Our third and final stop in Nicaragua was the beautiful city of Granada - probably our favourite stop in the country. Nicaragua was the third country of our Central America backpacking trip, having started in the easternmost country of Panama before traveling by bus across Costa Rica.
I quit my job last July and decided to take what I coined an "adult gap year", given I was taking it aged 28, instead of the typical gap year age of 18. I went back and forth for months on exactly when I would go, which countries I would visit, for how long I wanted to travel, with whom I wanted to go - if anyone...
My Central America trip would turn out to cover five countries in five weeks; the first three (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua) with my partner Tobi and the last two (Guatemala, Belize) with Ina, a friend from Salzburg.
Having loved Panama and then been quite disappointed by Costa Rica, we were eager to see what Nicaragua would bring for us. We ended up leaving Costa Rica after just three nights of our planned eight and therefore had five extra nights in Nicaragua to explore. This was the best decision we could have made as we absolutely loved Nicaragua and are so happy we got to see more of the country than initially planned.
We crossed the border from Costa Rica at Peñas Blancas and then made our way to Laguna de Apoyo, the first stop of our time in Nicaragua. From there, we took a private shuttle north to León for two nights of exploring. Our final stop in Nicaragua was in Granada on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, and the final stop of the trip I would spend with my partner Tobi.
Although it was a lot of work, I made daily vlogs on Instagram reels of every single day of my Central America trip which I branded "the backpacking series".
→ Check out an episode of the Backpacking Series of visiting Granada!
By bus: You can arrive in Granada by public bus from Managua. A bus leaves every half hour from the Terminal de Autobuses Mercado Roberto Huembes in Managua directly to Granada. We didn't use public buses in Nicaragua having been warned against it by other travelers and instead booked private shuttles for our inter-city journeys, therefore you'll need to do your own research here.
By private shuttle: We arrived in Granada by private shuttle from León which we just booked through our accommodation the night before. There is usually a daily morning departure time and they will pick you up and drop you off at your accommodations on both ends. These were usually approximately USD $20 per person.
→ Check out my episode of the Backpacking Series of taking the shuttle from León to Granada!
By car: If you have decided to travel through Nicaragua or Central America by car, you can also travel to Granada with your own wheels. I don't have any experience with driving or parking in Granada or Nicaragua so please do your own research here.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Managua.
By flight: The closest airport is in Managua, the Nicaraguan capital. You can take book a shuttle directly from the airport to Granada.
Granada is a compact, beautiful city and very easily explorable on foot. We wandered through the colourful streets, felt the hot sun on our skin and tried to photograph as many street corners as we could.
We joined a walking tour of Granada booked through our hostel and explored some of the prettiest churches, streets and buildings of the city.
There are plenty of different types of accommodation in Granada. We stayed three nights at the Hostel De Boca en Boca. We loved this hostel. The design and layout was so welcoming and vibey with plenty of spaces to hang out, socialize and get some work done and even a pool! There were different activities on offer every day including walking tours and salsa classes.
→ Book your stay at Hostel De Boca en Boca.
→ Check out other places to stay to suit your budget and accommmodation type.
Breakfast was included every day at our hostel but we didn't eat there because we found one of the best restaurants ever... so read on.
Hostel De Boca en Boca
Granada is oft-considered Nicaragua's best foodie scene with some incredible, world-class restaurants in the city, including a number that come highly recommend by international food critics.
The Garden Cafe
Located at: Calle Libertad, C. Cervantes
While in Granada, we found one of the best restaurants ever. So much so that we went eight times during our four-day stay in the city! Yes... it's that good. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner, we sampled as much as we could off the menu and enjoyed every single dish. The Garden Cafe is a farm-to-table built into a restored colonial home, with locally-sourced ingredients creating a mouthwatering menu. There is also a gorgeous Nicaraguan boutique on site and countless secondhand books lining the walls waiting for new readers.
→ Check out my guide to dining at the Garden Cafe in Granada!
Casa del Café
Located at: Costado suroeste, C. Real Xalteva
This sweet little café reminded us a bit of a Starbucks. Next to our hostel and the Merced Church and Clock Tower, Casa del Café was conveniently located for us to grab cold drinks and snacks.
Mercado en Granada
Located at: Calle el comercio porton principal del mercado 25mts al norte
Amazing street food, fresh fruit and vegetables and pretty much anything else you can think of needing is likely to be on offer in the street market of Granada. We scored a fresh pineapple, chopped for us and oh so juicy.
pita pita
Located at: C. Cervantes
We found this one because it's across the street from our favourite, The Garden Cafe. pita pita serves up delicious Mediterranean cuisine; we ordered a bunch of tapas to try a bit of everything!
NM Culinary
Located at: C. Cervantes
NM Culinary is owned by the same couple who owns The Garden Cafe. While The Garden Cafe is the more casual of the two, offering a range of delicious meals at all times of day, NM Culinary does a tasting menu for lunch and dinner whereby you select a few dishes to share. We didn't end up staying to eat because it's predominantly fish- and meat-based and I am vegetarian.
Out of all the places we visited in Nicaragua, while we loved them all, we both agree that Granada was our favourite. Here is everything we saw in Granada during our three-night stay:
Wander the colourful streets
My favourite thing to do in any new place is simply to wander around, turning left and right down whichever street takes our fancy and get a bit acquainted with the area. We loved walking through the colourful streets of Granada with its brightly-painted buildings and adorned with pretty flowers.
Visit the flowers of Parque Xalteva
Known to locals as the "Romance Park", this is a popular spot for young lovers to come and hold hands and sit on benches and be cute. Understandable, given that it's one of the most photogenic places in Granada blooming with bright flowers and the Iglesia Xalteva providing the perfect backdrop.
Spot the orange walls of Iglesia Xalteva
On one side of the Parque Xalteva stands the Iglesia Xalteva, gorgeous with its bright orange walls and adorned with colourful flowers. The church was built over 100 years ago in 1921.
Visit the Mercado en Granada
Amazing street food, fresh fruit and vegetables and pretty much anything else you can think of needing is likely to be on offer in the street market of Granada. We scored a fresh pineapple, chopped for us and oh so juicy.
Admire the Palacio De La Cultura
An art centre, museum and a place where locals attend dance classes, the Palacio De La Cultura on the edge of the Parque Central de Granada is a pretty building worth stepping inside.
Spot the bright yellow Catedral Inmaculada Concepción de María
This bright yellow cathedral stands on one side of the Parque Central de Granada and is one of the most famous buildings in the city. The first religious building on this site dates back to 1525, with the current building completed in 1751. The dome was added later, in 1916, and a second tower in 1931. We didn't go inside but you can pay to visit the grand interiors. There is also supposed to be quite a nice view from inside over Granada!
Catch golden hour at Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
We discovered this church on our walk out of the city towards the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Not much is known about its history but it is a crumbling, gorgeous old building and a must-see, especially if you can time it with golden hour!
See Lake Nicaragua
Granada is situated on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, most famously home to Isla Ometepe. Funnily enough, it seemed to us as though Granada does not really take advantage of being on the lakefront and we found it quite underdeveloped and quiet. The best, most beautiful and liveliest parts of Granada are definitely in town. It is still a nice walk to head down C. La Calzada out of the city and towards the lake.
Catch a sunset over town
If you're lucky, you might get treated to an incredible Nicaraguan sunset with gorgeous colours lighting up the pretty buildings of Granada.
Climb the Merced Clock Tower for sunset
This was one of our favourite things we did while in Granada. The Merced Clock Tower is probably the best view over the city with 360-degree panoramic views. For USD $2 per person, you can climb the winding staircase and enjoy the view from the top for as long as you want; you might even get to watch the bell being rung!
We spent 10 days exploring Nicaragua as part of a backpacking trip through Central America. I wrote a complete guide on how to visit Nicaragua, including:
- where to go in Nicaragua
- how to get around
- where to stay
- where to eat
- all the best things to see and do in Nicaragua
→ Check out my complete guide on how to spend 10 days in Nicaragua!
Laguna de Apoyo
León
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
