The four main villages on the route are Nahuizalco, Salcoatitán, Juayúa, and Apaneca. Each one has its own personality. Juayúa is famous for its weekend food festival called the Feria Gastronómica, where cooks set up dozens of stalls serving everything from pupusas and tamales to grilled meats and exotic soups. The smell drifts down every street.
Because the villages sit at around 1,200 to 1,800 metres above sea level, the climate is cool and misty — perfect for growing coffee. Coffee bushes line the hillsides, and in the harvest season (usually November to February) families pick the bright red coffee cherries by hand. El Salvador's mountain coffee is considered some of the finest in the world.
Nahuizalco is one of the oldest towns in El Salvador and is famous for its wicker and rattan crafts. Skilled artisans (craft makers) weave chairs, baskets, and tables using plants grown nearby. Walking through the town you can hear the rhythmic sound of weaving in workshops and see furniture stacked up along the pavements waiting to be sold.
Apaneca, the highest village on the route, has beautiful gardens and is surrounded by cloud forest — forest that sits so high it is often wrapped in mist and clouds. Zip-lines run through the treetops for adventurous visitors, and the village square has a charming old church where people gather every Sunday.