Southwestern Nicaragua
The most striking church in town has been repainted a brilliant purple with a mix that uses huevos de amor (fertilized chicken eggs) donated by…
Must-see attractions in Nicaragua
Caribbean Coast
Across the bay, the port of El Bluff is nestled at the point of a long sliver of land where the Caribbean Sea rushes into Bahía de Bluefields. There is…
Reserva Hídrica Municipal La Chorrera
Caribbean Coast
A community-run nature reserve designed to protect the town's water supplies, this innovative project has a number of hikes marked out, including the four…
Isla de Ometepe
The village's main attraction is this museum packed with information (in Spanish) about the island. (Though you’ll find a much more comprehensive…
León
Well signed 1½ blocks away from San Juan Bautista, this church was (according to local legend) cursed by duendes (fairies), and by the looks of it the…
Managua
This was rebuilt during the Alemán years with the help of the Taiwanese government, and is now home to the controversial Consejos de Poder Ciudadano (CPCs…
Managua
A couple of blocks from Barrio Bolonia’s concrete jungle, this surprisingly pretty park is a little slice of suburbia, with kids' riding bikes, a…
Caribbean Coast
Around 10km from Boaco, this archaeological site is only just beginning to be investigated and features a number of petroglyphs in stones scattered around…
León
A few blocks west of the Iglesia Santiago are the ruins of this 16th-century church destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1835. It remains a spiritual…
Managua
This cultural center that formally served the English-speaking volunteer community, has been taken over by the Jubilee House Community and turned into a…
León
For a truly comprehensive collection of creepy crawlies, butterflies, scorpions and other critters from all over Central America, drop into this private…
Caribbean Coast
Spilling out from a dank warehouse perched on a public pier, the local market is packed with small stands displaying pineapple, banana, citrus and casaba…
León
An early 20th-century landmark, the Casa del Obrero (House of the Worker) honors Nicaraguan laborers. The building became a historical symbol on September…
Caribbean Coast
A massive stone monolith that rises from a hillside savanna outside Cuapa. If you walk from town, it will take about two hours to reach the peak…
Little Corn Island
Little Corn's lighthouse is actually a metal tower that doesn't emit any light these days, but it does offer fine panoramas of the island and is a dreamy…
Iglesia Parroquial de San Pedro
Southwestern Nicaragua
This 1863 church on the eastern side of Parque Central is worth a look for its attractive classical facade, and a lovely fresco in the cupola showing a…
León
This church, two blocks east and one block south of San Juan Bautista, was constructed between 1706 and 1718. It's considered one of the best examples of…
Granada
The cathedral, on the east side of the plaza, was originally built in 1583 but has been destroyed countless times since. This most recent version, built…
Corn Islands
This remote hillside is where Spanish artist Rafael Trénor has installed a cube (the lower half is buried to make it look like a pyramid) symbolizing one…
León
This quaint park has a statue of the poet master and busts of other, lesser Leónese poets, including Alfonso Cortés (1893–1969), Azarias H Pallais (1884…
Caribbean Coast
A tough 4km hike from town, this cave is an old Sandinista stronghold with many petroglyphs left by the previous indigenous residents. It's not well…
Granada
Originally called the Fortaleza de Armas when it was constructed in 1748, this lavishly turreted Spanish fortress still has the best views in town, over…
Southwestern Nicaragua
Four blocks west of the Parque Central, this beautiful wooden church (1778) is notable for several well-carved saints and an underground tunnel running to…
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
León
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, built in 1743, is León's only church that's oriented north–south; it's historically connected to the city by the 1850 Puente…
Iglesia de San Nicolás de Laborío
León
Felipe III of Spain ordered this graceful church to be built in 1618. If you take the street east to the Ruinas de la Ermita de San Sebastián, you're…
Caribbean Coast
This ramshackle collection of stalls selling ripe produce, traditional fried-fish breakfasts and sweet, savory rundown (seasoned fish or meat cooked in…
Corn Islands
Walk up the dirt trail behind the Sunrise Hotel in South End past the banana groves and you will be rewarded with panoramic views from Mt Pleasant,…
Isla de Ometepe
A place to see some of the finest remaining ancient excavated statues on Ometepe is beside the Altagracia church, close to the Parque Central, where a…
Caribbean Coast
This rather lovely, beautifully tended and shady park is where couples come to whisper, cuddle and kiss beneath palm and ficus trees, and absorb a truly…
León
For something completely different, swing by the ultra-Gothic 1884 Iglesia Zaragoza. There's an interesting mix of architectural styles here – it looks…
Palacio de la Cultura y Biblioteca Nacional
Managua
The 1930s-era Palacio de la Cultura (Palace of Culture) housed the National Congress until 1994. The historic building now houses the national museum and…
Caribbean Coast
The renovated town church, about two blocks downriver from the dock, is not an architectural classic but has stained-glass windows and a neon cross. It…
Little Corn Island
An easy but unmarked walk through the bush leads to this fine secluded cove. Pass the former Casa Iguana and turn left where you see a small blue hut,…
León
Built on a spiritually significant site for indigenous people, this 1742 church was wrecked during the Somoza's bombardment of León in 1979. You can still…
Mausoleo de los Héroes y Mártires
León
A monument to the local heroes, the eternal flame of the Mausoleum of Heroes & Martyrs rests within a small plaza just north of the Parque Central,…
Caribbean Coast
This waterfront area on the way to the airport offers views across Bluefields Bay and is a popular gathering place for families. It also pulls a crowd for…
Managua
The tomb of Carlos Fonseca, founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). He was killed fighting Nicaraguan National Guard forces loyal to…
San Juan Del Sur
Check this arts center for salsa, merengue and bacchata (romantic Dominican dance music) dance lessons, arts exhibits and more. It's also the home of APC…
Caribbean Coast
It's possible to climb this hill on the edge of town for good views of the local rivers, but you'll need to navigate the poor neighborhoods that surround…
Galería de Arte Casa de Artista
Isla de Ometepe
Near the beach, local artist Abel shows off his work – from nudes and still life to landscapes. Swing by and have a look; it's signposted from the main…
