Posts tagged Granada Nicaragua
Family Vacation in Granada, Nicaragua
Sep 17th
Granada, Nicaragua is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of a family vacation. This is one of the reasons this beautiful colonial city makes a great travel experience for children. The lack of crowds and commercialism allow everyone to relax and enjoy experiencing a unique culture. Granada is an easy city to explore on foot or by horse drawn carriage. There are museums, cultural centers and markets to while away the afternoon heat. Just outside the city are a thrilling zip-line tour through the jungle canopy at Mombacho Volcano or a tranquil boat tour of some of the 365 islands located in Lake Nicaragua at the city’s edge.
Granada attracts a diverse range of people and this has resulted in some great restaurant, shopping and hotel choices. There is something here for every traveler’s budget. You can enjoy an elegant meal at the Tercer Ojo, located next to the Convento San Francisco or head up the road one block and dig into a delicious pizza with a beer or a coke at the Tele Pizza. In the mood for some Espresso and Gelato, no problem just walk up half a block from the central park to the Euro Cafe. Enjoy their free WIFI and used book store when you are done.
Your hotel choices are as varied as the choices in restaurants. Our favorite hotel in Granada is the Hotel Casa San Francisco. It is a charming boutique hotel with a pool and restaurant. The hotel is owned by two sisters who were former US Peace Corps workers. They are involved in the Granada community and we enjoy hearing their stories. The hotel is small enough that the staff will get to know you and make you feel very welcome.
An easy day trip outside of Granada is to the artisan town of Masaya. A shopping trip to the market in Masaya should not be missed. Nicaraguans are highly skilled artists and there are so many interesting items, your children will not be bored. It is also an easy drive to the top of the active Masaya Volcano, where you can be up close to the smoking crater.
Nicaraguans are warm and welcoming people, proud of their culture and the peace they have found. Experiencing and supporting this culture with your tourism will ensure that this family vacation will remain in your hearts forever.
Introduction to the Rivalry Between Leon and Granada, Nicaragua
Sep 14th
You may have heard about the rivalry between Leon and Granada. So what’s the beef? When did this start and what is it all about? It turns out that this one goes way back to the very origins of colonial Central America and continues up to the current day.
Both of the cities were founded in 1524 by the Spaniard Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. Most accounts claim that Granada was founded earlier in the year and therefore is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere and American Continent. It has sometimes been alleged that León was actually the first. However, in any case, the original León was destroyed by the volcano Momotombo and re-established some kilometers away.
For the colonial conquistadors, Granada was intended to be the administrative and political capital with easy transportation access on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. León was at first the military capital for Spanish troops defending the colony. León managed to gain administrative power which did not sit well with those in Granada. Also, from the very start there were cultural differences with the more aristocratic Granada. The two cities competed economically over their interests in shipping, trade, cattle and other products and services. Granada was home to the landowners and León had more merchants.
The real fighting soon got underway during the fight for independence from Spain. In 1838 after full independence warfare continued between the liberals in León and the conservatives in Granada. León was the first capital and it was then was moved between the two cities several times before Managua became the capital in 1858 as a compromise solution.
A great deal of the animosity between the two cities is tied up in the relationship of Nicaraguans to the superpower of the American Continent the United States. This relationship has deep roots. It is said that the liberals in León were good friends and supporters to the liberal revolutionaries in the American colonies as they struggled against the British Empire. The British had interests all along the Caribbean coast of Central America and relations with the conservatives in Granada.
Countless complexities surrounding the business interests, canal proposals and other power struggles between different groups and individuals in the United States, León, Granada and the rest of Nicaragua has woven a very tangled web of hard to unravel history. The book “Confronting the American Dream: Nicaragua under U.S. Imperial Rule” by Michel Gobat does a wonderful job demonstrating part of the tumultuous history.
Among the many events, some of the most important ones are the William Walker incident, the US occupation, the Sandino period, the Somoza era, and the Sandinista revolution.
As time passed, the “León liberals” versus the “Granada conservatives” explanation does not neatly explain all the movements and events. It does not neatly divide all the incidents and struggles between the two cities and events that occurred, not just in the two cities, but throughout the country. The rivalry between the two cities, capitals of their regions and centers for larger parts of the country, has continued until today. However, the capital Managua now plays a much more prominent role in the countries activities and has diffused some of the tension.
