19/09/2019 to 20/09/2019 - Granada / Nicaragua

In 1524, the city of Granada was founded as one of the first Spanish settlements by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. Today it is the third largest city in the country. Granada has been attacked and set on fire by pirates multiple times and was destroyed again during the civil war. Fortunately, many buildings in the Spanish colonial style have been preserved and restored. This also includes our accommodation, Casa Cubana. High ceilings, old heavy wooden doors, a four-poster bed, and a green courtyard with hammocks and a pool. It is the most beautiful accommodation we have stayed in during the past 5 months. The hosts were also super nice. Andy gave us many tips about Granada and our onward journey, and Hazel prepared a different delicious breakfast every day. We really enjoyed our 3 nights here and spent some relaxation time by the pool every day. But we also explored the city of Granada. On the first day, we visited the La Merced Church. We climbed the narrow stairs to the bell tower to witness the sunset over the city. We strolled through the streets of the city, through Central Park, past the cathedral of the city, along a busy and illuminated street. Restaurants and bars are lined up here, and in between are street vendors with homemade jewelry. One of the best restaurants in Granada is La Esperanza. We spent two evenings here enjoying very good food and a typical Grama tea, a specialty of the city. Also located in an old colonial building is the Mombacho Cigar Factory. Unfortunately, there was no tour due to holidays, but we had the opportunity to glimpse into the drying room and a young employee told us a lot about the cigar and its production. Next, we went to the Choco Museum. Here too, we had a very motivated employee who vividly told us the history of chocolate. At the end of the tour, we were able to sample many delicious chocolate products, including chocolate liqueur, the Nicatella spread, and chocolate tea. We walked through the daily hustle and bustle at the city market, visited the oldest church, the San Francisco Church of the city, and strolled through Xalteva Park.

The visit to Granada was really worth it, and we would love to come back someday to this small, cozy, and beautiful colonial city in Nicaragua.