🇸🇻 San Salvador Walking Tour: My Honest Review & Tips

San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, highlights many of the drastic, positive changes that the country has recently undergone. Using a clear rating system, I share my honest review of taking a walking tour there, along with firsthand tips.

Lists By Lukiih is readers-supported. When you buy with my affiliate link, I may earn a small commission. Thanks!

🍀 Lukiih’s Verdict

Doing a walking tour in San Salvador is a great way to learn more about El Salvador’s recent transformation from being known as the “murder capital of the world” to one of the safer destinations in the Americas.

• The walking tour I took focused on San Salvador’s historic center and some notable attractions right outside of it. By exploring this area, you can get a sense of how the capital has changed under President Bukele. You can also witness the contrast between some of the older streets and the newly renovated buildings and parks. However, you won’t have time to go inside notable attractions like the National Library and National Palace.
• The San Salvador walking tour I took is affordable. The tour costs $30 and lasts close to 4 hours, covering over 2 miles of the historic center.
• Minimal preparation is required. You’ll need to wear comfortable shoes, book the tour a day ahead, and figure out how to arrive at the meeting point, Cuscatlán Park.

🇸🇻 Planning a Trip to El Salvador: 12 Practical Things To Know

🏆 Where Does It Rank?

Taking a walking tour of San Salvador ranks as the #9 experience I had in El Salvador. Here’s how it compares to other things I did on my trip:

	Experience	Location	Overall Rating
1	🌊 7 Waterfalls	Ruta de Las Flores	7.7
2	🌋 Santa Ana Volcano	Santa Ana	7.4
3	🌈 Café Albania	Ruta de Las Flores	6.5
4	🍖 Juayúa Food Festival	Ruta de Las Flores	6.0
5	🏄‍♀️ El Tunco Surfing Lesson	El Tunco	6.0
6	⚽ Cuscatlán Stadium Soccer Game	San Salvador	5.7
7	📚 National Library of El Salvador	San Salvador	5.4
8	😈 Puerta del Diablo	San Salvador	5.4
9	🚶‍♀️ Historic Center Walking Tour	San Salvador	5.3
10	🚶‍♀️ Centro Walking Tour	Santa Ana	5.0

🌋 1 Week in El Salvador: A Unique & Active Itinerary

For more detailed tips on my experience, check out my trip planner below.

El Salvador Trip Planner 2025

Make planning easier with my flexible, research-backed travel planner—shaped by real experience. It has:

• Up-to-date travel info
• A well-curated itinerary
• Practical, firsthand insights & tips
• A simple budget tracker
• A starter packing list
• Fully customizable sections

Built in Notion, this is the tool I personally use to plan every trip. I genuinely love it and creating a Notion account is free.

Lists by Lukiih is a small site I fund myself. Downloading my trip planner is the best way to support me and keep it running—thanks!