Granada Nightlife

If you're going to visit Granada, you have to at least venture to Cesar's once - it's the favorite nightclub of the locals. Spring for a cab there and back as it's by the lake, which can get dangerous at night. It's always packed on Saturday nights. Fridays are less busy when school is in session because all the University students that frequent the place have class early Saturday morning. The club is enormous. It has tables all around, a dance floor in the middle, and a stage where the DJ periodically holds impromptu dance contests. The cover charge is pretty significant for Granada - expect to pay about 50 cordobas. You will probably not encounter a foreigner once the whole night.

Dress Code: No sandals, no shorts, no sneakers.

Kelly's Bar is the only bar around calle La Calzada that's actually owned by Nicaraguans. It has a fun, relaxed atmosphere, and has an adjoining room for dancing. The owners are extremely nice. We held a few going-away parties there and the owners let us play our own music and gave us drink specials. They even created a special drink just for the night named after the guest of honor at our party! They also often offer good live music.

Dress Code: No special dress needed.

You can find an English pub no matter where you go! Literally. Every place I've been has an English pub and Granada is no exception. It's not my thing but it all depends on who I've traveling with. In this case, my friend had never left the country before (our home country) so he thought it was super duper cool that there was English pub. I rolled my eyes but hey, you have to compromise, right? Sorry but I have no address but Granada isn't that big so just ask.

Dress Code: Casual

In the Calle la Calzada, directly opposite restaurant Don Luca, you will find the pub "Zoom Bar". Although you are in the middle of Central America, this place doesn't have anything to do with the Latin lifestyle you see out on the streets. Inside Zoom Bar the main language is English, the televisions you see in every corner here show American Football, Basketball and Baseball and all the decoration on the walls have something to go with these sports.

The music you hear is English and the menu is in English as well (although that one is in Spanish too). Zoom Bar is known for its cocktails and the happy hour when you can have a cheap beer here.

But: all that American lifestyle was a bit too much for me. It is maybe nice for Americans who stay in Granada a bit longer, but for me, a curious European who wants to get to know the local culture, this was not the place I expected in a Central American city.

In September 2007, El Club was the hottest of the not-many nightlife spots in Granada. It is basically a bar with a small dancing floor and an inner patio, catering to both locals, expats and tourists. Drinks from the Latin tradition; music latin-rock and international rock. It usually gets packed in the late night-hours from Thursday to Saturday. There is cover charge of $2-3 in the weekend nights. Things may change, but at time of my visit almost every tourists out for nightlife would end up here at night. It is right across the street from Cafe Nuit, the other major nightlife spot at time of my visit, so you can easily switch place in the same night if you wish.

Dress Code: Casual.

This is one of the more popular spots in town for live music, dancing and chilling with some drinks on weekends.
A Nica Libre (Flor de Cana rum and coke, mmm!) goes for 20 cordobas and there is an entrance fee. Live music is great and very nice, mellow crowd- mixed with Nicas and foreigners.

If I hadn't met this Finnish lady I wouldn't have known that there are free concerts and exhibitions in Casa de los Tres Mundos. With her and some of her friends I went to see Nicaraguan singer Norma Helena Gadea in a concert. It was a great experience. She's got beautiful, powerful voice and great charisma. When she sang Gracias a la Vida shivers went down my spine.

The guided tour to the Isletas incluided and tour in the city as well and the guide took us to a photo exhibition in Casa de los tres Mundos. It was another great experience. Photos of Nicaragua by French photographer Catherine Chevalier were excellent. I could have spent hours there and examine her work. It was an opening night so there were speeches and we were even served a free drink.

So when in Granada check what Casa de los Tres Mundos offers during your stay.

There is few night life in Granada, but at La Calzada street there´s always somehing open. It´s a good option also during the afternoon, when all the cafe´s are full of visitors.