León is perfect for tourism in Nicaragua.
In the north of Nicaragua, close to the border with Honduras, we find this perfect enclave to come and visit for a few days.

The department of León:

The department of León is characterized by having spectacular landscapes, beautiful beaches, volcanoes and countless attractive destinations that are little explored. In this department there are four volcanoes of the Cordillera de Los Maribios and there are also beautiful beaches, historic towns and above all churches with beautiful architecture.

Municipalities of León:

Located in the west of the country, also known as “The University City” or “The Metropolitan City”, the department of León has an area of ​​5138.03 km² and an approximate population of 441,308 inhabitants distributed in its ten municipalities: Nagarote, La Paz Centro, the City of León, Quezalguaque, Telica, Larreynaga, El Sauce, Achuapa, El Jicaral and Santa Rosa del Peñón.

From this land have emerged important figures such as the Prince of Castilian letters Rubén Darío, Salomón de la Selva, Alfonso Cortes and Azarías H. Pallais; the king of the waltz José de la Cruz Mena, among other illustrious figures, both of national independence and of the intellectual life of the country.

City of León Nicaragua:

The departmental capital, the city of León, is the second most important in the country and one of the most majestic colonial cities in all of Central America, as it was one of the first cities founded by the Spanish upon arriving on the continent.

The city of León, whose original name is Santiago de los Caballeros de León, was founded on June 19, 1524 by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, near the indigenous town of Imabite and on the banks of the Momotombo volcano. In 1610, due to strong seismic movements and a huge eruption of the Momotombo volcano, the city had to move to its new location, the current one, next to the indigenous town of Sutiaba. The eruption of the Momotombo volcano, which killed a large part of the city’s population, is remembered in León Viejo, where the ancient ruins can now be visited.

Although with less population than Managua, León has been the intellectual seat of the nation, with a university founded in 1813, being the last founded in America before independence and which was the most important in Central America for a full century. León is also an important industrial and commercial center of Nicaragua.

The first capital of the Revolution:

Until Managua was named the capital of Nicaragua, León rivaled Granada for this representativeness. And it is proud to have been the first Capital of the Revolution.

It is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Central America and has two great monuments declared World Heritage Sites: the city of Old León and the Cathedral of León.

The main attraction of the city of León is its rich monumental heritage.

History of León Nicaragua:

It is well known for its varied religious architectural heritage and its numerous churches.

Cathedral of León Nicaragua

First of all, being the most famous and declared World Heritage by UNESCO, is the Insigne and Royal Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Cathedral of León. A typical colonial baroque construction, it was built between 1747 and 1814, the towers are neoclassical in style and it is very well preserved.

Due to the robustness of its walls, it has withstood several earthquakes, volcanic eruptions of the Cerro Negro volcano and wars. In 1824, several cannons were placed on its roof during the siege of the city by conservative forces and in the insurrection of June and July 1979, against the dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle it was also the scene of war. This cathedral is the largest in Central America.

Neighborhoods of León:

The city is made up of several neighborhoods and slums that extend throughout the city, many of them take the name of the nearest church, as is the case of the laborío neighborhood. The most famous, without a doubt, is the indigenous neighborhood of Sutiaba, where an indigenous community still lives today.

The Cathedral of León:
It was the first episcopal seat of Nicaragua, since 1531, making it one of the oldest dioceses in America. The tomb of the poet Rubén Darío is located here, at the foot of the statue of San Pablo, the father of modernism and considered Prince of Castilian letters. In its crypts, designed to withstand earthquakes, are buried some illustrious figures of the nation such as the poets Salomón de la Selva and Alfonso Cortés; the hero Miguel Larreynaga and the musician José de la Cruz Mena.

The churches of León:

The church of San Juan de Bautista de Sutiaba is considered the largest church after the cathedral of León and is also of great architectural interest. Construction began in 1698 and was completed in 1710. During the Central American war in 1844, the dome that crowned the tower was destroyed and had to be rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century.

The church of San Francisco, which is part of the convent of San Francisco, one of the oldest in Nicaragua, founded in 1639 by Fray Pedro de Zúñiga. With a facade renovated at the end of the 19th century, inside it preserves two good examples of Plateresque altars.

The Church of El Calvario, interesting from an urbanistic point of view due to its spatial layout, this church dates from the first half of the 18th century, although it underwent modifications to its north tower in the 20th century.

The Ruins of the Church of San Sebastián, built at the end of the 17th century as a chapel for the Cathedral and was one of the first religious buildings in the city. It was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century by Colonel Joaquín Arrechavala. It was bombed during the capture of León by the planes of the Nicaraguan Air Force in 1979 and as it was made of adobe it was easily destroyed unlike the other churches, which, being built of bricks and quarry stone, withstood the fighting.

The Diocesan Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de La Merced. This is the temple where Nuestra Señora de La Merced, patron saint of the city, is venerated. The Church and Convent of La Merced was one of the first buildings to be designed and built on the new site of the city of León. The current temple that houses the Sanctuary of Our Lady of La Merced is the third built on the same site that was established after the transfer of the city of León in 1610.

The markets of León:

There are three important markets in the city. The central market, which is located behind the Cathedral, is where you can experience visiting a popular market and get to know the hustle and bustle of Nicaraguan daily life. The second market, located next to the San Juan church, near the old railway station, maintains a good commercial activity and supplies a large part of the city. The third, located next to the bus terminal in the Coyolar neighborhood, is the smallest of the three, although it is well stocked and you can find any product. There is also another well-stocked market in Sutiaba.

The old railway station:

Located near the San Juan church, the railway station is worth visiting for its architectural interest, although it is deteriorating over time and is a vestige of what it once was. Nicaragua stopped having a train in the early 1990s during the UNO government of Doña Violeta Chamorro.

The Rubén Darío Museum Archive:

It is located near La Salle School, in the house where the Great Poet grew up with his aunt Bernarda Sarmiento and Colonel Félix Ramírez. In the museum you can see the writer’s personal belongings and the house, as well as period furniture and various objects. It is interesting to stop by and learn a little about Nicaraguan history from the previous century.

Museo de Arte Fundación Ortiz-Gurdián:

Located one block north of the Rubén Darío Museum Archive. Here you can visit various artistic works by great masters of the Baroque and Renaissance. The museum occupies two colonial houses of architectural interest in León and was founded in 1996 by Ricardo Ortiz and Patricia Gurdián.

Tourism in León:

In León there are tourist activities for all tastes: climbing any of its eight volcanoes, enjoying the Pacific beaches or surfing on them, the best known are spread between the city of León and the municipality of Nagarote.

Visit the historic ruins of Viejo León, a city that was buried in 1610 by the eruption of the Momotombo Volcano and declared a World Heritage Site for its importance; walk through the streets of the city of León and visit its famous cathedral, the tomb of Rubén Darío and also a World Heritage Site, or its various churches, museums or galleries.

Sandboarding in León Nicaragua:

Sandboarding has become very popular among the most daring tourists. This activity consists of descending the Cerro Negro Volcano on a board similar to a snowboard. If you are interested in practicing this activity, we recommend that you speak with one of the tour operators in León who organize it.

Beaches in León Nicaragua:
The most important beaches in the city of León are Poneloya and Las Peñitas, both with tourist infrastructure. From Las Peñitas you can visit the island of Juan Venado, a 22km long natural reserve. You can surf on them.

Las Peñitas Beach is the perfect spot for a family or couple’s holiday. Both are very quiet and not very crowded, except during Easter and Christmas. There are plenty of hotels in Las Peñitas that offer quality service at a low price.