Travel to El Salvador: things to do, when to go and itinerary

Long avoided, the capital's centre has been extensively renovated in recent years. The National Palace, the National Theatre and the Metropolitan Cathedral, where Saint Óscar Romero is buried, can be visited on foot in half a day. Around thirty minutes' drive away, El Boquerón park lets you walk along the rim of the San Salvador volcano, several hundred metres deep. Two nights are enough for the city, which then serves as a practical base for the coast and the west of Central America.

About an hour from San Salvador, the La Libertad coast strings together the black-sand beaches of El Tunco, El Sunzal, El Zonte and Punta Roca, known for their point breaks. The most consistent swell arrives from April to October, while the dry season brings gentler conditions for beginners, with schools and board rental on site. Three to four nights let you alternate surf sessions and sunsets. Currents are strong: only swim near busy stretches of beach.

This road of around thirty kilometres links Nahuizalco, Salcoatitán, Juayúa, Apaneca and Concepción de Ataco through hills planted with coffee. Each village has its own character: reed crafts in Nahuizalco, a weekend food fair in Juayúa, murals in Ataco. The blossoms that gave the route its name are best seen from October to February. Allow two days, staying in Juayúa or Ataco, and pack a jacket: the altitude makes evenings noticeably cooler.

Cerro Verde National Park gives access to the Santa Ana volcano, the country's highest at 2,381 m, whose crater holds a turquoise lake. The climb must be done with a guide and takes four to five hours return, with a late-morning departure. Below, Lake Coatepeque fills a caldera where you can swim and dine by the water. Allow one day for the volcano and one night by the lake to enjoy the morning light.

Less than an hour from the capital, three sites can be combined in a day. Joya de Cerén, UNESCO-listed in 1993, preserves a farming village buried by an eruption around the 7th century, with houses and everyday objects. San Andrés features a ceremonial acropolis, and Tazumal, in Chalchuapa, a restored pyramid. These sites remain modest: for the great Maya cities, extend your trip to neighbouring Guatemala, a few hours away by road.

About an hour and a quarter north of San Salvador, Suchitoto lines up cobbled streets and colonial houses above Lake Suchitlán, where you can take a boat out at sunset. The Los Tercios waterfall, with its basalt columns, flows mainly in the rainy season, from May to October. Further east, around four hours by road, Perquín has a museum dedicated to the civil war of the 1980s. Two nights in Suchitoto offer a very different pace from the coast.