It’s easy to overlook Nahuizalco if you’re planning a trip to El Salvador’s Ruta de las Flores. Despite being the largest among the five towns on the famous “Route of the Flowers,” Nahuizalco doesn’t garner nearly as much attention as neighboring Juayua and Concepcion de Ataco.
This historical town’s name means “place of four Izalcos” in the Nahuat language, referring to the four indigenous families who founded the town centuries ago.
And today, many of those four families’ indigenous customs are still visible — much of the town’s 50,000 residents are descendants of the Pipil group, a subgroup of the broader Nahua people. This cultural influence is evidenced by locals’ traditional outfits, crafts, and often darker skin complexion than most present-day Salvadorans.
Things to Do in Nahuizalco
Nahuizalco might not have a long list of touristic boxes to check, but that’s allowed it to retain its authenticity. A walk around the Central Park, market area, and wobbly cobblestone streets will be enough to captivate you for a couple of hours.
Still, there are a few activities and sights to note before going. One place to put on your list is the Nahuatl Pipil Museum. This small museum tells a story of the indigenous group’s history through arts and crafts, texts, and the natives who keep their ancestors’ memory alive. You’ll likely read or hear about the devastating story of “La Matanza,” a 1932 massacre that resulted in 10,000 to 40,000 indigenous deaths as El Salvador’s communist government began taking control of the country.
On a brighter note, the most unique thing to do in Nahuizalco is to experience their night market. Solely lit by candles, this market stays open until about 10:00 p.m. If you’re exploring Juayua’s weekend food festival, the Nahuizalco night market can be a fun way to end a food-filled day. The drive from Juayua to Nahuizalco is only about 20 minutes.
Another fun activity is to hike to La Golondrinera waterfall (Cascada La Golondrinera). The 5-mile out-and-back hike conveniently starts from the Central Park and takes about two hours round trip. But give yourself at least three hours to be able to wander around the waterfall.
I made my way to Nahuizalco in search of pupusas for lunch after spending time at the Juayua food festival. A friendly family that ran a stall at the local market cooked me up a delicious yuca pupusa that satisfied my cravings.
We then roamed around the main park to walk off the food. There was construction ongoing around the San Juan Bautista Church at the center of the Central Park, which hampered the setting a bit, but you could tell the area would have been really pleasant otherwise.
If you’re looking for somewhere truly different in El Salvador, give Nahuizalco a shot for an afternoon. I’d still recommend staying overnight in either Ataco, one of my favorite places in El Salvador, or the more well-known Juayua. But Nahuizalco offers a nice quiet break, with friendly locals who appreciate travelers exploring their lesser-visited, historical town.
Lesser-visited towns are the way to go. Thanks for the share.