Santa Ana is a city known for its volcanoes and agriculture, making it of grave importance to both locals and tourists alike. It’s a city surrounded by mountains and hills that are covered in coffee and food plantations, known as “fincas” in Spanish. The city center is only a short drive from the Guatemalan border in the north, generally making it the first stop for travelers heading south through Central America.
The city sits in a valley and was built on a meseta (or mesa) 665 meters (2,182 feet) above sea level. Santa Ana is enshrouded by mountains, with the most notable being the Apaneca Range in the south. The Apaneca Range is home to the country’s most notable volcanoes. Santa Ana sits at 2,382 meters (7,812 feet) and is the tallest in the country, Izalco is the youngest with its origin dating to 1770, and Cerro Verde which had recently closed in 2012 due to seismic activity reopened a couple years later.
Santa Ana is notably surrounded by several water sources. The area holds more than 18 major river systems and another 52 minor stream systems. The most notable are the Lempa River, Guajoy River, and Suquiapa River, which support the café fincas (coffee plantations) of the region. This city is even home to a major processing center for the artisanal coffee bean industry. El Salvador keeps about 10% of the best produced coffee while exporting the other 90% to countries around the world.
The second largest city in El Salvador, Santa Ana, as of 2020, is home to a sprawling population of 278,243 inhabitants. This growing city is the place to find some of the best-preserved architecture in El Salvador. The most notable stops are the Cathedral with its neogothic exterior or the Teatro, a theatre beautiful adorned during the 1990s. It’s the perfect destination to explore the region and everything it has to offer.
Santa Ana is the gateway to the touristic corridor of the country, Ruta de Flores (Route of Flowers). Ruta de Flores is the scenic route to the country’s largest city, and capital, San Salvador. Santa Ana is new to tourism and can feel a little “rough around the edges”. However, it is generally regarded as a safe city with friendly residents. There are lots of armed guards but only to help protect and deter violence. As with most major cities, there is petty crime and gang activity present.
Origins of Santa Ana
Santa Ana has pre-Columbian origins, evidenced through the Preclassic settlements in the area. Most are concentrated at the nearby archeological site Villa Rosita. The region was depopulated by the eruption of Lake Ilopango in 250 DC. Later, the Spanish swept in and conquered the area between 1530 and 1540. In 1569, Santa Ana was renamed from its original Nahuatl name, Sihuatehuacán, which translates to “Land of the Priestesses”.
It wasn’t until September 15, 1821, that the people of El Salvador would become independent. However, this was not the end of war or turmoil. There was a civil war that ravaged the land beginning October 1979 and would continue for 12 years, until January 1992. Since then, the government has concentrated its efforts battling crime rates and gang activity.
Hot & Humid Climate
Santa Ana is centered in the tropics and home to a tropical savannah climate. There are two seasons here, dry season from November to May and wet/rainy season from May to November. Year round the climate is hot and humid with an average temperature of 24°C (75.2°F). It is not uncommon to see spikes exceed 35°C (95°F) throughout the year. This humid climate tends to hover around 70-75%, with spikes during hurricane season from June through November.
There are tons of things to do in Santa Ana that will keep just about any traveler busy. Tourists can scour the city in search of fascinating architecture, as it is home to 210 buildings in neoclassical, 5 gothic, 64 neocolonial, and 102 in traditional style. If time permits then visit the nearby Mayan UNESCO World Heritage ruin site, climb one of the many volcanoes, or take a tour of a coffee plantation to learn about the process of coffee from farm to cup.
I spent three days and four nights in this big city tucked away in the hills of El Salvador. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed my stay. It would not have been out of the question to hunker down for longer. I found the people to be incredibly friendly and the food to be quite tasty. I can go on forever about how much I loved pupusas, the national food of El Salvador. A popusa is a rice or corn dough often stuffed with cheese, beans, meat and/or veggies then lightly fried. Not only are they delicious, but they’re always cheap too!
Avoid Semana Santa
I spent one day exploring the Apaneca mountain range with a quick ascent of the Santa Ana volcano. It was an incredible and very rewarding experience. One that I would happily do again when it’s less busy. We visited on the busiest day of the year, during Saturday of Semana Santa, or Holy Week. This just happened to be the day before Easter, which turned out to be the busiest day of the year for the hike.
Local El Salvadorans are given the weekend off throughout the country. It’s not uncommon for them to visit different tourist attractions with their families. This can make just about anything touristy, a busy experience. It was also one of my favorite adventures from Santa Ana. I’ll be posting a full in-depth article about the hike in my next post with directions and prices as well.
There are plenty of activities to keep just about any type of traveler engaged. There is plenty of places to stay for just about any budget. With a little research you can find the perfect accommodation for your stay. I recommend searching through Hostelworld or Booking to find the best accommodations and desired dates. Take a break from the humdrum of office life and schedule a vacation to this amazing country today! As they say, “don’t skip El Salvador,” and with good reason too. It really is an incredible destination!
