The best places to visit in Nicaragua

Colonial towns, unspoiled countryside, towering volcanoes and idyllic beaches

Deciding which places in Nicaragua to visit during your stay will largely depend on where your interests lie as well as how much time you have. Happily, one thing that you won’t have to worry about is there not being enough to see and do during your stay.

While it may not be a huge tourist draw, pretty much all visitors to Nicaragua arrive and depart via its capital city, Managua, which just about has enough to occupy clients for half a day.

Fortunately, if it’s history, architecture and urban life in general that floats your boat, you can easily spend days wandering the picturesque, colonial streets of nearby Leon & Granada, flitting between ornate churches, leafy plazas, outstanding museums and bustling markets.

Located just 30 minutes’ drive from modern-day Leon, it is also worth making the small detour to visit the UNESCO World Heritage ruins of its unfortunate predecessor, Old Leon, largely destroyed by a devastating combination of earthquakes and volcanic eruption.

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Nicaragua’s Northern Highlands offer visitors cooler temperatures and wonderful scenery including the famous Somoto Canyon. This region is also home to two of Nicaragua’s most important crops, tobacco and coffee, with the towns of Esteli and Matagalpa serving as bases for exploring the region.

Those who enjoy being on or around water are also well and truly spoilt for choice in Nicaragua, with a number of wonderful and varied destinations to choose from.

Exploring magical Ometepe Island on Lake Nicaragua is almost a must while the Rio San Juan along Nicaragua’s southern border offers numerous opportunities for adventure.

Alternatively, if you simply want to relax at a nice, lakeside hotel, then look no further than the Isletas de Granada and / or Apoyo Lagoon.

Of course, all of this talk of water doesn’t even take into account of the fact that Nicaragua boasts both a Caribbean & Pacific coastline, with beaches to suit a variety of tastes.

If it’s palm trees, white, sandy beaches and turquoise sea that you’re after, look no further than the beautiful Corn Islands off Nicaragua’s eastern, Caribbean coast.

Alternatively, if you prefer rugged coastlines, sweeping bays and perhaps even the opportunity to try out some surfing, you’ll want to head to Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast and the beaches around San Juan del Sur and the Emerald Coast.