Metapan

Metapan sits in the north of Santa Ana department in limestone country, a town of white walls and red tile whose church of San Pedro Apostol, completed in 1743, is among the few substantial colonial buildings to survive in a country where earthquakes have taken most of them: a baroque facade with twisted columns and, inside, gilded altarpieces and a painted ceiling. The town lives from a cement works and from agriculture, and it is the base for Montecristo national park, permits for which are arranged here. Lago de Guija lies west and the Guatemalan and Honduran borders are close, which has always made Metapan a trading town.

What you actually see

• San Pedro Apostol - the 1743 baroque church and its altarpieces.
• The white town - the whitewashed streets around the plaza.
• The park office - where Montecristo permits are arranged.
• The limestone country - the karst landscape around the town.

When to go

November to April in the dry season, which is also when Montecristo is accessible. The church keeps service hours. The town fiestas in June bring processions.

Honest expectations

The town is small and half a day covers it. The church may be closed outside service times. Facilities are basic. Metapan is chiefly useful as the base for Montecristo, which needs advance permits.

Nearby

Montecristo lies north; Lago de Guija is west.