Nicaragua
North America · Managua · NI
Nicaragua is the largest country of Central America, a land of volcanoes, lakes and the lively, increasingly beloved colonial cities of its Pacific route. Managua, the capital, is a sprawling, unhurried city, but the real draws are the old towns of León and Granada, with their painted churches, their colonial squares and their buzzing student life, and the great lake of Nicaragua with its islets and its surf town of San Juan del Sur on the coast. The country runs down the volcanic spine of the isthmus, with the smoking cones of the Masaya, the surf beaches of the west and the cloud forests and the small towns of the north. Coffee, ceviche and the sandals of the market towns give it a flavour all its own, and the people are famously warm. Cheap, authentic and steadily finding its feet, Nicaragua is one of the most characterful countries of the region.
Overview
Nicaragua is a country in North America. Its capital is Managua and the international dialling code is +505. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Spanish. Local currency is the Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO). We also list 1 city in Nicaragua: Managua.
León, the Churches and the Painted City of the North
The old city of León, the intellectual and the revolutionary heart of the country, spreads its painted colonial streets around the cathedral of its centre, the vast, white-washed building that is the largest church of Central America and the preferred lookout of the whole town, with the visitors climbing to its rooftop terrace for the view over the red roofs to the volcanoes. The churches of the city, more than a dozen of them, keep the gilded altars and the painted ceilings of the colonial era, and the museums of the city hold the art of the modern movement that Nicaragua gave the world. The markets, the cafes and the student crowds of the university keep the town lively, and the famous mural of the walls and the revolutionary history are part of the everyday. It is the most characterful city of the country.
Granada, the Lake and the Streets of the Pastel
The colonial town of Granada, on the shores of the great lake of Nicaragua, is the oldest city of the Spanish foundation in the country, and its centre holds the painted facades, the courtyards and the horse-drawn carriages of a centuries-old elegance. The great lake before the town, with its string of islands of the volcano, its iguana and monkey islets, and the tours of the boat basins, gives the town its extraordinary setting, and the old harbour and the fort of the lake hold the history of the colonial trade and the pirates. The famous islets of the lake, the hundreds of small volcanic islands with their houses and their birds, are reached by the day boats that run from the town's port. Granada is warm, lively and deeply photogenic, the best base for the lake and the south of the country.
The Volcanoes of the Masaya and the Night Glow of the Cone
The Masaya volcano, an easy drive from the capital and from Granada, is one of the most active giants of the region, and its national park brings the visitor to the very rim of the smoking crater, where the night sky glows with the red of the lava below. The park of the volcano, with its trails through the dry forest and its lookouts over the surrounding plain, frames the morning and the evening views of the whole region, and the cave of the bats at the base adds the wildlife of the night. The volcanoes of the country, from the perfect cone of the Mombacho to the active giants of the north, string the country's spine, and their slopes hold the coffee farms and the cloud forests that attract the hikers. The night of the Masaya is among the most dramatic roadside sights of Central America.
San Juan del Sur and the Surf of the Pacific
The surf town of San Juan del Sur, on the southwestern coast, is the beach resort of the country, its crescent of the golden bay backed by the hills and the small hotels that look over the water. The surf beaches of the surrounding coast, the long, consistent breaks of the region, draw the board riders from around the world, and the remote bays and the coves of the headlands are reached by the boats and the rough roads of the coast. The sunset of the town, with its famous cross on the hilltop above the bay, is a rite of the local evenings, and the beach bars, the cevicherias and the fishing boats of the bay complete the picture. The coast is warm, lively and increasingly popular, a proper surf town with a bohemian, welcoming feel.
The Coffee, the Ceviche and the Markets of the Hills
The food of Nicaragua is the food of the region at its best: the ceviche of the fresh fish cured in the lime, the gallo pinto of the rice and the beans of the everyday, the grilled meats of the street stalls and the fried plantains of the tables. The coffee of the northern highlands, grown in the volcanic soils of the mountain towns, is the pride of the country, and the fincas and the farms of the region welcome the visitors on the tours of the plantations and the roasters. The markets of the towns carry the hammocks, the sandals of the country and the fresh produce of the farms, and the table of Nicaragua is always shared with the warmth and the hospitality of the people. The coffee and the food of the country are the everyday treasures of the trip.
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- Capital
- Managua
- Currency
- Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +505
- Internet TLD
- ni
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Nicaragua.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Nicaragua?
Managua is the capital of Nicaragua, and the country sits in North America.
What currency is used in Nicaragua?
You pay with Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO) in Nicaragua. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Nicaragua?
The languages we list for Nicaragua are Spanish. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Nicaragua?
The dialling code for Nicaragua is +505 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Nicaragua do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Nicaragua: Managua (capital).