Marvel at the colourful Granada

Colorful Granada is a wonderful old city to wander to for an afternoon. It is home to some of the best-preserved architecture in Nicaragua, including a number of buildings and churches constructed in the Spanish colonial style. Here, you'll find Convento San Francisco, which is one of the oldest churches in Central America. It has an unmissable Tiffany blue facade, and inside, you'll find one of Nicaragua's top museums, dedicated to the country's pre-Columbian people. There are also restaurants, shops, and coffee houses with sidewalk seating around its main square. Granada is a popular base for exploring the islands in Lake Nicaragua on whose shore it sits, this is one of the best things to do in Nicaragua.

Granada has some of the most well-preserved architecture in Nicaragua. It was the first big Spanish settlement in the country, and many of the buildings and churches in the Spanish colonial style are beautifully preserved (and painted in a myriad of colors). Besides wandering around gawking at the architecture, you can take a kayaking trip to the nearby islets, enjoy hiking trips to the Mombacho volcano, and visit the nearby markets in Masaya. From deep cobalt blues to vibrant yellows and hot pinks, basically every color you can think up has a home here. The doors are no less stunning, and so fun to pose in if you can grab a photo buddy. For many travellers, the cobblestone streets and colonial townhouses-turned-boutique hotels in Granada serve as a base from which they explore the rest of the country. Easy day trips from the city allow for hikes on the forested slopes of the Mombacho Volcano or for soaks in the hot springs below it.