GRANADA, NICARAGUA

Granada is a lovely city located in western Nicaragua sandwiched in the middle of some of the country’s most famous natural wonders! To the east sits Lake Nicaragua, to the south stands Mombacho Volcano, to the west is Apoyo Lagoon, and to the north lies Tisma Lagoon Natural Reserve. You’ll need a few days to explore Granada and its surrounding beauty!

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Attractions:

  • Granada Cathedral: Also known as “Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral”, this church is stunning. With its bright yellow and red colors, you cannot miss it!

  • Laguna de Apoyo: This lagoon is a nice place to spend a day relaxing at. From town, catch any bus heading to Masaya and ask to be dropped off at “la entrada de la laguna”. The bus ride is 30 minutes and costs C$20 ($0.60 USD). From here, it is a 60-90 minute walk to the lagoon or 20 minutes by taxi (C$100).

  • Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve: Hop on any bus heading towards Rivas or Nandaime and ask to be let off at “la entrada de Volcán Mombacho”. The bus ride is 20 minutes and costs C$20. From here, the walk to the park is 20 minutes. The entrance fee is $5 USD. To get to the top, you can either take a 4x4 (for $22 USD) or walk. There are three different hikes you can do (all prices in USD):

    • El Cráter: 1 hour hike; $2 trail cost; no guide required

    • El Tigrillo: 2 hour hike; $4 trail fee; $17 guide required

    • El Puma: 4 hour hike; $6 trail fee; $22 guide required

  • Mercado Municipal: Another amazing Central American market! Walk south down Calle Atravesada and you will run into it (located here). It is open daily from 5:00am-10:00pm.

  • Central Park of Granada: Great spot to relax and people watch! Grab a drink and stretch your legs out!

  • Other spots include: Islets of Granada, ChocoMuseo, Calle La Calzada, Xalteva Park, and Casa de los Tres Mundos.

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Accommodation:

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Transportation:

Granada has two main bus terminals. The one you use will be dependent on your destination. For all destinations running through Managua, use Terminal de Buses Granada-Managua. For all destinations running through Rivas, use Terminal de Buses Granada-Rivas. All buses below leave from one of these two terminals.

  • León is 3-4 hours by bus from Granada (indirect; via Managua) and costs C$90 ($3 USD). The first bus from Granada to Managua is 1.5 hours and costs C$30; buses run every 30 minutes from 6:00am-8:00pm. The second bus from Managua to León is 1.5 hours and costs C$60; buses leave when full from 4:00am-8:00pm.

    • You can also take a 3-hour direct shuttle at 12:00pm to León for $15 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer.

  • San Juan del Sur is 4-5 hours by bus from Granada (indirect; via Rivas) and costs C$65 ($2 USD). The first bus from Granada to Rivas is 2.5 hours and costs C$50; buses leave daily at approximately 5:50am, 6:30am, 8:05am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 12:40pm, and 1:10pm. The second bus from Rivas to San Juan del Sur is 1 hour and costs C$15; buses run every 30 minutes.

    • You can also take a 2.5-hour direct shuttle at 12:30pm to San Juan del Sur for $15 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer.

  • Ometepe Island is 4-5 hours by bus and ferry from Granada (indirect; via Rivas and San Jorge) and costs C$95 ($3 USD). The first bus from Granada to Rivas is 2.5 hours and costs C$50; buses leave daily at approximately 5:50am, 6:30am, 8:05am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 12:40pm, and 1:10pm). The second bus from Rivas to San Juan del Sur is 15 minutes and costs C$10; buses run every 30 minutes. Ferries from San Jorge to Ometepe Island leave every 30-45 minutes from 7:00am-5:45pm. Be sure to get a ticket going to Moyogalpa (not San José del Sur). The ferry is 1 hour and costs C$35.

    • You can also take a 2.5-hour direct shuttle at 12:00pm to San Jorge for $15 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer.

    • There used to be a ferry that ran from Granada to Ometepe Island but it has since stopped due to low water levels. Check here for updated information.

  • Tegucigalpa, Honduras is 11-12 hours by bus from Granada (indirect; via Managua) and costs C$1,130 ($33 USD). The first bus from Granada to Managua is 1.5 hours and costs C$30; buses run every 30 minutes. The second bus from Managua to Tegucigalpa is 9.5 hours and costs C$1,100. I recommend booking this ticket online via Transnica in advance because this route only runs once daily (10:30am).

    • At the border, there is a $3 USD Nicaraguan exit fee and a $3 USD Honduran entrance fee.

  • San Salvador, El Salvador is 16-17 hours by bus from Granada (indirect; via Managua) and costs C$1,230 ($36 USD). The first bus from Granada to Managua is 1.5 hours and costs C$30; buses run every 30 minutes. The second bus from Managua to San Salvador is 14 hours and costs C$1,200. I recommend booking this ticket online via Ticabus in advance because this route only runs twice daily (5:00am and 11:00am).

    • At the border, there is a $3 USD Nicaraguan exit fee. There is no El Salvadorian entrance fee.

  • Antigua, Guatemala is a 2-day shuttle bus ride from Granada and costs $100 USD. The service includes 3 hours of driving on day one, a 10-hour stop in León, and 16 hours of driving on day two (price includes a dorm room in León).

    • At the border, there is a $3 USD Nicaraguan exit fee. There is no Guatemalan entrance fee.

The closest airport to Granada is Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport (MGA) in Managua. This airport is 50km (31 miles) from Granada and accessible via shuttle bus or taxi.

  • Shuttle Bus: The ride is 1 hour and costs $23 USD.

  • Taxi: The ride is 1 hour and costs $40 USD.

I did not do a great job of photographing Granada during my visit; the three photos I captured were in the marketplace. Luckily, I was able to gather a lot of shots from a myriad of photographers. Thank you to the following contributors: Ferdinand Feng, Greg Bilsland, Praesentator, Punkabillieblue, Ian Kirkland, and Pdro-Enrique! And, of course, my favorite Nicaraguan, Nelson!