A shopping trip to the city of Masaya, just 30 minutes from Granada, is an obligatory venture, as is a visit to smoking Volcan Masaya. Many enjoy the tranquil waters of Laguna de Apoyo, whilst side-trips to the pottery town of San Juan de Oriente and the flower-filled village of Catarina are also rewarding.
From the port of San Jorge, boats regularly depart to the glorious island of Ometepe with its rustic villages and twin volcano complex. You’ll need time to soak up the ambience and explore everything it has to offer.
The vibrant colonial city of Leon lies under two hours from the capital and is also a great place to stay. Be sure to summit a volcano or two, perhaps running down the sandy slopes of Cerro Negro, before hitting the Pacific beaches of Las Penitas and Poneloya. More intrepid travellers can continue to the remote Cosiguina Peninsula before backtracking and cutting east to the coffee capital of Matagalpa, two to three hours away.