6:00 AM - Early check-in for hotel

9:00 AM - Walking tour with a local

Met up at Parque Cuscatlan to do a walking tour around the city with a born and bred San Salvador local. The stops during this tour included:

- Basilica Sagrado Corazon de Jesus
- Hula Hula Market
- Plaza Barrios
- National Palace
- Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador
- National Theater of San Salvador
- National Library of El Salvador

Aside from visiting these famous landmarks, I also got to learn so much about El Salvador's past and its transformation over these last few years. Our guide showed us some of his favorite places to eat, including this humble horchata spot in the central market! This tour is a must-do because not only will you learn about history and learn about the country's people, but you'll also be able to hear personal stories from the tour guide himself of what he's been through.

1:00 PM - Lunch at Pipiris Nais

I had a Salvadorian-Mexican fusion lunch at this rooftop restaurant known for its beautiful views of the historic center. I ordered al pastor tacos, pupusas, and a traditional Salvadorian beef stew called mondongo. They are also famous for their huge variety of drinks! Great music too.

2:00 PM - Post-lunch coffee at Café Fulanos

El Salvador is known worldwide for its coffee! After lunch, come to this popular cafe to try some local coffee that can be brewed any way you want. The location in the historic center has two floors, so you have plenty of seating options to enjoy your coffee and relax.

3:00 PM - Museum of Art of San Salvador

This is a small modern art museum located in the San Benito neighborhood! It only costs $1 for residents and $3 for foreigners. Great place to walk around and admire the artwork done by local Salvadorian artists. It's a beautiful museum with contemporary architecture.

7:30 PM - Go up to Planes de Renderos for evening views

This is a popular lively area up in the mountains that is about a 35 min drive from the center of San Salvador. There is an observation deck here (it's FREE) that has the most beautiful panoramic views of the city! If you go at night, you can see all the bright lights and there are many vendors that sell snacks/souvenirs too. In the area, there are a lot of nice restaurants with views overlooking the city and pupuserias (places that specialize in pupusas, El Salvador's national dish). This is a great place that I saw mostly locals go to for a fun night out, with most family and friends.

8:30 PM - Indulge in pupusas at Pupuseria Abbi

You cannot leave El Salvador without eating pupusas! Pupusas are thick fried cakes made with either corn or rice, and it's usually filled with bean and cheese or other meats. There are many varieties of pupusas at this place, so you can try many fillings! This restaurant was very close to the observation deck and is a huge restaurant, so there are many big tables you can sit at. The food was so fresh and delicious, and even more amazing when you pair it with an ice cold Pilsener (El Salvador's national beer)! Everything was also pretty affordable, so makes for a great budget place to eat.