Saturday Location: Leon

Saturday Location: Leon -

Located in northwestern Nicaragua, León is a college town of tourists often overlooked that remain to the south, near Granada , Ometepe, and the beaches. Given the fact that the area has so much to do, I was expecting a lot of tourists, but instead empty hostels and some gringos usually took the streets during my visit migratory

I'll tell you :. All these absent travelers from missing.

León, a city filled with history, good food, outdoor activities, volcanoes and beaches in the area, was one of the highlights of my trip to Nicaragua.

The city is named after León, Spain. After Nicaragua was granted independence in the 1800s from Spain, fought over the elites of León and Granada which city would be the capital (Managua eventually was picked up). During the fighting between the Sandinistas and Somoza in the 20th century the city changed hands many times between the two and was a scene of constant and intense fights (you can still see bullet marks on some buildings). This lasted all the way through the 1980s (the US involvement in the Iran-Contra affair saw), until peace was established.

Well, Leon is a stable university town with a growing food scene, many markets, growing (but not overwhelming) tourism and more colonial churches and cathedrals per capita than any other place in Nicaragua. I spent four days hiking, dining at churches overdosing, and in the heat oppressive

Here are the highlights of my site .:

See the churches

There are much of churches in Léon. I spent an entire day marveling at these monuments to visit to God and to their different levels of detail. Even if you are not a religious person are (I am not), you can probably still appreciate the beauty, architecture and history of this building. My favorites include Catedral de León, Iglesia El Calvario, La Iglesia Recolección and Iglesia de San Juan Bautista de Subtiava.

Enjoy the beach
A short bus ride into town, you will find beautiful beaches, warm water, and the people in the surf. The surf is not as pleasant as in the southern part of the country (I've heard that it's a little rough here is), but if you're looking to relax and cool off in the dry heat of the region, these beaches let correct the Boxing. Playa Poneloya is the most popular beach.

Visit
The Museum at the residence of the old mayor dedicated the Museum of the Revolution
to the Sandinistas and their fight against "the man." It is only two rooms, but you will get your personal guide that explains the history of the movement (in Spanish or English) and take it to the roof for good pictures of León. The trips may be short, but it was my favorite thing in the city, like you're talking to a local and get filled with local perspective and context a detailed history. The museum tour costs $ 2 USD. Ask for Fernando; He was a fun and informative guide.

to volcano boarding down Cerro Negro

Across the country, I saw people wearing the popular "I volcano boarding was" T-shirt, and this activity is what attracts most backpackers here. After all, who wants to not slip an active volcano on a piece of wood down? (I do not. I skipped this activity. The walk? Sure. The descent on a plank of wood? No, thank you.) Several times to leave trips per day and take a few hours. Bigfoot Tours and Quetzaltrekkers are the two biggest operators.

Wander the markets

León is a market town, and its famous gigantic market is located near the Cathedral bustle, fun and interesting. Grocers, street food vendors, toys, kitsch souvenirs, and everything in between: You can do anything to be found there. Furthermore you can find delicious soups to find barbecue meat sticks and other local specialties.

Take in the art
There is a great art scene in the city, and a number of galleries are available, the largest with Museo de Arte Fundacion Ortiz-Gurdián ($ 2 USD to enjoy), be. It is located in two buildings and has a collection of old religious art and modern Nicaraguan artists. It takes a few hours to explore, and both buildings have a beautiful courtyard garden to relax. My favorite picture was El Retiro Mauricio Gomez Jaramillo.

some volcanoes hike

One of the main reasons why people come here is the nearby volcanoes wander how León volcanic near the Landes region is, many of which are still active. You will be able to choose between half-day hikes and intensive full 12-hour day hikes. The most popular hikes are: Cerro Negro (volcano boarding), Telica (where to go for sunset walks - see photo above!), San Cristóbal (the longest and hardest) and Momotombo (second hardest)

. Visit "old" Leon

The ruins of León Viejo are from the 16th century and are only a short drive from León. The site is Nicaragua the only bid for World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the oldest Spanish colonial settlements in the Americas. While this is not something wasteful's ruins, it's really the only place to see, and the colonial past in the country founding.

Enjoy the burgeoning food scene
León learn attracts a growing number of international tourists and expats and as such has a growing food scene. While you are never in short supply of local gallo pinto , I branched a lot of Western food to eat (there is only so much rice and beans, a food). I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of fun meals.

What I loved about León its proximity was so many outdoor markets, cheap food and decent gourmet restaurants. It felt much more "local" than the tourist meccas of Granada and Ometepe south. My visit to León was one of the highlights of my trip to Nicaragua, and I would highly recommend it here to visit a point.

Share this post