San Vicente is a central Salvadoran city that most travellers pass on the highway without stopping. That is a shame, because it has one of the country's most distinctive town centres: the white Torre Vicentina standing beside the cathedral, with Volcán San Vicente rising to the south.
The city is more local than touristed. It works best as a short stop between San Salvador, the coast, and eastern El Salvador, or as a base for nearby water escapes such as Laguna de Apastepeque and Parque Recreativo Amapulapa. The centre is compact enough to explore on foot in the cooler parts of the day.
San Vicente will not compete with Santa Ana for architecture or Suchitoto for prettiness, but it gives a good look at an everyday Salvadoran departmental capital. Sit in the square, climb the tower if it is open, and use the town as a door into a quieter part of the country.