-
Parque de la Paz
Managuas Peace Park, with its signature lighthouse, is a lasting symbol of the challenges and hopes facing a poor nation emerging from war. The park was inaugurated in 1990 by then President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. The concept in and of itself is quite beautiful. Within the p
-
Museo de Arte Fundación Ortiz
Probably the finest contemporary-art museum in all of Central America, the Ortiz-Gurdián Collection has spilled over from its original home in Casa Don Norberto Ramiréz, refurbished in 2000 to its original Creole Civil style, with Arabic tiles and impressive flagstones. It and anot
-
Huellas de Acahualinca
Discovered by miners in 1874, these fossilized tracks record the passage of perhaps 10 people – men, women and children – as well as birds, raccoons and deer across the muddy shores of Lago de Managua some 6000 years ago. Despite early speculation that they were running from a volc
-
Convento y Museo San Francisco
The oldest church in Central America and the most striking building in Granada, Iglesia San Francisco boasts a robin’s-egg-blue birthday-cake facade and houses one of the best museums in the region. Originally constructed in 1585, it was subsequently burned to the ground by pirates
-
Parque Historico Nacional Loma de Tiscapa
Home to what’s easily Managua’s most recognizable landmark, Sandino’s somber silhouette, this national historic park was once the site of the Casa Presidencial, where Sandino and his men were executed in 1934; what looks like a dilapidated parking structure was for decades one of N
-
Catedral
Officially known as the Basílica de la Asunción, León’s cathedral is the largest in Central America, its expansive design famously, and perhaps apocryphally, approved for construction in much more important Lima, Peru. Leónese leaders originally submitted a more modest but bogus s
-
Nicaragua’s Celebrations & Fiestas
When planning your trip to Nicaragua, consider timing your visit to coincide with one of the many celebrations and festivals. Conversely, you might want to avoid festivals and all the fireworks, drunken masses, altered transportation schedules, and spiked hotel prices that they bring.
Additionally
-
Diving & Snorkeling in Nicaragua
Despite Nicaragua’s gorgeous shorelines, diving is a pastime only beginning to be developed, with only three shops in the whole country: one in San Juan del Sur and one on each of the Corn Islands.
A sunken ship in the caribbean waters at Corn Island.
Snorkeling is best off the Corn Islands and so
-
Things That Bite and Sting in Nicaragua
Dogs
Most towns in Nicaragua, even rural ones, conduct a yearly rabies-vaccination campaign for dogs, but you should still be careful. Get a rabies vaccination if you intend to spend a long time in Nicaragua. Should you be bitten, immediately cleanse the wound with lots of soap, and get prompt med
-
Laguna de Apoyo, Masaya's dormant volcano lake
Nicaragua’s cleanest and most enticing swimming hole is Laguna de Apoyo, just outside of Masaya. Actually a lake that formed in the drowned volcanic crater of the long extinct Apoyo Volcano, the lagoon floor reaches 200 meters in depth—the lowest point in all of Central America. Considering how ea
-
Granada, Nicaragua: Ideal low-key traveler's base
Arguably Nicaragua’s most picturesque town, Granada is an easy place to love. Much of its colonial architecture is remarkably intact and is being painstakingly restored by a new generation of homeowners. The colorful facades lining old narrow streets practically glow in the late afternoon sun. It’
-
Peñas Blancas: Crossing the Costa Rica Boarder
Peñas Blancas is the official border crossing into Costa Rica. A major effort is underway, with financing from the United States, to make this border crossing a bottleneck and entrapment point for drug traffickers headed north. Many of the buildings you see in the compound are inspection points fo
-
Best of Nightlife in Managua, Nicaragua
Dancing is a central part of the Managua experience. The music scene ranges from popular electronic to booty-shaking reggaetón, as well as plenty of salsa, merengue, and bachata. Managua has several places to learn salsa and merengue if you are in town for a longer period of time.
Mexican Alt-Rock
-
How and Why to Visit San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur’s crescent-shaped beach washed with the gentle, warm waves of the protected harbor have been attracting travelers for a long time. In the 1850s, this quiet fishing village experienced its first brief boom as a transport hub for gold rush pioneers crossing the peninsula on Corneliu
-
The Best of Nicaragua in Two Weeks
Like other countries in the region, Nicaragua has a popular, carved-out tourist route based on its principal, most-developed attractions. Nicaragua’s beaten path is made up of the Granada–Ometepe–San Juan del Sur circuit, which can be done in about one week; save another week for tackling the nort
-
Visiting Volcán Masaya National Park
An extraordinary and easy day trip from Managua, Masaya, or Granada, Volcán Masaya National Park (9 a.m.–4:45 p.m. daily, $5) is Nicaragua’s most impressive outdoor attraction and premier tourist site. There are very few volcanoes in the world where you can simply drive up to the crater edge and l
-
Boating, Swimming, and Bicycling in Granada
Getting out on the water is the right way to enjoy this beautiful corner of Nicaragua; watch weather conditions carefully since Lake Cocibolca gets choppy fast as the wind picks up. Taking a boat trip through Las Isletas is the best way to do that.
Granada, Nicaragua. Photo © Angie Harms, licensed
-
Seven Days Down the Río San Juan
The watery “Golden Route” through southern Lake Cocibolca and down the Río San Juan is unquestionably worth a visit, especially the photogenic fort and river town at El Castillo. Once you reach San Carlos, public boat transportation is regular and cheap. To explore this region, plan on spending ab
-
Crossing the Border into Nicaragua or Panamá from Costa Rica
A sign at the border welcoming travelers to Nicaragua. Photo © F Delventhal, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
You cannot cross into Nicaragua or Panamá with a rental car; you can only do so with your own vehicle. If it has Costa Rican plates, you’ll need a special permit from the Registro Na
-
Festivals and Events in Managua
Each August, Managua celebrates its patron saint Saint Dominic (Santo Domingo). The Miracle of Saint Dominic by Antonio Balestra (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
Las Fiestas Patronales each August are when Managua celebrates its patron saint Santo Domingo and are the highlight of the calend
Total
303 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
15/16 20-travel/Page Goto:
