San Salvador City Tour: Historical Center, Local Market, and Volcano Exploration

Immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant culture of San Salvador on this city tour. Explore the historical center, visit a local market, and hike through the cloud forest on San Salvador volcano.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Iglesia El Rosario - One of the most intriguing buildings of San Salvador downtown and a must-see for any visitor to the city.
    Finished in 1971 El Rosario is the pièce de résistance of the architect/sculptor Rubén Martínez: a brutalist temple wich is also a mind blowing piece of art. The contrast of the gray facade and the colorful interior, the…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Admissions to public and private attractions
  • All fees and/or taxes
  • Offerings to churches on your behalf (sustainable tourism is key)
What's Not Included
  • Souveniers
  • Gratuities (voluntary)
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through the city’s highlights with a local from San Salvador. Discover key historical sites, principal streets, business and living districts, and iconic landmarks memorializing significant historical figures and occurrences.
Plenty of government buildings located in El Centro bear witness to the prosperous years of the coffee export…

Location
Iglesia El Rosario
6a Avenida, Parque Libertad
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(6 Ratings)
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1 star
R1133hxcharlesa
Nov 14, 2024
A Great Tour of San Salvador - While visiting our son and daughter in San Salvador, they booked a tour for my wife and I with Alfredo which was amazing and informative. First of all, Alfredo is warm and personable and enthusiastic about his country and its history. His narration throughout the tour is upbeat with vitality that keeps you interested in what he has to say and show you. Also, he a great driver who knows the streets and approaches them safely. Alfredo started our tour from a hilltop with a panoramic view of Central San Salvador whereby he lays the groundwork from El Salvador's history to the present in a nutshell and points out key structures that he will take us to as we head into downtown San Salvador. My wife, whom I met while working in Honduras some 40 years ago, was enthralled with El Salvador's history and role of the church since she was a social studies teacher. I was more tuned into the cultural changes from the past to today's times and direction of El Salvador in the present. We learned about how different presidential, military and church leadership roles helped shaped public sentiments to what shaped San Salvador today. It was also interesting to view some of downtown's architecture that has some influences from various outside cultures. Note: For those who appreciate viewing church architecture and history are in for a treat, especially the tall arched cathedral made from recycled materials from a past built church that was a sight to see. All the driving and walking helped create an appetite for lunch whereby Alfredo took us to a typical mercado full of different food establishments that were quite popular with locals from all walks and very clean. The food was delicious!...A nice way to end our tour as Alfredo continued to share points of interest en route to our temporary residence. We highly recommend taking your own tour with Alfredo whereby you will be taken care of and come away with an appreciation for the sites, history and culture of El Salvador. :) Charles and Leyla Acosta Lakewood, California
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Es463
Nov 1, 2023
Picture Perfect - Alfredo was excellent, being born and raised in San Salvador, he has a very deep understanding of the city. His ability to make history fun and memorable is rare. He also provides pictures for reference, and he knows all the good spots to eat. He also knows the best spots for pictures that would make you the envy of all your friends.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
551onec
Sep 4, 2023
Absolutely Fantastic Experience! - Our tour guide, Alfredo, was simply fantastic! He was knowledgeable and passionate about the city's history. The tour was well-organized, and his stories were fascinating and informative. Alfredo and his driver, David, who accompanied us, were both kind, respectful, and professional. Lunch at the local market was amazing and delicious! It is truly a memorable experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jcheverie
Nov 24, 2022
Two Canadians and an El Salvadorian = Great Trip - During the planning stage Alfredo always replied quickly to any questions i had. From the moment my friend and I arrived in El Salvador Alfredo was very accommodating to our needs and to our last minute itinerary changes. I dont typically hire guides but Im certainly glad i did for this trip, it made things so much more easy and Alfredo is a wealth of knowledge, in fact i wondered if i knew as much history about my own country as he did his to which the answer is No. Very quickly i felt our relationship was more than guide/client, Alfredo went along with our sense of humour and banter and we had a lot of fun with him and i consider him a friend. People should definitely visit El Salvador, it has a lot to offer in a small area and they should definitely reach out to Alfredo, they wont regret it. Thanks for everything Alfredo i hope our paths cross again my friend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mirjana_p
Oct 15, 2021
THE BEST of San Salvador with Alfredo!!! - Alfredo made our Visit to El Salvador an unforgettable experience. From history to culture, the best pupusas in town, visit to San Salvador volcano, the market and la iglesia el Rosario (A must see), this tour was a great combination for a short visit. Alfredo even took us to Imagine, picnic place where we had a great lunch and a surprise ride. Also, he took us to do a COVID test and waited for the results with us. Thank you Alfredo for everything. We highly recommend this tour. El Salvador is county # 87 we visited so far! Mirjana & Jany
Review provided by Viator
Hamrickpa
Jun 13, 2021
Alfredo is the BEST - don't hesitate - We had an amazing tour with Alfredo. Honestly, he is one of the best guides I have worked with and I have visited 70 countries! He was always accessible via WhatsApp. He picked us up at the airport the day we arrived and even took us to the airport the day we left. He customized our tour to exactly what we wanted and even helped me get local beans to carry home to an El Salvadorian friend. Best tour ever! I will also add we were two American women travelers. Prior to going, we were slightly apprehensive based on "warnings" from travel sites. That's part of why Alfredo picked us up at the airport. Not only did he help us to feel safe but he taught us just how safe his country was. Before we knew it, we were ubering all about town! ALFREDO IS THE BEST!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $55
up to 12 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).