Gorgeous Granada
Oh, Granada. You pretty thing, you. Like an uncut jewel on the edge of Lake Nicaragua, this city gleams with colonial treasures and throbs with life. Tree-lined avenues host the sunflower-colored Cathedral of Granada, just as Calle la Calzada shoots by with its broiling tajada sellers and paint-peeling cafes. Every angle seems worthy of National Geographic, so be ready to click away on the camera as you whizz by beautiful baroque churches and pueblo cottages. Granada vacation rentals are also a great base for exploring Nica's volcano belt _ Mombacho has cloud forests, and Masaya still belches smoke into the sky.
Get your culture hit in Granada
You won't want to leave Granada without uncovering the town's enthralling tales of pirate visits and conquistadores. But first, something tastier _ the Choco Museo _ you know, for a session crumbling up cacao beans, whizzing tasty chocolate beverages and munching on sugary bonbons. After that, more than 2 millennia of ceramic art and pottery awaits at the acclaimed Mi Museo, while visits to the great Cathedral of Granada and the 5 other elegant churches in the old center make up a heritage trail to remember.
Great weather for Granada's treats
With your heart set on long walks through cobbled colonial streets and balmy nights with the cumbia jazz bands of the zocalo, you should be sure to seek out Granada vacation rentals in the rain-free dry season. That typically lasts from November to April each year, and sees people flock to town for guided tours of the churches, or boat trips to the islands of Lake Nicaragua. You could also come in the wetter months of May, June and July, when the crowds are smaller but there can be some tropical downpours throughout the days.
Beneath the volcanos in Granada
Granada sits right in the midst of the Nica volcano belt. You'll be able to strike out to hike the 1,344-meter-high ridges of Mombacho Volcano that lies on the horizon, or can go for something more primeval with crater-rim tours of the magma-spewing Masaya Volcano. Lake Cocibolca _ or Lake Nicaragua _ is another major natural draw. It's peppered with gorgeous islets where Spanish forts rise above the jungles. Glimpses of spider monkeys are common, and walks around the ancient sites of Zapatera offer views of eroded volcanic craters and empty tropical bays.
Transportation options to and around Granada
Fly into Augusto C. Sandino Intl. Airport (MGA), the closest airport, located 20.6 mi (33.1 km) from the city center.
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