A trip to Nicaragua isn’t complete without visiting the colourful Spanish colonial city of Granada. Located on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, the country’s oldest city turned 500 years old in 2024.
We started our day in Parque Central de Granada, the city’s main square, with hotels and restaurants lining one end and the beautiful Granada Cathedral at the other. The park itself is fairly small with some flowers and trees and a large gazebo in the centre. Horse drawn carriages can be found to take you on a tour of the city (although I wouldn’t recommend doing this) as well as a small souvenir market just outside of the park.
Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, also known as Granada Cathedral, is a sight to see. A striking, yellow building with white trim and pillars out front and large terracotta domes on the roof. Inside, there are beautiful murals covering parts of the ceiling depicting bible stories, like Noah’s Ark, Adam and Eve and more. The cathedral was built between 1905-1915.
We met a local tour guide named Miguel just outside the cathedral, who took us on a 2 hour walking tour of the city. I always love finding a free walking tour or a local guide when I travel as it is such a great way to learn more about the history and local way of life as you explore a new place.
Granada is home to numerous churches including Iglesia la Merced, which offers the best views of the city from the bell tower.
Construction was finished in 1539, but was razed by pirates in 1655 and rebuilt with its current baroque facade between 1781-1783, before being damaged again by William Walker’s forces in 1854. The front has been left with its burned appearance, while the interior was redone in 1862.
The elaborate stained glass is beautiful and it has a nice little garden courtyard to visit. It cost $1 USD to climb up the narrowest, winding staircase I’ve ever seen to the bell tower, but the view is definitely worth it. You can see for miles in every direction!
Pretty salmon hued Iglesia Xaltera, was built during the colonial era and due to its location it was used as a military fortress.
It destroyed during the National War and then later destroyed again by an earthquake. Final restoration work was completed in 1921 and the frescoes and carved alter are definitely worth seeing.
Across from it is Parque de Xaltera. Both were named for the Indigenous tribe who originally lived here before the Spanish arrived.
Fortaleza la Polvora, the turreted Spanish fortress was constructed in 1748.
Today, many of the walls still stand and a small museum about the revolution is found inside with info about the Sandinistas (all in spanish)
Cementerio de Granada is a large cemetery with some huge, ornate mausoleums and tombs including the first president of Nicaragua Fruto Chamorro as well as the ‘Chapel of Souls’, which Miguel said was mainly for funerals.
Mercado Municipal, Granada’s large market has been around since 1892 and is a maze of stalls with food, clothes, shoes, household goods, electronics and more.
It’s crowded and busy, but definitely worth exploring.
Located just outside the market is Tosto Metro a little hole in the wall restaurant the serves the banana burger I had read about (and Miguel recommended) You choose what kind of burger you want- beef, pork, chicken or veggie and they cook everything fresh.
The meal comes with carrots and two homemade dipping sauces, fresh made juice with ginger and tamarind and your burger topped with grilled peppers, zucchini, mini corncobs, carrots and avocado sauce between two huge tostones (fried, smashed plantains)
It was amazing! So fresh and tasty! To end the meal, they brought out a little dessert pastry with a spoonful of honey. Great meal for about $10 each.
Granada is also home to two chocolate museums/factories. Bate Bate Chocolate where we wandered through and read all about the chocolate made here. The sign said they do tours and tastings, but nothing seemed to be happening during the time we were there, so we continued on to the Choco Museo & Cafe where we were greeted and immediately offered a tasting.
We got to sample several kinds of their chocolate, both caramel coffee and chocolate covered nuts, brownies, Nicatella (their version of Nutella) chocolate honey, and then some shots- crema de cafe, Ron de Cacao (chocolate rum) a chocolate & ginger tequila and then chocolate sangria! The tasting ended with a chocolate tea that tasted like Christmas to me with all the spices. It was all very good. Definitely a great stop! We toured around the museum and art gallery as well which explained the chocolate making process, the history of cacao beans and their value in the ancient world and featured local art work. They also offer chocolate workshops if you are looking for more chocolate fun!
Ready for a break from the sun and humidity, we made our way to The Garden Cafe for a cold drink. This beautiful cafe right near the cathedral is the perfect spot to relax in the tranquil inner garden courtyard. They have a good selection of food and drinks on the menu and I opted for both an iced latte and a frozen blueberry lemonade. Both excellent choices on a hot, humid day!
Besides the cafe, there is a small artisan shop and a ‘take a book, leave a book’ library found inside. This would definitely be my hang out spot if I lived here!
Located about 30 minutes from Granada is another must-see spot- Laguna de Apoyo. This small lake is a nature reserve located between Masaya and Granada. It is one of the oldest lagoons in Nicaragua formed hundreds of thousands of years ago after the eruption of a volcano. Over the years, the open cone gradually filled with fresh water so clear and deep blue in colour and due to the volcano, the water stays naturally heated around 80F. It’s considered one of the cleanest natural lakes in Nicaragua and possibly all of Central America.
We checked into the San Simian Lodge right on Laguna de Apoyo and took the kayaks out to explore the laguna a bit before jumping in for a swim. The lodge is built on a hill, with a beautiful view of the laguna and cute little bungalows. With hammocks to relax in and good local meals available at the restaurant, it was a great place to relax for a couple of days.
Whether you choose to stay in Granada or relax on the shores of Laguna de Apoyo, be sure to add both stops to your Nicaraguan adventure!
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