Country Guides | Audley Travel

Nicaragua

Arts and crafts
Wonderful, colourful local arts and crafts can be found throughout Nicaragua, but if you have a particular interest then exploring the traditional Chorotega villages that surround the Masaya Volcano, which are well know for their talented craftsmen, is a must. San Juan de Oriente in particular has gained international recognition for its elegant ceramic earthenware.
Arts and crafts
Coffee
Nicaraguan coffee is simply delicious! The country boasts some of the best coffee in the world and ranks in the top ten in gourmet coffee production, with over 30,000 different coffee farms. It was introduced in the mid nineteenth century and has since thrived, becoming one of Nicaragua’s principal exports along with sesame, tobacco and palm oil.
Coffee
Colonial history
With beautiful cities, like Leon and Granada, and their bright colourful buildings offering a spectacular insight into the Spanish colonial era, Nicaragua is a wonderful destination for history-lovers or those in search of a unique cultural experience.
Colonial history
Off the beaten track
Nicaragua is a wonderful country for those looking to get off the beaten track. It is much less visited than neighbouring Costa Rica and the infrastructure in the core regions surprisingly good. This is Central America at its most authentic and unspoilt, and for those looking for something a little different, the history, the people, the rum, the volcanic landscapes and the music will fascinate!
Off the beaten track
San Juan del Sur
Kick back in a beach hammock in San Juan del Sur, just a two hour drive from Granada. Set on a pretty horse-shoe shaped bay, this sleepy fishing village hasn't lost any of its charm and the restaurants serve excellent seafood.
San Juan del Sur
Volcanoes
Nicaragua’s volcanoes provide a stunning and distinctive landscape, and all of them are fascinating to explore. Many of the surrounding towns and villages have been destroyed by eruptions over the centuries and several (in particular the Masaya volcano) remains active, spewing gas and ash into the air. Others, such as the Maderas volcano, cradle spectacular crater lakes, are havens for wildlife and provide excellent hiking opportunities.
Volcanoes