The Granada Department is made up of the municipalities of Diriá, Diromo, Nandaime and its capital, the City of Granada.

The department is also home to the so-called “white villages” that are very interesting to visit: Diriomo and Diriá.

Diriomo is popularly known as “The Village of Witches” and is a rural town located near the base of the Mombacho Volcano. The jewel of the place is the famous parish church built with pure stones brought by the natives during the time of colonization. Inside you can admire religious relics and spectacular frescoes on its walls.

Nandaime is the second most important municipality in the Granada Department. The name is of Chorotega origin and comes from “nanda-ime” which means “stream-abundance”. In addition to having part of the shore of Lake Cocibolca, it is located near three important Natural Reserves.

Location of Granada

The department is located south of Managua, just after Masaya. And its strategic location, connected to the main roads of Nicaragua, helps it to stay in the first places of tourist interest, making it a privileged place from where you can get to know a large part of Nicaragua.

Lake Cocibolca in Granada:

A large part of Lake Cocibolca, the largest in Nicaragua and Central America, belongs to the department of Granada. The departmental capital city is connected through the port to the island of Ometepe.

In the lake you can also find and visit Zapatera Island, an archipelago located east of Granada, in Lake Cocibolca that shows remains of rock art that show the rich pre-Columbian culture of the area. In reality, it is a group of islands formed by an ancient dormant volcano.

It has not been very exploited for tourism, so the place is almost virgin and nature is very generous and abundant.

The islets of Granada:

A must-see in Granada City are the Islets of Granada. The Islets are an archipelago made up of 365 islets, of volcanic origin, scattered on the shores of the lake by an ancient eruption of the nearby Mombacho Volcano.

Some of the islands are inhabited by locals who have been populating them for years, there is a community of about 1,200 people living on the islands, most of them from fishing.

It is very worthwhile to visit the islets since the biodiversity of them is very high, several types of birds from the area nest in them and in some even monkeys, which feed mainly on the fruits brought to them by tourists and locals.

The Mombacho Volcano:

The Mombacho Volcano nature reserve allows us to learn about the fauna and flora of the area. The extinct volcano has its own climate with a tropical cloud forest that is very refreshing. In the place, which is fully prepared for tourists, you can sleep and eat, as well as take night tours, highly recommended.

The City of Granada:

Popularly called “The Great Sultana”, it is the departmental capital and one of the most important cities in Nicaragua.

History of Granada Nicaragua:

The City of Granada was founded on the same site where it is currently located in the year 1524 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. Known by the name of the “Great Sultana”, the city of Granada is one of the first cities in the entire continent and has maintained its colonial essence.

In 1856 it was burned by American filibusters and was later restored. Due to its strategic position, situated on the shores of Lake Cocibolca, it was fundamental in the development of the colonial era of the continent and acquired great importance and notoriety, which also led to it being sacked on repeated occasions by pirate attacks.

In the history of republican Nicaragua, Granada always had a great rivalry with the city of León, both wanted to boast the title of capital of the country, a fact that led to several internal war conflicts during the 19th century. It was also the place where the American filibuster William Walker proclaimed himself president of Nicaragua, although he later decided to burn down the entire city when he lost power in 1856.

The Cathedral of Granada

 Walking through its streets, admiring its colonial buildings, seeing the cathedral or strolling through the central park, takes us back to an earlier time and brings us closer to knowing a little more about the continental history.

In the park, visitors can taste some of the most delicious typical foods in the country, as well as buy crafts at one of the points of sale. A highly recommended way to get to know the city in an original way is to take a ride in one of the horse-drawn carriages.

La Calzada Street and the Malecón.

At the end of La Calzada Street, the most famous street in the city and where most of the nightlife is concentrated, is the Malecón, where you can take a boat to visit the islets of Granada, one of the department’s biggest attractions.

The churches of Granada:

In the center there is also the old Church of La Merced, with its old facade blackened by the passage of time, it is one of the most notable baroque buildings in Nicaragua that can be visited. In the surroundings there are cozy businesses dedicated to hospitality. In the church of La Merced you can climb the bell tower, where you can take photos and panoramic views of the city that are well worth it.

Following the same street, a little further up, is the colorful Xalteva church, whose name comes from the indigenous neighborhood that was located in the current anchorage. The church was used as a military fort on several occasions and was rebuilt after it was damaged by a strong earthquake.

The San Francisco Convent, located on Cervantes Street, is currently a museum and cultural center that houses an exquisite collection of pre-Columbian art that takes us back to how the indigenous inhabitants of the area lived. It also has traveling exhibitions.

Typical food of Granada:

Vigorón is a very popular typical food, known and appreciated throughout the country. Several cities claim its authorship, but it is recognized nationally as the authentic one. You can eat a vigorón in the Central Park, the market or in some of the various food stalls in the city.

Customs of Granada:

Since 2005, the International Poetry Festival is held every year, where great artists of international renown attend the event and it takes place in the second week of February.

During the month of March, the Festival of Gastronomy and Folklore is celebrated.

The festivities of Granada

The patron saint festivities are from August 14 to 21 in honor of the Virgin of the Assumption.

Easter, when a large Via Crucis takes place, is also celebrated in grand style, as is Christmas and New Year’s Eve. During these dates, it is filled with both foreign and national visitors. So, if you want to stay in the Great Sultana, we recommend that you book your room in advance. It is easy for the price of hotel services to rise considerably during these date.