| Reviews and photos of Granada attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Granada sightseeing. Granada Map |
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 View from the top of volcan
Mombacho by Marie-France
Start early in the day, say no later than 9:00 am. Best days are Thursday to Sunday (check on other days as the park might be closed or reserved for groups). First take a taxi or southbound bus to a large intersection called "Empalme el Guanacaste", but if you say you're going to Mombacho, they should know where to let you off.
From there a brick road climbs about 1.5 km to the parking lot and and park entrance. This takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to walk depending how fast you go! The taxi can take you up as well.
You have to pay a park entrance fee which was 115 cordobas (about $8 US) in Nov. 2003. Then you wait for the next "ecomovil" to depart (this is a big monster Russian army truck) and take you further up to 1150 m (half hour). There are nice views along the way.
Once up there, you can take a leisurely 1 hour hike (1.5 km - mostly flat) through the cloud forest with some stupendous views. Or you can hike a more challenging loop path (4 kms - 3 hours) called Sendero la Puma.
When you get back you wait for the next ecomovil to get you down. You might want to ask when the last one departs before starting out.
There is a nice little restaurant a minute down the brick road from the parking lot if you need to re-energize on your way back! Leave a Comment
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 Boat tour around the islands by Marie-France
You can organize a tour on your own by showing up at the docks (at the end of the waterfront road south of town) and hiring a boat.
However, I joined a 3-hour tour organized by Tierra Tour in Granada. They were very helful and had a Dutch guy there who spoke perfect English. Since 10 other people had already signed up, the cost per person was only $10, which is probably less than it would have cost me to organize it on my own!
The tour was by boat (see photo) and included stops on one island with an old Spanish fort (nice views of volcan Mombacho from here) , a stop near an island with monkeys, a pass-by several tiny islets where rich families had built all manners of extravagant homes, and finally a stop at a restaurant for a drink (and possibility of swimming). Leave a Comment Directions: Tierra Tour is located on the north side of calle La Calzada (not far from Hotel Central).
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 La Plazuela de los Leones by Marie-France
To the right of the picture (not shown) is a pleasant internet cafe which stays open in the evenings. It also serves drinks. To the left are some tourist restaurants with typical nica food. Leave a Comment
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When I arrived in Granada I didn't have any high expecatations. A city which had even 'stolen' its name from the beautiful Spanish city of same name. What good could a place like that offer me? Half an hour walk there and I had lost my heart to this beautiful colonial gem. Granada is not very big so it is easy to see by foot. I had a very rough map and didn't need any better. I found everything I was looking for. I was impressed with the colourful colonial houses, which were well-kept and spent a lot of film as I wanted to take photo of each of them. My advice is that you walk without any plan and let Granada take you by its charm. The houses in these photos are in La Calzada street or near it. Leave a Comment Address: La Calzada and its surroundingsDirections: When coming from main square pass the cathedral left and you are on La Calzada. Couldn't be easier!
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 Stone carvings for Isla de
Zapatera by Marie-France
It's rather small and has an archaeological exhibit showing the daily life of lakeside indigenous tribes and a large gallery displaying pre-columbian stone statues from the Isla de Zapatera. There are also nice views from here unto the rooftops of Granada.
If you really want "Culture and History" though, get out of the museum and walk the streets. This is where the culture is and history is being made! Leave a Comment Address: Calle CervantesPhone: 552-5535Directions: 1 block north and 1 block east of Parque Colon.
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 by Marie-France
The best colonial buildings are around Parque Colon, and mostly to the north, east and west.
If you walk south (as on this photo), the streets get progressively busier and dirtier until you reach the market and bus terminal. Leave a Comment
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We stopped at one island where there are the ruins of a fortress and beautiful views to Granada and Volcán Mombacho. Our guide sang a beautiful song there and had such great voice. Great benefit! Next stop was to look at monkeys in a small island and admired the posh houses of rich people. The tour ended on an island where we could have lunch or/and swim. The German couple asked if I liked to go for a swim and I said that I would. Water didn't look all that clean but I jumped into it anyway. It was so warm that it didn't really refreshened but I still enjoyed it. As did the German couple.
We had an hour and a half for ourselves and the city tour started. First we went to see the photo exhibition of which I've told in the nightlife tip and to all main sights of Granada. In the Plaza de los Leones our guide sang the national hymn of Nicaragua and it was so touching. The tour took three hours instead of the two she promised us. I really think that we got more than our money's worth! I was very tired when I got back to my room and my head was full of new information about Granada. Leave a Comment
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 Carriage TOur by trek06Leave a Comment
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 boats at "las isletas" by trek06
They arrive by swimming up the Rio San Juan from the Caribean. They are 7 to 10 ft and 400 to 500 lbs, are extremely lethal and like to swim in shallow water. However attacks are rare. I didn't know all these facts at the time as I enjoyed my dip in the lake. You can enjoy a tour of the chain of 354 islands that were formed when the Volcan Mombacho erupted. I was a little envious of some of the islanders who live there. It's a pretty nice spot. These interesting boats were below the restaurant down the road from the marina. You'll know the one because they have a monkey chained up in front. If we had known that, we wouldn't of eaten there. (we didn't see him on the way in) Leave a Comment Directions: South of town and a very short cab ride you will find Puerto Asese, where you can hire a Lanchero (boatman)Website: http://slate.msn.com/id/112116/ Other Contact: website on bull sharks
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Besides the Cathedral there are two other beautiful churches in Granada. La Merced, which is located four blocks west of Parque Central and Guadalupe, which is in the east end of La Calzada Street.
La Merced was completed in 1539 and is said to be the most beautiful church in whole Granada. It was restored in 1862 after having been sacked by pirates in the 17th century and later damaged by Leonose forced mid-19th century.
Guadalupe was originally a fort and converted to a church in 1945. Leave a Comment
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