Nicaragua

Overview

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America by area and the least densely populated. Nicaraguans (or "Nicas" as they are often called) like to refer to their country as the "país de lagos y volcanes"; the country of lakes and volcanoes. And those are indeed striking features as Nicaragua contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca . Inside Lake Nicaragua the famed Volcano Concepcion on Ometepe rises to about a mile in altitude, but other volcanoes such as Momotombo or Mombacho are also impressive.

Nicaraguans like to call their country "país de lagos y volcanes" – Land of lakes and volcanoes and this certainly an apt description of the overall layout, particularly of the Western half of the country.

Nicaragua's capital and largest city is Managua . Somewhere between a quarter and a third of the Nicaraguan population lives in or around the capital and it is thus the largest city and metro-area in mainland Central America , behind Guatemala City.

Although Columbus (known in Spanish as Cristobal Colón) made landfall in northeastern Nicaragua on one of his voyages, it was the western half of the country that first drew Spanish attention. The Conquistadors wreaked havoc on most indigenous civilizations through war, assimilation, enslavement, disease and deportation, however traces of indigenous cultures are still very visible in many aspects of modern Nicaragua. Nicaragua became a Spanish colony and cities such as Granada (one of the first European cities in the Americas that lasted) or its rival León were founded for administrative purposes, among others.

Sights and landscapes

Thankfully, Nicaragua retains much more colonial era architecture than its southern neighbor, and if you are coming from the south, places like Granada or León can be a breath of fresh air, compared to the rather bland modernist architecture you'll find there.

Experiences

Baseball is the official national sport of Nicaragua, which has a professional baseball league consisting of five teams who play a 30-game season in November and December each year, followed by playoffs and a 7-game national championship series. If you're visiting Nicaragua between November and January, you might be able to catch a game in one of the following cities:

Culture and food

Nicaraguan food is very cheap for Western standards. A plate of food from the street will cost C$30-70. A typical dinner will consist of meat, rice, beans, salad (i.e. coleslaw) and some fried plantains, costing under US$3. Buffet-style restaurants/stalls called "fritanga" are very common, quality varies quite a bit. A lot of the food is fried in oil (vegetable or lard). It is possible to eat vegetarian: the most common dish is gallo pinto (beans and rice), and most places serve cheese (fried or fresh), fried plantains and cabbage salad. There are a 'few' vegetable dishes such as guiso de papas, pipián o ayote—a buttery creamy stew of potato, zucchini or squash; guacamole nica made with hard-boiled eggs, breaded pipian (zucchini), and various fried fritters of potatoes, cheese and other vegetables. However, the very concept of vegetarianism is unknown to the majority of Nicaraguans, especially in the countryside, and saying you "don't eat meat" may get people to offer you chicken instead, which is considered distinct from "meat" (pork or beef).

If you like meat, grilled chicken and beef is delicious, the beef is usually good quality but often cooked tough. Also try the nacatamales, a traditional Sunday food, that is essentially a large tamal made with pork or beef and other seasonings, wrapped in a banana leaf and tied with a banana-leaf string (C$35-40). People who make them often sell them from their homes on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; watch for signs that say, "Hay nacatamales" ("We've got nacatamales"),

Indio Viejo is a corn meal (masa) based dished made with either shredded chicken or beef and flavored with mint. The typical condiment is "chilero" a cured onion and chile mixture of varying spiciness depending on the cook. Nicaraguan food is not known for being spicy, though either chilero or hot sauce is almost always available (but be prepared for strange looks if you use them extensively).

While nowhere near as omnipresent as in neighboring Costa Rica, salsa Lizano (a kind of Worcestershire-like sauce) can usually be had with your meal and is sold in most supermarkets. Soy sauce ( salsa china ) and Worcestershire sauce ( salsa inglesa ) are commonly sold in supermarkets as well. If they don't have it, just ask.

The typical Nicaraguan diet includes rice, small red beans, and either fish or meat. Nicaraguans pride themselves for their famous gallo pinto that is a well-balanced mix of rice and beans and is usually served during breakfast.

Planning your route

Most cities in Nicaragua have one main bus terminal for long distance buses. Managua has numerous terminals, each serving a different region of the country depending upon its geographic placement in Managua. Mercado Israel Levites, in the western part of the city, serves cities on the Pacific Coast to the north, e.g. Leon, Chinandega and all points in between. Mercado Mayoreo on the eastern side of the city serves points east, north and southeast, like Matagalpa Rama or San Carlos, Rio San Juan Region. Mercado Huembes in the southern part of Managua serves points south, like Rivas/San Jorge and Peñas Blancas.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.