Located in the heart of the American continent, Nicaragua offers to its visitors the glad overflowing of its folklore and his very diverse cultural expressions, the exuberance of its nature, the magnificencia of its colonial cities and old archaeological sites. In Nicaragua it hopes to them, by mainly, the pleasing adventure to share with his people, a country with heart.
¿Why Nicaragua?
Because Nicaragua? Between diverse the attractiveness with that Nicaragua like its rich history counts, ebullient nature exciting adventures, emphasizes what the difference of any other destiny and because the waste of the authentic thing is called a country with heart…, the greatness that is appraised in the simple thing and the spectacle which a scene of the daily life becomes, cause that a visit to Nicaragua becomes in a matchless experience.
The cultural wealth of Nicaragua is without you doubt one of its majors attributes and it is framed from the origin of the name Nicaragua “NIC-atl-nauhuac” by Nahuatl root, that means here “next to the most appraised water” until than it characterizes to his people like “Nicas” his hospitality and amiability.
Colonial cities
Leon
The city of Leon was founded by Francisco Hernandez of Cordova on 1524, to borders of the Xolotlán lake and near Momotombo volcano. During those of 200 years he was capital of the country.
The 11 of January of 1610, the settlers left in exodus the city, after the recurrence of earthquakes and the eruption of Momotombo volcano in 1609. Its place of original seat is known today like the Ruins of Old Leon, incorporated by UNESCO TO the LISTING DE Patrimonio of the Humanity.
It stands out in the architecture of Leon, shaped in its 16 churches that go from the Baroque one to Neoclásico, the Insigne and Real Basilica of Our Lady of Asuncio’n. Its construction initiated in 1747 and it extended during 113 years. Under its immaculate main ship, is the mausoleum where the mortal rest of the Prince of the Castilian Letters rest, Rubén Darío.
The popular and religious expressions are an attractiveness more of this imposing city. These can be appreciated during the celebration of Week Sant.
Granada
The exquisite colonial city of Granada was scene of the looting of the pirates and filibusteros that knocked down the Caribbean during centuries XVII, XVIII and XIX. Founded on 1524 by Captain Francisco Hernandez of Cordova, between the indigenous town of Xalteva and the western shore of the Cocibolca lake, she is one of the older colonial cities of the American continent that is conserved in its original place of foundation.
For a maximum benefit of the alive architectonic beauty of Granada, its better option is to thus rent a car hauled by ornamented horses and, with smooth trote, to arrive at downtown. There they wait for the Cristobal Park Colon, the Cathedral, the House of from Leon one or Three Worlds, the Place of Independence, the Monument de la Cruz of the Century (1900), the Municipal Palace and many other destinies to him like the old Station of the Railroad, the Churches of Xalteva, Merced and San Francisco.
Granada, besides its colonial architecture and its natural beauties, it offers a full nocturnal life of activities for all the tastes and ages in all type of atmospheres.
Folklore and Crafts
Masaya, Capital of the Crafts
Even though a corner of devoid Nicaragua of folkloric expressions does not exist and precious crafts, Masaya is the capital cradle and of the National Folklore, where all type of crafts can be found. On the other hand the artistic presentations, that include musical dances and instruments like marimba of arc, exhibitions and sales of crafts and the diverse typical plates, are something that always will want to return to live.
Monimbó and the White Towns
If it wants to know as the magnificent Nicaraguan crafts are elaborated, it visits then the indigenous district of Monimbó (Masaya) and the White Towns, as Catarina and San Juan of East, where laborious hands transform into art works the palm, the bamboo, the leather, the mud, the wood, the stone and fabrics.
Festivals of the Nicaraguan Folklore
Due to the wealth of Nicaraguan Folklore they throughout exist several festivals the year like which he is realised in honor to San Lazaro, which carries out itself like a prelude to Easter in Masaya, where the believers take to their disguised mascots in order to pay promises Santo. Other festivals are the carts pilgrims and the Wood Festival of May.
The creativity and imagination in artisan works of the Nicaraguan ancestors have extended until nowadays. Nicaragua is characterized in the Central American region to own the richest varieties of crafts like which it is to the north of the country with segovianas mazurquitas candies, the black ceramics of Jinotega and Matagalpa, the marmolina of Limay and the crafts of Pine in Esteli, Madriz and Nueva Segovia, mark the outline of the crafts and of the northern folklore, also we can mention the shaped ancestral creativity in the wood of rose, semiprecious gold, fiber of tuno and minerals as malachite as samples of the crafts of the Caribbean of our country.
Culture of the Coffee
The North of Nicaragua, by its tertiary geologic origin and its geography, is dominated by a valley landscape and fresh climate mountains, are why in Matagalpa and Jinotega coffee seedtime is realised. They are possible to be visited the plantations and to be known the natural process one of the best coffees of the world.
From the cities of Estelí, Ocotal, Somoto, Matagalpa and Jinotega, an ample range of destinies can be chosen. It can visit for example, the Tube of Somoto, nebliselvas of Datanlí-El Devil, the pine groves of Tisey, Ococona, Dipilto and Jalapa or, be entered in the Biosphere Reserve of Bosawas.
Factory of Rum
In Nicaragua the Rum takes place Cane Flower, one of the most awarded at level nacionale and the International. Visits guided with previous appointment through an operator can be done the facilities. Within the activities that can be realised are the visit to the different modules from production, beginning with the reception of the product or molasses soon to happen to the distillation.
Culture of the Tobacco
For those lovers of the pure ones, its visit must be to Estelí, where it will be able to buy pure of reputation in the international market, those that are packed in aromatic small boxes of real cedar. In some of these factories is the elaboration process so is the case of Estelí Cigarettes located to 10 minutes of the center of Estelí. Also during the route the tourist has the opportunity to buy these products to preferential costs
Beaches
Geology and the vulcanism have molded two magnificent types of beaches in the Nicaraguan Pacific. In the south the cliffs predominate, coves and bays with beaches of clear sands, waves and winds that favor surf and the candle. In center and the north the quaternary vulcanism gave rise to extensive black sand beaches velvety.
Pacific: San Juan of the South, Beach Wood, Chococente, Marine Park the Coco, Tola, You will marry and the Small mouth, Pochomil and Masachapa, Montelimar.
The Caribbean: Island of the Corn, Archipelago Miskitos Keys, Keys Rep them.
Land of Lagos and Volcanes
The contrasting beauty… ” Land of Lagos and Volcanes”Nicaragua counts on one of the most impressive volcanic chains of America Center with more than seven active volcanos and the second greater lake of the American continent. Cocibolca lake, Ometepe, Archipelago of Shoemaker, Solentiname.
Activities of Adventure that can be realised in Nicaragua.
Ski on Sand in an active volcano This extreme sport usually practices on the skirts of the Volcano the Black Hill, youngest and more active of volcanos of Central America, next to the city of Leon. This activity includes certain risk level, reason why it is recommended to realise it in group and with the experienced attendance of personnel.
Mountain bicycles
It can practice in the skirts of Masaya volcanos, Mombacho, Cosiguina, Peninsula of Asese (Granada) and Black Hill.
HIking
Besides volcanos mentioned for the ski and the bicycle of mountain, hiking can practice in the skirts of the volcanos Momotombo, Conception and Wood, these two last ones in the island of Ometepe.
Kayaks
Several places offer the facilities for the Kayak including the rent of equipment. River San Juan, Island Juan Deer in Leon, Ometepe, the Islets of Granada and Montelimar, appear in the list.
Canopy
If it attracts to him to walk by the glasses of the trees, nothing better than the Canopy. Several services of Canopy exist: in islets of Granada, Cutirre Property and the Canopy of Mombach Volcano as well as in San Juan of the South.
Surfing
If its preference is to draw for waves with a table, nothing better than rivenses beaches of Marseilles, San Juan of the South, Salt mines of Nagualapa and Maderas, this completes favourite by the championship events.
It fishes Sport
San Juan of the South is one of the points to begin with favourites, especially for the fishing of the Gilded one and the Marlin. If it likes to measure forces in competitions, it can bet to the annual matches of fishing of the islands Zapatera and Ometepe or to international the annual match of River San Juan, where the Real Sábalo is fished.
Buceo and Snorkling
Corn Island, Little Corn Island, Keys Miskitos and Cayos Rep them are of the best one in the Caribbean. In the Pacific, the Beach proximities the Flower and the Ostional. Also the lagoons of volcanic origin like Support between Granada and Masaya are excellent sites.
Globe
You can live the exciting experience to overcome globe airs, feeling the fresh breeze in his face, without a crystal or noise of motor that obstructs its takings of videos and photographies.
Observation of Birds
The 76 protected areas of Nicaragua constitute excellent sites for the observation of birds, in dependency of as they are the species of his interest.
Eco-tourism
Nicaragua is a country equipped by the nature of numerous resistances and pleasing surprises for the visitor. Who visits Nicaragua was here with the impressive rainy forest and the surprising Dry Tropic, the magical enchantment of nebliselva, the vast plain of pine groves and the subaqueous gardens of the Caribbean. They exist more than 70 ecosystems.
Some destinies recommended for the eco-tourism practice: Chacocente and the Flower, Chocoyero the Wizard, Island Juan Deer, Cosiguina Volcano, Matting Father Branches, Musun Hill, Tisey-Estanzuela.
