Commander Carlos Fonseca, the Sandinista equivalent of Malcolm X (read: bespectacled, goateed, intense, highly charismatic), grew up desperately poor in…
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Matagalpa
Matagalpa may be one of Nicaragua's biggest cities, but it remains a fairly provincial and laid-back place, an almost reluctant urban center for this most bucolic of regions. Here the nearby mountains, which soar in every direction around the city's central neighborhoods, are never far from locals' minds, not to mention the coffee produced on their hillsides, which accounts for Matagalpa's historic wealth.
The city itself is pleasant enough, with a young and friendly population who seem delighted to see visitors. It is best used, however, as a comfortable urban base for exploring the surrounding countryside, where you can hike through primary forest to gushing waterfalls, explore coffee plantations and disused mine shafts, and listen to ranchero troubadours jam under a harvest moon.
Explore Matagalpa
- CCasa Museo Comandante Carlos Fonseca
Commander Carlos Fonseca, the Sandinista equivalent of Malcolm X (read: bespectacled, goateed, intense, highly charismatic), grew up desperately poor in…
- MMuseo Nacional de Café
This absorbing museum features large, glossy, printed displays in Spanish and English on the roots of modern coffee production in the region, as well as…
- FForeigners Cemetery
Graveyard fans should check out both the Foreigners Cemetery (and nearby National Cemetery) on the eastern edge of town, where you'll find great views and…
- IIglesia San José
Originally constructed in 1751 and used as a jail for indigenous rebels in the late 1800s, this church was rebuilt in 1917 by Franciscan friars. The…
- IIglesia Catedral San Pedro
Built in 1874, Matagalpa's glorious, whitewashed neoclassical cathedral is flooded with light. Inside the sanctuary are a natural wood altar, gorgeous…
- IIglesia Molagüina
The 1751 Iglesia Molagüina, in the center of town, is the plainest of Matagalpa's churches, but has nice gardens.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Matagalpa.
See
Casa Museo Comandante Carlos Fonseca
Commander Carlos Fonseca, the Sandinista equivalent of Malcolm X (read: bespectacled, goateed, intense, highly charismatic), grew up desperately poor in…
See
Museo Nacional de Café
This absorbing museum features large, glossy, printed displays in Spanish and English on the roots of modern coffee production in the region, as well as…
See
Foreigners Cemetery
Graveyard fans should check out both the Foreigners Cemetery (and nearby National Cemetery) on the eastern edge of town, where you'll find great views and…
See
Iglesia San José
Originally constructed in 1751 and used as a jail for indigenous rebels in the late 1800s, this church was rebuilt in 1917 by Franciscan friars. The…
See
Iglesia Catedral San Pedro
Built in 1874, Matagalpa's glorious, whitewashed neoclassical cathedral is flooded with light. Inside the sanctuary are a natural wood altar, gorgeous…
See
Iglesia Molagüina
The 1751 Iglesia Molagüina, in the center of town, is the plainest of Matagalpa's churches, but has nice gardens.
Guidebooks
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