Granada (Nicaragua).
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Overview

Granada is the oldest colonial city in Nicaragua and the all-time-rival of Leon. It is on the northwest side of the Lago Cocibolca. Its colored colonial buildings, interesting history and relative safety make it an important tourism destination. It is the city in Nicaragua with the largest presence of expats and one of the most developed for tourism compared to other cities in Nicaragua. Both of these things will be immediately apparent to the visitor.

Understand

Granada, nicknamed La Gran Sultana after her Muslim-influenced namesake in Spain, was founded in 1524 and is the oldest cities of Nicaragua and the oldest European settlement in the Americas mainland that lasted (the only older cities are Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Panama, which moved afterwards). A rich town for most of the colonial period, Granada has always been and continues to be a conservative city. As a (sort of) "Caribbean port", connected to the ocean by the lake and the Rio San Juan, Granada was attacked by pirates several times in its early history. However the attack that left the biggest mark on the city was carried out by an American in 1856, when the city was burned down.

The town recovered however and became the dominating force culturally and politically for the next three decades until the liberal general Jose Santos Zelaya took control of the country. You can still see a lot of the wealth and power Granada once had in its colonial houses and churches. And there is still a monument for some former president or other who was born here at almost every corner downtown.

Granada still is very much a conservative town and the ruling Sandinistas are not as well liked here as they are in León, which contributes to their ongoing rivalry. But nowadays, Granada is also notable for winning awards in American magazines as supposedly one of the best places on earth to live, and many retired Gringos have made Granada their second home. Many colonial houses and even some small islets just out of town in Lake Nicaragua are still for sale, so ask the locals if you want to move here long term and have the necessary cash on hand.

Although the Gringo influence here is stronger than in most other places in Nicaragua, Granada has lost nothing of its charm and continues to attract tourists, locals and expats alike.

Get in

In most cases, the shuttle will deliver you to any point in Granada. There is a tourist information counter as soon as you clear immigration. Ask the representative and s/he'll point you to a reputable shuttle service. The trip by taxi or shuttle is about 40 minutes. Another option may be to fly to the Liberia Airport over the border in Costa Rica, but it would involve about 5 hours of travel and a border crossing. Rental cars are not allowed to cross the border, but agencies will arrange for car swaps and pickups on the other side of the border. Managua is by far your best option.

The small Las Lajas Airport a few miles from Granada on the highway to Masaya does not have any commercial flights as of Oct 2020.

There is a boat from there to Granada that takes roughly three hours.

By train The train was shut down during the era of Violeta Chamorro (1990-1996). So, no, there's no possibility to take any train to get there. Nevertheless, you can have the chance to visit the old train station, which is used as a technical school sponsored by the Spanish Cooperation.

By car Yes you can get there by rental car, which is often really expensive to hire, since imported cars are expensive too and the risk of theft is high. Most of the principal highways are in excellent condition, however other obstacles (cows, horses, people, people on horses) can surprise you - especially at night, so be alert. Secondary roads range from paved to gravel. The roads from the airport are excellent on the most direct route.

From Costa Rica, take the Panamerican Highway, which leads from San José through Liberia, the border crossing at Peñas Blancas, the first bigger town in Nicaragua is Rivas, after Nandaime take a right onto the Granada-Nandaime road. Look for Granada-related signs.

There is no scheduled public transport that does the León-Granada run directly, so you'll have to change buses in Managua. If you take the chicken bus from Leon your last stop in Managua will be the Israel Lewites Terminal from where you will have to go to either the UCA Terminal or Mercado Huembes. Minibuses from Leon to Managua depart from the same location in Leon but terminate at the UCA Terminal so they might be a more convenient way to reach Granada as they lessen the need to change terminals in Managua. Granada can also be reached by first-class buses from neighboring Costa Rica and Honduras.

The best options going from Costa Rica to Nicaragua are Central Line, TransNica and Ticabus. Back from Granada to Costa Rica you might as well take the Tica Bus or NICABUS. Just ask any taxi driver in whatever city you are in to take you to the Nica or TICABUS-station.

Then take another bus (at a different station), or taxi, to Granada.

By boat There's a boat running twice a week from San Carlos via Ometepe to Granada and back. It leaves San Carlos at Tuesday and Friday at 14:00. The trip to Ometepe takes about three hours. San Carlos-Granada is roughly 12 hours one-way. There is a ferry running between Granada and Ometepe, but as of July 2016 it was canceled until further notice, as the lake levels are too low. In general the ferry may be canceled due to low lake levels as well as storms, so enquire locally if possible.

Get around

Granada is a small city; everything can comfortably be reached by foot. For some outlying points (e.g., the Asese peninsula) taxis, coches and bikes come in handy.

By bus Buses (old stylish US or Canadian school buses) go just about everywhere at about every time, you see them and if you slightly look like anybody wanting to go anywhere, be sure they'll load you on their bus. The buses leave either west of the Central Market building (50 m into Calle Yo Yo) or near the petrol station UNO. Just ask around, people are very friendly and tell you where you need to go. Also, many people know at least partially the timetables.

By coche Horse-drawn carriages, known as coches, are a wonderful way to see the extent of the city limits. From the cemetery in the southwest, to the converted Rail Station in the north, to the water front in the east. They can also be hired just like taxis.

By boat Granada's islets are not to be missed, and the way to see them is by boat. Boat tours leave from Puerto Asese, about 5-10 minutes from downtown by taxi. Try to book them as a group as it gets cheaper for each individual. Also a boat that is almost full might make special deals for a single traveler or a small group

By bike Most hotels and hostels rent bikes and if yours doesn't, some are willing to rent to people staying elsewhere. As the city is rather flat and traffic is manageable it is a good way to get around, although the heat might get uncomfortable. Robberies and assaults at machete - point have happened along parts of península de Asese.

See

There are six main churches : the Cathedral, La Merced, Guadalupe, Xalteva, San Francisco and María Auxiliadora, which all have interesting historical backgrounds and are in very different states.

Granada Cathedral. Officially known as Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral.

Fuerte La Polvora is an 18th-century fort (built in 1748) that's open for tours. A few historical exhibits are available on the main level, you can climb the towers for views of the quiet city streets, or wander through the lovely courtyard. Lake Cocibolca (also known as Lake Nicaragua and, locally, as Lago de Granada), is the 10th largest fresh-water lake on earth and is inhabited by Bull Sharks, informally named the Nicaragua Shark, and sawfish. The beach area is not the safest area in town at night and comes with a rather unpleasant smell during the day. However, during the day this is a nice place to catch a breeze, and there are many Nicaraguan families that come here to pass the time. Vendors pass selling all kinds of food. Tours of the islands are available from Puerto Asese, near the pleasant Asese restaurant (known for its boneless fish).

A bit further along the shore is the Centro Turistico, a park like area complete with bars and restaurants. It's a bit cleaner than the beach right down from the city.

The local market is definitely worth a glimpse, it's chaotic little market stands where you can get almost everything. The market is open everyday except holidays around and in the old Market hall, you can't miss it. The Central Park with the Cathedral and the Colonial houses surrounding it. The lively center of town with a lot of handicrafts or snacks to buy, or just sit down at a bench and watch the city and its people. Next to it is the Parque Independencia with a monument to the independence movement of 1811 and the famous "Puerta de los Leones". The streets with their charming colored Colonial houses are always worth a wander themselves. Take a boat tour of the Isletas. Boats leave from the marina at Puerto Asese. Your guide will tell you how all the islands are owned by millionaires. You will even visit an old fort that is on the island. Not to mention you will see adorable monkeys that live in the trees.

Mi Museo. Private collection of over 5,000 Nicaraguan Pre-Columbian ceramics.

Do

Mombacho Beach Club. The heat in Nicaragua is hard to stand, so you'll love refreshing yourself in the 60-foot pool. On top of that, it's located in a gorgeous courtyard, with a bar and free WiFi. Enjoy a range of massages from aromatherapy to Shiatsu to ChocoTherapy, or just have a manicure, pedicure or facial. Rent a bike from Mapache on Calle Cisne, 2nd left off Calle La Calzada. You can bike the entire city in one day. Take a Canopy Tour, where you will go flying on cables through the rainforest trees on the side of Mombacho Volacano. Get a very inexpensive table or seated massage at Seeing Hands Blind Massage, located in Computadoras de Granada, Calle 14 de Septiembre, 1/2c. south of the Firehall (Bomberos).and the other location they have is on Calle La Calzada before Guadulpe Church. Visit the Mombacho volcano (that's the one next to Granada). There's a paved road all the way to the top and a tropical rain forest inside the crater. Allow several hours to walk inside the crater. There's a great view of Lake Nicaragua from the top. You can also go to the Masaya Volcano reserve and watch over the wide land, see the Managua lake and maybe get some stinky smoke in your lungs and be happy about the beautiful nature surrounding the Volcano. Hop on whenever you find it. Casa de los Tres Mundos (Casa de los Leones),The Foundation "Casa de los Tres Mundos" is an institution created to initiate, support and promote cultural projects in Nicaragua and Central America. Besides these artistic, musical and educational activities, which emphasize support for the poorer segments of Nicaraguan society, the foundation finances and coordinates an integrative rural development project in Malacatoya. Horse and carriages circle the city center. Live music at Restaurant Imagine 1st left off Calle la Calzada, going towards the lake on Calle la Calzada from the Cathedral turn left first block (right after Cafe de Arte). One of the only places playing live classic rock (unplugged version) in the city. Live music starts at around 9PM almost every day of the week. Check the sign posted on the door daily to see who is playing. Very relaxed atmosphere and great food although a little bit pricey. No cover charge.

ChocoMuseo. Take a free tour of the Museum learning where chocolate comes from and the history of the evolution of chocolate. For the extreme chocolate enthusiast, the Museum and Factory also offers tours to a cacao plantation on the Mombacho Reserve. You also get a chance to swim in the thermal waters, see the Isletas and ride on horseback.

Learn

There are several Spanish language schools in Granada:

Casa Nica Spanish School is a cooperative of women that has been teaching Spanish since 1998. They tailor Spanish classes according to students' skill level and interests, and you also get to meet people at afternoon activities. They can also provide home-stay accommodations and connect you with their favorite local organizations if you want to volunteer.

One On One Tutoring Spanish School, One on One Tutoring Spanish school by Roger Ramirez On Calzada Street # 450 near to Guadalupe Church is the only Spanish school in Nicaragua that uses a unique teaching system where each student has four different instructors per day of class (the same four instructors for as long as the student stays at the school) if you decide to take 1-4 hours a day for five days or more. Having four instructors makes the course much more intensive and much less boring for the student. Open every day including holidays.

The local Red Cross school is also a good option to go to, because you can buy 1-on-1 Spanish lessons from them and so support them. For more options, look around for flyers.

Work

Volunteer opportunities abound. La Esperanza Granada is an organization that sends volunteers into local schools to help out, or supports women's working groups, built a community center, etc., for the impoverished outskirts of Granada. Volunteering is completely free of charge, minimum commitment is generally eight weeks but shorter stays are possible. Another volunteer option is Educación Plus de Nicaragua, a local NGO that educates and feeds children in the marginalized outskirts of Granada.

Buy

Granada is known around the world for its high-quality rocking chairs which can be seen all around town. The main vendors a bit out of town on the road to Masatepe.

If you want to go cheaper, there's the option to buy local and famous Nicaraguan pottery, which you can buy in town, but the better option is to go to San Juan de Oriente where there's a more varied selection and the experience of meeting the artisans.

Also very typical are the hammocks, there are several hammock stores and factories in Masaya, but you can find them made in Granada on Calle Xalteva, a half bloc west of the central park at Tio Antonio

Eat

There are many street vendors selling quesillos, tamales, revueltas, carne asada, and other local specialties such as gallo pinto (rice & beans), fried plantains, nacatamales, bajo (yucca, plantain, beef mix). Very inexpensive. Great value and taste (provided you are not a vegetarian).

The Garden Cafe. Friendly and relaxing.

Charly's Bar & Restaurant. German cuisine and best BBC. Draft beer and homemade cheesecake by owners Charly and Maria Elena.

NEcTaR. They arrange the local traditional meals into tasteful and beautiful dishes. They offer a selection of freshly made juices and cocktails.

Las Jarras. Chicken, beef or pork, marinated and char-grilled, served on a bed of fried plantains, and topped with salad, with optional side orders of gallo pinto and fried cheese. The portions are hearty, to say the least. In addition to the tables on the street, there's a nice interior patio with a bar.

Puerto Asese. Has a beautiful location, on the edge of Lake Nicaragua, with lush foliage surrounding it and a rustic, spacious dining area. Boneless fish platters are the house specialty.

Café De Arte. Offers delicious international (some organic) food and excellent drinks. Surrounded by local art. Daily specials.

El Zaguan. The best churrasco, the delicious Nica grilled steak, cooked over an open grill. Set in beautiful colonial open-air garage.

Groceries Granadans do most of their grocery shopping in the huge chaotic central market (along Calle El Comercio, aka Calle Atravesada, a few blocks south of downtown) or in a similarly chaotic Palí supermarket (same area).

Besides Palí, the city has two other supermarkets, cleaner, less crowded, and more upscale: La Union and La Colonia, which are next to each other in Calle La Inmaculada about a kilometer northwest of the central square. La Colonia is the more upscale of the two, with a better selection of products such as wine, ice cream, or exotic (to non-Nicaraguans) fruit. There is also a good bakery a block or two west of La Colonia (on the same, southern, side of the street). In 2018, La Colonia started selling their own baked bread - try their baguettes!

Drink

Great drinks can be purchased from local vendors at the corner in Parque Central, such as flaxseed drink, hibiscus (jamaica) iced-tea, or red beet drink or anything else, completely overloaded with sugar. Nice alternative: The local Cacao drink, milk and powdered chocolate beans, almost like chocolate milk, available in most cafes. Also Raspados made with crushed ice and raspberry syrup are very delicious and are usually sold by vendors around the Central Park.

And then of course, the local coffee! You have the biggest range: organic, shade grown, fair trade....

Café de las Sonrisas. Supports deaf, blind, and mute Nicaraguans through the sale of their coffee, food, and hammocks.

La Sultana y el Café. Breakfast and some very embellished coffees.

Here are a few bars worth mentioning:

El Bar. El Bar offers a select wine list, classic cocktails and appetizers. Outdoor sitting and indoor AC sitting.

Chichería París at the top of the Calle Real, across from La Pólvora fortress. Chicha and natural drinks.

Sandbar. Here you can come and schmooze with lots of like-minded refreshment-seeking patrons in their open bar setting with food, drinks, music, and games.

Clandestino Bar & Grill. Mojitos, beer, food available here in a relaxed courtyard environment.

Sleep

Hostal la Calzada. Budget-friendly accommodations featuring shared bathrooms and a variety of amenities: Wi-Fi, professional masseuses available during the day, complimentary coffee each morning, and free access to a fully-equipped kitchen. No English spoken so your Spanish will get a good workout. Friendly dog and parrot on the premises will greet you.

Hostel Oasis. Very nice colonial hostel with a swimming pool and a great rooftop with 360-degree view on the historical center. Very well ubicated, clean and safe, free Internet, snack and bar. Free breakfast and free happy hour. Modern colonial style interior, hammocks, ping pong table, pool table, darts... Weekly activities (beerpong tournament, booze cruise, trivia night for a local community project...). Daily shuttle to Paradiso hostel in Laguna de Apoyo.

Hostal el Momento. Colonial House and a brand new hostal with a really nice garden with lots of seating and lounge areas. Very good security as it is close to a bank, they also have security cameras and safe boxes in the rooms and the dorms have lockers also. The privates come with and without bathrooms but all have cable TV and there is free wifi with iPads free to use.They have a bar and cafe in the garden or you can use their guest kitchen and make use of the Spa for a massage. Great set up and willing staff looking to help in anyway.

Casa del Agua. Small guesthouse a half a block from the Cathedral. Has a great pool to relax in after a long hot day in Granada. All rooms have a private toilet and bath with hot water. Each room comes with a flat-screen HD television. There is a large full kitchen with appliances and utensils so you can make use of the fresh food at the market that is a few blocks away. You can book the entire place for a group and there are studio apartments with a private entrance available as well.

Hospedaje Esfinge. This very quiet and quite large place is fairly nice for a budget option. A safe place, but near the worse part of town. The entrance is watched 24 hours a day by the wife and husband owners and another man. Quite time begins at 22:00, which means you have to turn the TV off and if you want to go out, you have to knock to get back.

Hostel Libertad. A nice, clean, quiet hostel in an airy and spacious colonial building. Well-equipped kitchen. Warm atmosphere with wifi and three computers with internet. Unlimited coffee in the morning included.

Laguna de Apoyo. Day trip or overnight stay in a crater lake. Swim in fresh water. Restaurants and bar available on site. 30 minutes from Granada. Shuttles leaves from Oasis Hostel (calle Estrada, Granada) at 09:00 and 15:00 daily. Book the day before.

Hotel Il Padrino. A small, family-run hotel with en-suite rooms and a large tropical garden.

Hotel Casa San Francisco. Beautiful boutique hotel with pool, Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, air conditioning, hot water, tv/cable. The first boutique hotel in Granada. Great staff to take care of your travel plans, also offering, longer term housing.

Casa Silas Bed and Breakfast. The casa features 2 guestrooms with wireless internet, AC, swimming pool and full breakfast.

Hotel El Club. The hotel features 11 rooms with wireless Internet. This hotel doubles as a disco, so be ready to party.

Hotel con Corazón. Hotel con Corazón is a beautiful hotel (15 rooms) in the center of Granada. Swimming pool and Wi-Fi included..

Hotel Casa Vivaldi. Discover one of the most comfortable hotels in Granada, Nicaragua: an oasis with the biggest pool in town surrounded by tropical vegetation will offer to you beautiful moments of relaxation, away from city daze.

Hotel El Almirante. In a renovated colonial house in the historic center of Granada. The hotel rooms have bathrooms, flat screen TV and safe deposit box. Swimming pool, free wireless internet access and cable TV.

La Islita Boutique Hotel. Chic, Intimate, Stylish; cozy boutique hotel; eight rooms with comfortable beds, AC, WiFi, cable TV, private bathroom, continental breakfast; stunning rooftop terrace.

Hotel La Pergola. An antique colonial house built in the 19th century that has been restored conserving the characteristic of the wonderful houses of Granada.

Hotel Plaza Colon. Beautiful boutique hotel.

Jicaro Island Eco Lodge. On Lake Nicaragua. Very close to downtown with easy access to Granada. Private all-inclusive. Secluded 2-story casitas. Swimming pool. Free Wi-Fi. Yoga retreats.

Selina Alhambra. In the middle of town. Beautiful.

La Gran Francia. In the middle of town, across from the Cathedral. Beautiful.