A glimpse of El Salvador’s history in Santa Ana

Santa Ana is ranked as the second largest city in the Central American nation of El Salvador. Situated some 64 kilometers west from the capital San Salvador, the city is home to an estimated 274,830 residents.

The entire nation of El Salvador is known the world over for its huge coffee industry and one of the biggest processing plants in located near the city of Santa Ana.  The city occupies a significant importance and is second only to the capital. Today, the city has become a very major tourist destination with travelers visiting the place from all around the world. In short, it gives a glimpse of the entire nation of El Salvador.

The highlights of the city include green gardens, theatres, wonderful churches, city halls and historical ruins. Besides, there are a number of good restaurants and the city also possesses a vibrant night life. Let’s go through some of the major attractions in brief.

Townhall:
This wonderful colonial building attracts leisure and business traveler from around the world. Another amazing feature about the Town hall is its beautiful garden. Hence, a trip to Santa Ana is incomplete without a glimpse of the Town hall.

Teatro de Santa Ana:
In simple words, this masterpiece is the national theatre of the city. This 19th century renaissance-styled building brings tourists from all over the globe just to admire its artworks along with the spectacular staircases made of marble and stained glass windows. If you are an art lover, the Teatro de Santa Ana is the place to be.

Cathedral de Santa Ana:
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Cathedral de Santa Ana is the most impressive amongst all the marvelous structures of the city. This neo-Gothic building was actually a church, when the construction was completed in 1905. However, the next 8 years saw the church become a cathedral and the official naming ceremony took place in 1913 for the Catedral de la Nueva Diocesis.

The cathedral differs from other churches and the most striking of all differences is the shape of its cross. Unlike other cathedrals or churches, the cross of the Cathedral de Santa Ana points towards the east.

Ruinas de Tazumal:
This is a historical Mayan Pipil ruins site and is located on the outskirts of the city.

Some other popular landmarks include Occidental Regional Museum, which is also known as the Museum of the west. Then there are the central and colon markets, besides the Alcaldía Municipal de Santa Ana.

Besides, as seen in the rest of the country, Santa Ana also is home to the Lamatepec, alternatively known as the Santa Ana volcano. At an astonishing 7,804 feet above sea level, the volcano is the tallest in the entire nation.

The Coatepeque Lake is also frequented by visitors in large numbers. This lake is spread around 26 sq kilometers and is easily the largest among all lakes in El Salvador. Besides, the origin of the lake is also interesting as it is a large crater lake. Another feature about the place is the numerous hot springs in the vicinity. The waters of the lake also surround the Teopan island, which is an important Mayan site.

Some of the noted personalities, who owe their roots to the city of Santa Ana, are David Escobar Galindo, who is a well known writer. Then there’s Jose Valdez, a popular poet along with two former Presidents, Pedro Jose Escalón and Tomás Regalado.

The city also boasts of fine educational institutions. Some of the major ones include Liceo San Luis, Colegio Santa María, Colegio Latinoamericano and CE INSA. The major universities include Universidad Autónoma de Santa Ana and Universidad Católica de El Salvador.

Listed below are some of the questions which may be on your mind.

How do I reach Santa Ana?

Santa Ana is easily accessible from the capital San Salvador.  However, you first need to get into the country. The country’s only international airport is the Comalapa International Airport is the gateway to all the fun here. Once, in the county you can hire a cab to proceed towards Santa Ana and the journey should take around 3 hours.

Where do I stay during my Santa Ana trip?

There are a number of accommodation options in Santa Ana. Some of the major and popular landmarks of the city are Santa Ana Pueblo Hotels, Hotel Santa Ana and Candlewood Suites – Hotel Santa Ana.

When is the best time to visit Santa Ana?

The best time to visit Santa Ana is during the dry season and best months are from November to March. The weather tends to get very humid and out of control during the ensuing months of April and May. The following rainy season will only ruin your outdoor activities; however, a nice part of the rains in this part of the world is it normally rains only during the evenings. It’s a fair statement “The sun shines for 350 days in a year in El Salvador.” However, the rainy months of late May to October can also get you the much needed budget trip as fares are at their lowest.

In conclusion, Santa Ana is the place to visit. With so much of history to go through, I can only guarantee you will be tired at the end of the day. So, what are you waiting for, just go ahead and start planning a trip to Santa Ana.