San Antonio

The historic district where most backpackers stay. Colonial streets, cafes, and hostels. Safe during the day for walking around. Take a taxi anywhere you go at night.

San Antonio sits on a hilltop with cobblestone streets and pastel colonial houses. The neighborhood draws backpackers, artists, and young travelers. During the day, people work on laptops in cafes for hours and eating alone is common. The plaza around Iglesia de San Antonio stays busy with tourists and families. Street vendors sell juice and empanadas. Some hostel staff and restaurant workers speak English since this is the main backpacker zone. Timing matters in San Antonio. During the day it's fine. Main streets near restaurants are reasonably safe until around 10pm while people are still out eating. But the steep residential side streets get empty and dark quickly. Most people take Uber to restaurants at night rather than walking through the neighborhood. It's a decent base for first-time visitors - just don't walk around after dark.