San Francisco Gotera

Church in San Francisco Gotera

San Francisco Gotera is a city in Morazán Department.

Understand

It's also just known as Gotera.

Get in

By plane

The Comalapa Airport serves the city. You can go by plane with Avianca.

See

Although a departmental capital, there is not a great deal to Gotera. It's handy stopping off point for a trip to the Museum of the Revolution further north, in Perquín, which is worth a visit.

Do

The town is quite sleepy, especially at night, but has an active market in the mornings, where the main products seem to be nylon hammocks and bags.

Learn

Otherwise, use it as a base for a trip to the Revolution Museum, an hour north. This museum is located in the old radio station of Radio Venceremos, which was the broadcasting base for the FMLN during the civil war. As well as telling the story of the struggle, it also contains items from around the world which give an insight into how other countries viewed the conflict. There are good English translations throughout. The photographs of the soldiers involved, including women and children, are excellent.

Eat

There are plenty of decent comedores around, where you can pick up a plate of beans, rice, eggs, various meat and vegetable dishes for next to nothing. There is also a fast food chicken restaurant. Comedor Melita was good for a filling breakfast. And there are plenty of pupusa stalls everywhere, some veggie if you ask.

Drink

• Horchata is a local drink

Sleep

Hotel San Francisco is adequate, with basic rooms with a fan for $5 a night, but you can pay a bit more for a private bathroom.

Go next

There is no bus station as such, but buses will leave from the street corners in the centre for Perquín in the north, about an hour through lovely pine forests, and San Miguel to the south.