restaurant and store chain) and Dorians (or Sears). Other department stores include Siman, Carrion, Almacenes Europa and M&H.
Eat
The restaurant scene in San Salvador is influenced by many different cultures. Food options include Italian, Korean, Japanese, French, Chilean, American, Peruvian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern, German, Chinese, Argentinian and others. Local food options include Tipicos Margot where one can purchase the famous Salvadoran Pupusas.
Budget
Mid range
Splurge
If you need to buy something, there are a lot of supermarkets in this city. Some are international, which come from Guatemala, the USA and other countries that are interested in bringing supermarkets to San Salvador. The supermarkets contain products such as food, clothing, candies, tools, shampoos, toys, cosmetics, soaps, etc. Some of the supermarkets are:
Drink
San Salvador is well-known for its nightlife. Clubs and bars can be found in the Zona Rosa, Basilea Mall, La Terraza (Sheraton Hotel), Las Terrazas (Multiplaza Mall), Boulevard de Los Heroes, Temptation Plaza, and the bars and restaurants area in La Gran Via (Mall and night lifestyle center). These places have many bars, discos, restaurants, DJ centers and boutiques.
Bars and Clubs
For the latest information on gigs, raves,dance parties, international acts & concerts in San Salvador click here. Larger events & conventions are generally held in the Feria Internacional
Sleep
Budget/Backpackers
Mid range
The staff of all the hotels speak English and Spanish, but there are also others who speak other languages. All the hotels include room service.
Splurge
Visit the hotel websites for specials.
Stay safe
San Salvador has had a history of violence. Since the end of the civil war in 1992, San Salvador has become one of the safest cities in the region. Of course there is violence as in New York, London or any big city. To stay safe there is some advice:
You won't have a problem in the malls or inside major stores or museums, and most public buildings are full of security guards, alarms, fire extinguishers, etc. If you go out of the city into some national parks, volcanoes or the country and such, it is better to hire an armed escort or guide because you can get robbed. There is much gang violence in El Salvador, but in San Salvador, only in the poorer, older neighborhoods; but in the downtown areas, the malls, the Zona Rosa, most tourist attractions, and the upmarket neighborhoods where the hotels are it's generally safe. The government is controlling the gangs with a tactic called "Super Mano Dura" which means "Super Strong Hand". No matter how adventurous you may feel, it is advisable to stay away from the city's poorer districts of Soyapango & its surroundings.
Cope
Health services
San Salvador is a city full of pharmacies. Hospital services are also very good and facilities include Hospital de Diagnostico in Villavisencio Plaza.
Banks
Finding a bank is not a problem within the city. Banks include Banco Cuscatlan, Citibank, Banco Agricola, BanTpym, Banco Centromericano, Banco Uno, Scotiabank, Procredit and others.
Get out
You can get out by Comalapa International Airport or rent a plane for a moderate fee in Ilopango Airport to give you a ride to other of the countries important cities. The rent a plane service is available to go to Santa Ana, San Miguel and La Union (on Tamarindo, near the Gulf of Fonseca where you can board a ferry to take you to the other Islands)
:The article you are about to read is about the capital of El Salvador. For San Salvador Island and other places that share the name, see San Salvador (disambiguation).
San Salvador is the capital city of the nation of El Salvador. The valley where it is located was earlier known as "El Valle de las Hamacas" (The Valley of the Hammocks in English) because of its high seismic activity. San Salvador is the second largest city in Central America. It covers an area of 601 km² (232 sq. mi.) and is home to nearly 2.2 million people. It is home to one-third of El Salvador's population and one-half of the country's wealth.
History
The origins of the city can be traced to before the Spanish Conquest. It is near the present location of San Salvador that the Pipil tribes, established their capital, Cuscatlán. Not very much is known about this city, since it was abandoned by its inhabitants in an effort to avoid Spanish rule.
Although the city was founded, April 1º 1525, in the sixteenth century, it was rebuilt and changed locations twice afterwards. Originally founded in what is now the colonial town of Suchitoto, north of the present-day city, it was moved to the Valle de Las Hamacas (literally Valley of the Hammocks due to the intense seismic activity that characterizes it), which boasted more space and more fertile land, thanks to the pristine Acelhuate River. (Sadly, it is now extremely polluted.) As the population of the country remained relatively small up until the early twentieth century, the city grew slowly. It became somewhat of a tourist attraction during the early twentieth century, as it was considered a beautiful city: with a population of approximately 30,000 it was small, spacious, and clean.
Today's San Salvador
Today, San Salvador is a modern city and is the second biggest city in Central America right after Guatemala City. While the city proper has a population of about half a million, and covers an area of approximately 75 square kilometers, the explosive growth during and after the war created a metropolitan area (the AMSS, Area Metropolitana de San Salvador) that is often administered as a whole. The AMSS covers an area of approximately 610 square kilometers and 2.2 million people.
The Pan-American Highway runs through the city, connecting it with other urban areas in Central America and the United States. San Salvador is also the overall transportation and economic hub of the nation, since it is home to one third of the population and one half of the country's wealth.
The city's modern downtown area has many high-rise buildings, but very few of the historic landmarks remain, due to the earthquakes that have hit the city since its founding in 1525 by Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado. Today, the city produces beer, tobacco products, textiles, and soaps.
The disparity between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' is prevalent in San Salvador. The city's most affluent suburbs are located in the western areas of the city, which include Escalon, San Benito, Maquilishuat, San Francisco and the newly established Santa Elena. Several modern housing estates are continuously springing up in the surrounding areas. A number of upscale shopping centres stocking the latest in international fashions include La Gran Via ,
Plaza Mundo Multiplaza , Galerias and Plaza Merliot .
New gated communities such as Bosques De Lourdes complete with high tech security, parks, bike tracks, fitness clubs, shops and swimming pools are popular with the city's middle class families, attracted to the freedoms comparable to those enjoyed in the suburbs of developed nations.
While San Salvador's more affluent enjoy all the comforts found in any 'first world' nation, including exclusive private clubs such as Club Campestre Cuscatlán y Club Deportivo Internacional, private beaches such as La Costa del Sol, the finest of restaurants, and fancy Discos such as Code, these luxuries remain out of reach for many. Slums and shanty towns grow just as fast as the city itself, as it struggles to accommodate migrants from the countryside in search of work. In the poorer areas such as Apopa & Soyapango, gang related violence remains a headache for the authorities.
While the city is relatively wealthy compared to the rest of the country (per capita GDP - PPP is approximately USD $10,000, compared to a national average of approximately $4,700), poverty is one of its major problems.
Social issues
Crime
In the past 15 years El Salvador has experienced a huge rise in gang related crimes, and gangs in general. Some say that this was a result of the deportation of thousands of Salvadorans from the U.S, (mainly California and Texas) in the mid-90s. The gangs that Salvadorans had been involved in the United States began to show up in El Salvador. Today El Salvador experiences some of the highest rates of gang related crimes in the world. In response to this, the government has set up countless programs to try to guide the youth away from gang membership, but so far their efforts have not rendered any quick results.
Pollution
Pollution remains one of the city's biggest problems. Located in a valley, San Salvador is a perfect pollution trap. Fueling this, the city struggles with an increasing traffic problem. New highways and arterial roads offer some relief.
Transportation
The City of San Salvador is one of the few Central American cities served by 2 international airports: Comalapa International Airport and Ilopango International Airport. Ilopango has suspended airline services currently but there are plans to modernize it and start using both. Ground transportation: San Salvador offers the widest boulevards in Central America and also served by a railroad that connects to other cities such as Soyapango, and Apopa.
Demographics
San Salvador is a large city whose population is starkly divided between the wealthy and impoverished. The wealthier neighborhoods of Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Benito, Escalon and Ciudad Merliot boast luxury shops, fine restaurants, five-star hotels, tree lined avenues and beautiful, well-guarded mansions. However, most of the other neighborhoods in Apopa and Soyapango, among others, are hot, dusty and overcrowded, and are plagued by skyrocketing crime rates and gang related violence.
Climate
San Salvador is mainly hot, the coldest months being November, December, January, and February. The temperature is very different at midday than midnight, the factors being the humidity levels, which vary as the day passes. The highest reading ever recorded in San Salvador is 38 degrees Celsius, the lowest being 2 degrees Celsius. The highest dew point is 27 and the lowest -10, both on the Celsius scale. San Salvador has two seasons: rainy and dry. October, November, December, January, February and March being the dry seasons, and April, May, June, July, August and September the rainy.
San Salvador is home to the world's second largest congregation, Iglesia Elím Central, a Pentecostal/Evangelical megachurch with 220,000 members.
Approximately 89% of the population are mestizo (mix of Indigenous and European ancestry), 9% European followed by Indigenous and other small ethnic groups, including Chinese and Palestinians who have increasingly played a key economic role in the country's development. Many prominent figures in the political, such as Shafik Handal and Antonio Saca (current President), and economical scene are of Palestinian descent.
Disasters
The city has suffered from severe earthquakes over the years, the most disastrous of which occurred in 1854. Also worthy of mentioning is the 1917 eruption of the San Salvador volcano, which resulted in three major earthquakes and damaged the city so extensively that the government was forced to move the capital to the present-day city of Santa Tecla, then named Nueva San Salvador. The most recent Earthquake, in 2001, resulted in considerable damage, especially in Las Colinas suburb where a landslide destroyed homes and killed many people. During the 1980s, conflicts in El Salvador erupted into a civil war, and many people fled to the city since most of the fighting occurred outside of it (San Salvador itself was not directly affected by the war until the final offensive of 1989).
Landmarks
Gallery of San Salvador
Image:NationalcathedralES.jpg|The new Metropolitan Cathedral
Image:Salvadordelmundo.jpg|Monumento al Salvador del Mundo
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Sister Cities
External links
