The undisputed star of the town center is Nicaragua’s finest Parque Central. Former mayor Fausto Sánchez was a botanist, and he planted hundreds of tropical plants here, including magnolias, roses, orchids and birds of paradise – all set among soaring mature cypress and pine trees.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Monumento Nacional Cañon de Somoto
16.67 MILES
The Coco (or Wangki), Central America’s longest river, runs all the way to the Caribbean, but its first impression may be its most spectacular. Gushing…
27.86 MILES
This friendly community is surrounded by coffee farms managed by three working cooperatives. Sontule families once worked for just four prominent…
8.43 MILES
Nicaragua's highest peak, Cerro Mogotón (2107m) towers over the coffee fields of Nueva Segovia, close to the Honduran border. Once off-limits due to land…
Reserva Natural Tepesomoto-Pataste
17.26 MILES
Somoto's 'other' natural reserve, around 15km to the southwest of town, is rarely visited but has a hiking trail and is a popular spot for horseback…
27.37 MILES
A fine place to immerse yourself in the collective-farming world of Miraflor, this small village is in the high zone, which means there are hundreds of…
11.29 MILES
This tiny and rather sorry looking museum just off the Parque Central has some pre-Columbian pottery, ancient wine goblets and other colonial treasures…
11.28 MILES
The jewel of Ciudad Antigua is the sensational Santuario de los Milagros, with its gorgeous brick arches and enormous wooden doors. Check out the Christ…
Santuario de la Virgen de la Piedra
6.62 MILES
The principal sight in town is the lovely Santuario de la Virgen de la Piedra, where a statue of the radiant Virgin of Guadalupe blesses a kneeling…
Nearby attractions
1. Templo Parroquial de Ocotal
0.04 MILES
With mossy columns, twin bell towers (although one was actually built in 2003) and a faded, chipped facade, the baroque-neoclassical Templo Parroquial de…
0.38 MILES
This simple monument is a popular teenage hangout at night, but also remains a vessel for many an abuelita’s (grandmother’s) humble prayers. The views…
3. Santuario de la Virgen de la Piedra
6.62 MILES
The principal sight in town is the lovely Santuario de la Virgen de la Piedra, where a statue of the radiant Virgin of Guadalupe blesses a kneeling…
8.43 MILES
Nicaragua's highest peak, Cerro Mogotón (2107m) towers over the coffee fields of Nueva Segovia, close to the Honduran border. Once off-limits due to land…
11.28 MILES
The jewel of Ciudad Antigua is the sensational Santuario de los Milagros, with its gorgeous brick arches and enormous wooden doors. Check out the Christ…
11.29 MILES
This tiny and rather sorry looking museum just off the Parque Central has some pre-Columbian pottery, ancient wine goblets and other colonial treasures…
12.51 MILES
This wonderfully understated adobe church fronting the shady Parque Central was constructed in 1661, making it one of the oldest places of worship in…
8. Monumento Nacional Cañon de Somoto
16.67 MILES
The Coco (or Wangki), Central America’s longest river, runs all the way to the Caribbean, but its first impression may be its most spectacular. Gushing…