Leon & North Pacific Hotels

The original city of Leon was founded in 1524, a few months after its great rival Granada. That original city, Leon Viejo, was abandoned in 1610 after a number or earthquakes, and is now a World Heritage Site. From 1610 onwards, a new city was built, about 20 miles to the west of Leon Viejo, and that city is now one of the colonial gems of the hemisphere, and Nicaragua’s cultural, educational and intellectual heart. The hotels in Leon are generally of the colonial type, dignified and stately, as befits this glorious old city itself.

Rather less visited by tourists than Granada, and with a lot less expats living there, Leon definitely has a more “authentic” feel to it, with less in terms of hotels, boutiques and restaurants. In comparison to Granada, you’ll see that the place is painted up a lot less, although this is certainly changing. What it does have is plenty of history and the largest cathedral in Central America, as well as a place in modern Central America history, being the heartland of the Sandanista movement. In short, it’s a quite fascinating place.

Leon is also close to a number of volcanoes, especially the famous Cerro Negro, and is THE spot in the world to partake in the sport of volcano sand boarding.

Leon is close to the beach, too, only twenty minutes, and the Pacific Coast up here is pristine and deserted. About an hour out of town, close to Chinandega,  you will find one of the centers of Nicaragua’s fishing scene at Marina Puesta del Sol. Inland, towards Matagalpa and Esteli, you’ll find cool high mountains and coffee plantations.

The north of Nicaragua is definitely way off the beaten track, but well worth a visit if you have the time. Please contact us for any info about this region and its hotels.