Things to do in Santa Ana
El Salvador’s cultural capital
Steeped in history and surrounded by nature, El Salvador’s second-biggest city, Santa Ana, is far friendlier and laid-back than its capital. Although a volcano destroyed all traces of its Mayan roots, Santa Ana’s historical center is still a big draw, and has acted as the social heart of the city since the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. You’ll find some of the top things to do in Santa Ana in and around Parque Libertad (Liberty Park), the city’s main square. Here, you will find the neo-Gothic cathedral and National Theater of Santa Ana, as well as markets and street food galore. Some of Santa Ana’s most treasured attractions, however, lie outside of the city limits, including Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec), Lake Coatepeque, and the pre-Columbian archaeological site of Tazumal.
Top 4 attractions in Santa Ana
Santa Ana Volcano (Volcán Ilamatepec)
Izalco Volcano
Santa Ana National Theater (Teatro Nacional de Santa Ana)
Santa Ana Cathedral (Catedral de Santa Ana)
Explore Santa Ana by interest
Top activities in Santa Ana
All about Santa Ana
When to visit
Santa Ana has a warm year-round climate with two distinct seasons: a humid and wet summer season and a cooler, drier winter. Perhaps a little counterintuitively, the summer is the busiest time of year, even though the winter months are better suited to outdoor activities, like climbing volcanoes in Cerro Verde National Park and exploring Mayan ruins.
Getting around
Santa Ana may be the second-biggest city in El Salvador, but the majority of the city sights—including the Cathedral of Our Lady Saint Anne (Catedral de Nuestra Señora Santa Ana)—are all clustered around the easily walkable Parque Libertad. If you’re planning on heading further afield for day trips, you can rent a car, take a taxi, join a tour, or jump on a local bus.
Traveler tips
If time is of the essence, you can squeeze most of the attractions in the city center into just one day—though you may want to add in a little time to grab a cup of coffee and do some people-watching in Parque Libertad. Day tours are also a great way to combine activities like hiking Santa Ana Volcano with sightseeing at Lake Coatepeque, eating your way around the Juayua weekend market (Feria Gastronomica), and visiting all the different Mayan ruins.
People Also Ask
Yes, Santa Ana is worth visiting. A popular base for visitors to El Salvador, Santa Ana offers history, culture, volcanoes, jungle, lakes, and coffee all within a short radius. El Salvador’s second-largest city, Santa Ana is one of the safest cities in the country, especially for solo travelers.
...MoreOnce Central America’s primary coffee-producing city, Santa Ana is now best known as one of El Salvador’s tourist hubs. The gateway to Santa Ana Volcano, Mayan ruins, and the Ruta de las Flores region, Santa Ana is also close to the Guatemala and Honduras borders.
...MoreSanta Ana’s main attractions include the neo-Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady Saint Anne and the neoclassical National Theater of Santa Ana. To discover El Salvador’s natural beauty and to learn about pre-Columbian history, head outside the city for coffee farms, cloud forests, bubbling volcanoes, caldera lakes, and Mayan sites such as Tazumal and San Andrés.
...MoreMost visitors only spend a few days in Santa Ana itself. However, if you want to explore the surrounding area and use the city as your home base, consider tacking on a few more days.
...MoreYes, Santa Ana is generally safer than San Salvador for tourists, although you still have to be on the lookout for opportunistic crime. It pays to be cautious with your valuables when walking around and using local transport. It’s also usually safer during the day than at night, especially if you’re by yourself.
...MoreLike much of El Salvador, Santa Ana is known for its pupusas. El Salvador’s national dish, pupusas are made with cornmeal or rice flour and are stuffed with ingredients like cheese, beans, chicharrón, and squash. They even have their own holiday, National Pupusas Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of November.
...MoreSanta Ana information
Number of Attractions | 4 |
|---|---|
Number of Tours | 10 |
Number of Reviews | 62 |
- Things to do in San Salvador
- Things to do in La Libertad
- Things to do in San Luis Talpa
- Things to do in Guatemala City
- Things to do in Puerto Quetzal
- Things to do in Antigua
- Things to do in Panajachel
- Things to do in San Pedro La Laguna
- Things to do in Quetzaltenango
- Things to do in Flores
- Things to do in San Ignacio
- Things to do in Managua
- Things to do in Pacific Highlands
- Things to do in Central Highlands
- Things to do in Western Highlands
Trending attractions
- Colosseum
- Eiffel Tower
- Hoover Dam
- Statue of Liberty
- Sagrada Familia
- Burj Khalifa
- Louvre
- Acropolis
- Road to Hana (Hana Highway)
- Roman Forum (Foro Romano)
- St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)
- Molokini Crater
- Uffizi Galleries (Gallerie degli Uffizi)
- Na Pali Coast
- Blue Lagoon
- Tower of London
- Stonehenge
- Milan Duomo
- Great Barrier Reef
- Ellis Island
Popular on Viator
- Statue of Liberty Tours and Tickets
- The White House Tours and Tickets
- Antelope Canyon Tours and Tickets
- Hoover Dam Tours and Tickets
- Alcatraz Tours and Tickets
- Stonehenge Tours and Tickets
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Tours and Tickets
- Beverly Hills Tours and Tickets
- Colosseum Tours and Tickets
- Washington Monument Tours and Tickets
- San Diego Zoo Tours and Tickets
- Space Needle Tours and Tickets
- Eiffel Tower Tours and Tickets
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tours and Tickets
- Empire State Building Tours and Tickets
- Art Institute of Chicago Tours and Tickets
- Aquarium of the Pacific Tours and Tickets
- Blue Lagoon Tours and Tickets
- Burj Khalifa Tours and Tickets
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Tours and Tickets