Roaming Tales

Like its famous namesake, Granada in Nicaragua is worth visiting for its relaxed atmosphere and beautiful historic architecture. It might not have the Alhambra but the streets are lined with Spanish colonial buildings in vibrant colours, from blue to cherry red. The town was founded in 1524 and the town has kept its historic flavour, with Spanish-style columns and facades adding a touch of grandeur, while terraces and garden courtyards provide a welcome retreat from the heat.

Granada Cathedral, a splendid building in yellow and white, sits opposite the town square, while municipal buildings and grand hotels line the other three sides. A few streets away, the Guadelupe Cathedral, an unrestored but no less imposing building, has a bell tower with fantastic views of the city.

The Old World Granada has the dramatic mountain backdrop of the Sierra Nevada. The New World version is perched on the edge of a vast freshwater lake with views of the nearby volcano. Lake Nicaragua is the largest freshwater lake in Central America and is almost the size of Lake Titicaca on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It’s worth taking a boat trip in one of the long covered motor boats to explore ‘Las Isletas’ - the islands - where many of Nicaragua’s richest families have holiday homes. Or you can rent a kayak or take a sailing lesson instead.

It’s also the cleanest lake in Central America and in a cafe by the water you can eat delicious freshwater fish caught wild that day, then lightly battered and served with salsa. Granada itself is packed with restaurants, with everything from fusion tapas to Italian on the menu. The city is only 40km away from Managua, the rather less charming Nicaraguan capital, so it gets a lot people coming for the day or the night. This also makes for a buzzing night life, with establishments such as Cafe Nuit and the Safari Lounge providing entertainment in the wee hours.