Nicaragua Things to Do

  Beautiful view from our boat.
by rosequartzlover1
 
  • Beautiful view from our boat.
      Beautiful view from our boat.
    by rosequartzlover1
  • Statue to Simon Bolivar, Managua
      Statue to Simon Bolivar, Managua
    by Stephen-KarenConn
  •   Things to Do
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  •   Things to Do
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  •   Things to Do
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Fuerte La Polvora

by iwys

Fuerte La Polvora, built in 1748, is a fort which overlooks the city of Granada. It was designed by Luis Diez Navarro, in medieval style, with high towers and thick walls, to look like a fortress, but it was originally just used as a munitions store. You can still see some of the gunpowder barrels and canons. During the Somoza era it was used to hold political prisoners. Under the Sandinistas, it was a police station. Nowadays, it is a museum and tourist attraction. You can climb one of its towers to get very good views of the city. I would say its worth coming here for the views, but the fort itself is a bit grim.

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Granada Cathedral

by iwys

Granada's Cathedral was originally built in 1583, but it has been rebuilt several times since then. The current neo-Classical building was designed by architect Andrés Zappata and completed in 1915. The elegant yellow and white cathedral, with its pink domes, dominates downtown Granada, like a giant christmas cake.

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Convento y Iglesia de San Francisco

by iwys

The convent and church of San Francisco were orignally constructed in 1585, but burned down by William Walker in 1856. The current buildings, with their pale bue facade, date mainly from the reconstruction work that took place between 1867 and 1868.

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Granada

by iwys

Granada is a pretty colonial town, with colourful houses and grand churches. It was founded in 1524 and is Nicaragua's equivalent of Antigua in Guatemala, but a bit rougher round the edges. It attracts lots of visitors and has the hotels and restaurants to cater for them.

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Laguna de Xiloá

by MalenaN

Laguna de Xiloá is a crater lake close to Managua. The water is clear and clean. It's a very good place for swimming. You can bring your own pic-nic or buy something to eat at the restaurant. There are also women and children walking around selling things to eat.Xiloá is about 20 km northeast of Managua. I don't know how to get there by public transport as I always went by car.

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Lakes, Volcanos, Beach... loads to do

by Malecka

Nicaragua, not being the typical tourist destination (which I very much liked, have to admit) offers a variety of activities... Whether it's the beach and surfing, or hiking to the Volcanos, or a visit to the famous Masaya market, or maybe a visit to Leon and Granada to see a bit more of the colonial architecture... Anything is an option.Our personal itinerary included:1. Somoto, close to the border with Honduras... for some really authentic experience of Nicaraguan life in a small town2. Managua, and its amazing nightlife.3. León and Poneloya (very small village, on the Pacific coast)4. The one and only, San Juan del Sur....I personally don't enjoy "running" through a country, hopping from one place to another, without savouring the place for a little while... This is why some important destinations were not included in this trip, but are a must:- Granada, and the little islands-...

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Landmarks of William Walker: American Adventurer

by Gaiatouring

In 1855, a doctor turned lawyer turned journalist turned adventurer, William Walker, became president of Nicaragua after bringing a small force of Americans down to Leon on behalf of the Liberal Party, who had invited them to intervene in a civil war against the Conservatives. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Walker was president of Nicaragua from 1856 until he was deposed by the people of Central America with the help of the machinations of Cornelius Vanderbilt, a shipping tycoon with a personal vendetta against Walker. Vanderbilt funded the allied armies of Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador, against Walker and his force of "immortals". An interesting way to travel through Southern Nicaragua is visit the landmarks in Granada (burned by Walker and his troops) that include his (restored) "white house" just off the main square, and the Church of his coronation, two blocks...

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Sail on the Cocibolca (Nicaragua lake)

by Varinia

This lake is a must see place...Lago de Nicaragua, also known as Lago Cocibolca or Lake Nicaragua . It is a freshwater lake that is the largest in Central American. Standing on shore facing the lake, you feel that you are looking at an ocean. The lake's southern shore is also home to Nicaragua's capital city of Managua. Do to the lake's proximity to Nicaragua's capital, it is popular with many local and non-local tourists. One of the more unique aspects of the lake is the many islands that are present within it. These islands can be visited by boat. It is a great sailing experience! Two of the more interesting islands to visit include Isla de Ometepe and Isla Zapatera. This is because these islands contain pre-Columbian petroglyphs and ancient relics. The islands are also home to many species of wildlife that roam free in their natural habitat. Isla de Ometepe is also home to an active...

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San Juan del Sur: Hanging out on the beach

by BorderHopper

I'm not much of a beach person, but if you find yourself in south west Nicaragua you may like to hang out on the black sand beaches of San Juan del Sur. It's a small bay, with a quaint little seaside village to base yourself out of while trekking in the area, surfing, or fishing. We spotted a few "gringo" surfers who seem to hang around San Juan del Sur. But all in all it is a quiet beach and very easy to find a stetch of sand to call your own for the day. The water is warm, blue, but very silty as the sand is a very fine grain. If you have children it'll make for a good rest stop for the kids. My son loved it there.

Kayaking on Lago de Nicaragua

by BorderHopper

If you find yourself on the beautiful volcanic island of Ometepe be sure to hire a kayak for a morning cruise around the island. We borrowed our 2 man kayak from the guesthouse/bungalows we were staying at on Ometepe. We managed to row around a nearby point and land our kayak on a vacant stretch of beach with only the jungle behind us and lots of warm water in front of us. It was a perfect piece of paradise for us to swim totally undisturbed....just us and the howler monkeys!

Fun things to do in Nicaragua

Top 3 Hotels in Nicaragua

Hotel con Corazon  Granada

 1 Review and 192 Opinions  We stayed here in May 2011, very nice staff, arranged for safe secured parking for our truck and a... 

 Hotels in Granada

Hotel Casa Naranja  Managua

 1 Review and 54 Opinions  It felt like staying at Home in Nicaragua. The rooms are nice, very comfortable beds, a great... 

 Hotels in Managua

Buena Vista Surf Club  San Juan del Sur

 174 Opinions

 Hotels in San Juan del Sur

73 Hotels in Nicaragua
 
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Reviews and photos of Nicaragua attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Nicaragua sightseeing.

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Things to Do: Cities in Nicaragua
  1. Managua Things to Do
  2. Granada Things to Do
  3. San Juan del Sur Things to Do
  4. Corn Island Things to Do
  5. Isla de Ometepe Things to Do
  6. Masaya Things to Do
  7. Pochomil Things to Do
  8. León Things to Do
  9. Estelí Things to Do
  10. Chinandega Things to Do
  11. Laguna de Apoyo Things to Do
  12. Matagalpa Things to Do
  13. Montelimar Things to Do
  14. San Juan de Oriente Things to Do
  15. Las Peñitas Things to Do
  16. Boaco Things to Do
  17. Rivas Things to Do
  18. Lago de Nicaragua Things to Do
  19. Jinotega Things to Do
  20. Catarina Things to Do
  21. Boca de Sábalos Things to Do
  22. Moyogalpa Things to Do
  23. El Viejo Things to Do
  24. Corinto Things to Do
  25. San José del Mombacho Things to Do
  26. Lago de Managua Things to Do
  27. Puerto Momotombo Things to Do

More Cities in Nicaragua

 

Popular Regions in Nicaragua

Departamento de Rivas Things to Do  Departamento de Managua Things to Do  Departamento de Granada Things to Do  Departamento de Zelaya Things to Do  Departamento de Masaya Things to Do  Departamento de León Things to Do  Departamento de Chinandega Things to Do  Departamento de Estelí Things to Do  Departamento de Carazo Things to Do  Departamento de Matagalpa Things to Do  Departamento de Río San Juan Things to Do 

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Questions and Answers

sashanyc28 profile photo

Q:  Can anyone advise any information on a direct bus from Grenada, Nicaragua bus to Liberia, Costa Rica? Does anyone know where I... 

jmhultin profile photo

A: I'm as new at this as you, but I'm researching similar questions. Look at www.ticabus.com. 

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