ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
Islets boat tour in Cocibolca Lake
Lovely boat tour in fresh water Lake Cocibolca known as the Big Lake of Nicaragua. Las Isletas is a paradisiacal archipelago made of more than three hundred small islands and offers beautiful peaceful views to the visitors. Lago Cocibolca is the eight biggest lake in the world and the biggest in Central America. The tour around Las Isletas includes a visit to Old San Pablo fortress in an island. This fortress was built in 1789 to defend the city from pirates’ attacks during the colonial times. The best time to navigate the islets canals is in late afternoon. Pleasant navigation, lovely breeze, birds and sunset!
Granada City
This horse carriage tour around the old downtown in Granada city, known as the Great Sultan will take you back in time; you will easily have the feeling of traveling to the past by using this old way of transportation. The tour includes riding through old historic and famous city streets where you will appreciate the majestic colonial architecture of old houses and buildings. The tour includes the Central Plaza, the Central Park, the Old Railroad Station, the Old San Francisco Convent, the Xalteva Walls and Park, and La Pólvora old fortress.
Masaya Market
The local market is not a beautiful place but it turns to be an interesting visit to observe the dealers behavior, the conditions they work, their gestures and expressions used to offer their products and call clients' attention, how hard Nicaraguan work, especially women. Lots of fresh vegetables and fruits brought from nearby villages can be seen and bought here. Lot of people buy groceries, vegetables, fruits and meats in the market since prices are lower than in the supermarkets. Shoes, flip-flops, sunglasses, and other products can be also bought in this market. The mornings are very busy with lot of people.
This is an interesting visit to one of the cigar factories in the city. Granada was not always a traditional location for tobacco and fine cigars. This commercial activity was introduced in Granada by small entrepreneurs and brought from northern Estelí which is really a traditional cigar manufacturer. Despite that fact, there are a couple of local small cigar factories in Granada. A good opportunity to talk and interact with the factory workers and observe the Nicaraguan hand-made cigar production process. You can evene try to make your own cigar!
Laguna de Apoyo is a beautiful nature reserve situated at 15 kilometers from Granada city. This pristine fresh crater water lake is the perfect place for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, diving, walking, enjoying thermal waters and relaxing. Orchids and numerous species of wild flowers and trees are part of the flora of Laguna de Apoyo. Spectacular views and the possibility -if time and weather conditions permit- to see or hear howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys; watch toucans, squirrels, the beautiful exotic blued Morpho butterfly and other animals. Peace and relaxation in Nature!
An interesting visit to the catholic temples in the city to observe the architecture and the traditions of the religious people in the city.
Diriomo is one of these many peaceful towns located in the province of Granada and not far from the colonial city. These towns are known culturally as the "pueblos brujos" (witch towns) because in ancient times their inhabitants used to cure their sicknesses using herbs. Since then Diriomo has been home of numerous tarot readers and Curanderos, a type of healer that assist people that still believe in that kind of esoteric magic power. Diriomo has a big religious celebration on the second of February to celebrate Virgin de Candelaria. Located close to Diriá, Diriomo is famous because of the Cajetas, a kind of sweet made from fruit seeds and milk. Delicious rosquillas can be also bought in this town.
Masaya is the capital of the Nicaraguan handy crafts and folklore. A visit to this predominant indigenous city includes a tour to hammocks workshops and the Old Market known as Mercado de Artesanías (Handicrafts Market). The old market is an old restored building which in the past decades hosted grocery, vegetable and fruit vendors.
The Masaya Volcano National Park is located a few kilometers from Masaya city and half an hour distance from our host city Granada. The Park has a very special flora inhabited by varied wild animals. There are long caverns that are home to lots of bats; in the volcano crater walls lot of small pretty colored parrots have their nests.
Right at the beginning of Calle Atravesada, one of the historic Streets in Granada and right across from the Parque de los Poetas, remains alive a historic beautiful old building recently restored. This is the old railroad station whose construction started in 1882 and was finished in 1886, that is the year when the first train arrives at this train station in old Granada. When the U.S. Marines occupied Nicaragua, it was remodeled by them in 1912. The building architecture has a neoclassical style, with a strong English and French influence. The old train station was restored with the cooperation of the International Cooperation Agency from Spain and at the present this building hosts a technical vocational school but there is still some old train equipment and the old Presidential train carriage in permanent exhibition.
Known mostly as Parque Sandino, this park in Granada at present time it is a nice place where children are brought by their parents to play at sunset. It is located across from the Vieja Estación del Ferrocarril de Nicaragua. The park was built in 1939 and it has been remodeled many times through all these years. It was restored and renewed in the year 2005 and renamed as Parque de los Poetas in memorial of great Nicaraguan poets. The first International Poetry Festival of Granada took place in 2005 and the local city hall authorized this change. Every year for each poetry festival, a new sculpture of a poet is placed in the park. The park was restored last again in 2013.
Interesting excursion to the summit of Mombacho Volcano, a rain forest reserve. The excursion is done by truck from the station down to the biological station on the summit. Once up there a tour around the crater is to be done by walking. Wild animals can be seen according to weather conditions.
Nindirí is a small town situated in the province of Masaya at a few kilometers from Masaya downtown and very close to Laguna de Masaya. Nindiri central park is the place where people get together in town and meet in the nice kiosko. There is an interesting and small archeological museum in town founded in 1910. The pieces shown in the museum date back to 1200-1500 A.C.
Diriá is another of the five peaceful towns located in the province of Granada at just half an hour from downtown Granada. This folkloric town is also part of the "pueblos brujos" (witch towns) because their inhabitants used herbs to cure their sicknesses in ancient times. The town has an interesting and colorful park decorated with statues of indigenous people that illustrate the traditions and culture of ancient tribes that used to live in these lands. There is also a beautiful lookout known as El Boquete from where Laguna de Apoyo can be seen. La Pila, located very close to the lookout, is an old water reservoir where ancient people from Diriá and Diriomo used to walk long distances for laundry, as water in the very few wells in town was used only for drinking. On May thirteen, Diriá has a small and colorful carnival to celebrate the Virgen de Fátima.
Travel by cables or zip lines on top of the trees and enjoy this exciting guided tour in the forest of Mombacho Volcano. Wooden plattforms are set in some of the trees and persons literally fly from one tree to another using the zip lines. This is an exciting activity for adventurous people looking for intensive extreme actions. The Canopy Tour is open most of the weekdays.
Day visits to a surprise beach destination on the Pacific coast to enjoy swimming and sunbathing. Interaction with local people and fishermen. For this excursion students usually have a practical Spanish lesson by travelling and interacting. On that day lessons are taught in a “rancho” or “ramada” by the beach enjoying the sea breeze.
An interesting full day visit to historic sites in Managua. Vibrant, busy and the center of all politic actions in the country. The ruins of the Old Cathedral, the Plaza of the Revolution, the National Palace of Culture, the old Central Park, the “Luis Alfonso Velazquez” Park, the Tiscapa History Park and Zip Lines over the Tiscapa crater lake, and the “Salvador Allende” Port on shores of Managua Lake are some of the places to be visited if there is enough time. For this excursion students usually have a practical Spanish lesson by travelling and interacting. On that day homework is revised at the park or at the port.
A connection to the Pre-Columbian times! A connection to Nicaraguan ancestors! Artisans, pottery makers, laborious people! This is San Juan de Oriente, located in the province of Masaya. Most of the people here have their own ceramic workshop in their homes as part of their own family business. People are very simple and friendly. In the old times San Juan de Oriente was known as San Juan de los Platos because of the ceramic dishes produced there and commercialized in many other cities. This excursion in San Juan de Oriente provides the opportunity to meet and talk to local artists and artisans, talk to local people and see the production of pottery and handicrafts. Lot of ceramic and handicraft stores are located in the main street. Some of the artists have designed pots which have been exported to Europe, Canada and the United States of America. Others prefer to sell their products to Costa Rica middle companies which come and order products directly in town.
Catarina is a picturesque village in the province of Masaya inhabited by laborious people. The town is located very close to San Juan de Oriente. Beautiful bamboo handicrafts are made here by magical hands. Catarina is popular because of these handicrafts and the beautiful gardens and nursery plants along the streets. People from many other cities come to Catarina to buy ornamental plants and flowers. Catarina has the most beautiful lookout in the area known as El Mirador de Catarina from where spectacular views can be enjoyed. Granada city, Apoyo Lake, Cocibolca Lake and Mombacho Volcano can be seen from this Mirador.
Built in 1893 by president Zelaya, El Coyotepe is an old fort full of history. The fort is situated on top of a hill in the outside of Masaya city and along the Pan-American road. Most of Masaya downtown can be seen from the top of the hill where the Fort is located. The fort was built with military purposes in the eighteen century and was used through the years for decades and decades alternately as a military base and prison by the governments in turn. At the present El Coyotepe is a live interesting museum of history managed by the Movement of Scouts of Nicaragua. Masaya volcano, Laguna de Masaya, Mombacho volcano, Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua can be seen from El Coyotepe old fortress.
Niquinohomo is a small town located in the Meseta de los Pueblos – Hills of the Towns – surrounded by cool fields in the province of Masaya. The central park which is located across from the Church is very quiet. People sit at the park to talk and relax in the afternoons. The church is a sample of antique and is one of the oldest in Nicaragua dating back to early colonial times. The religious festivities, in honor of Santa Ana, are held on July twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth, with processions, parties and traditional dances. Niquinohomo is also popular for being the birthplace of Augusto C. Sandino, the Nicaraguan national hero. The house where Sandino was born still exists near the park
Nandasmo is located in the province of Masaya very close to Laguna de Masaya. At some minutes from town, there is a beautiful look out with fantastic views of Laguna de Masaya, the Santiago Volcano, and green hills around. At the Mirador there are handicrafts stores, a restaurant and a swimming pool. In Nandasmo town there are many handicrafts workshops where wooden furniture and leather crafts are produced. The miniature handicrafts are very popular in town. Nandasmo religious celebrations take place in January from the fourteenth to twenty second. For this excursion students may have a practical Spanish lesson and spend the morning and part of the afternoon there. On that day lessons and revision of homework may occur in a “rancho” or restaurant by the pool at the tourist facilities of the Mirador.
Diriomito is a very small rural village located in the rim of the crater of Laguna de Apoyo. In this place there is an old tall tree known as Ceibo and it said that this huge tree in the village dates back to those old times when the first Spaniard conquers came to Nicaragua. Diriomito has a lookout known as Mirador de Diriomito where there are two nice restaurants and there is a field from where Paragliders launch themselves and fly over the beautiful Laguna de Apoyo. The view from Diriomito viewpoint is spectacular.
La Merced church was originally built in 1539. It was sacked and burned by pirate Henry Morgan in 1670. It suffered massive destruction in the civil war of 1854 and was demolished by fire in the National War. The church was restored in 1862. It is located a few blocks from the Central Park in downtown Granada. Panoramic views of the city, Lake Nicaragua with the islets, the Zapatera Island and the Mombacho Volcano are fantastic from the bell tower of the church. The Iglesia La Merced is a lovely example of Colonial and Baroque styled architecture in Granada
The Cathedral of Granada, located on the east side of the Central Park, is one of the most prominent buildings of the city. It was originally built in 1583 but throughout centuries it has been destroyed countless times. The building was completely destroyed by filibuster William Walker in 1856. The most recent version was built in 1915. The church has neoclassical style. The central park and downtown around are part are part of the nice view from the bell tower.
This is an excursion to a coffee farm in Carazo. This day is to be spent at the farm. The students may have a day of practical Spanish and spend the morning and part of the afternoon there. On that day lessons and revision of homework may occur in an outdoor ambiance, under a shady big tree and sitting on rustic benches. We will visit the coffee fields and will walk through the trails in the forest reserve.
Tisma is a small rural town in the Masaya province. In the town there are some colonial buildings, the majority of them are old churches. The town is known for its beautiful hammocks and a traditional sweet called "requesón". Its major attraction is the Tisma Lagoon, also known as “Charco de Tisma”, which hardly preserves water and its wildlife -herons, birds and fish- due to severe droughts in the last five years. This Lagoon was declared an international wetlands RAMSAR site in 2001. It is a sanctuary of resident and migratory birds. La Puntita beach is another interesting spot, located two kilometers away from Tisma town.
The petroglyphs of Cailagua are part of the artistic expressions of the ancient chorotegas tribes, ancestors of Monimbó people. These ancient carved stone prints have the history and lifestyles of the early settlers of this area during pre-Columbian time. On the walls of the natural course of Cailagua --an ancient stream that ends in a cliff overlooking the Masaya lagoon—there are approximately about fifty meters of zoomorphic images of bodies, circles, spirals, fauna and flora from that time that the indigenous people made before the Spaniards conquest. The indigenous people of Monimbó in Masaya manage the preservation of this archaeological site as part of their roots and traditional values
This is an interesting visit to the Mansion del Chocolate located in Granada downtown. It is a place for chocolate lovers. The chocolate museum offers a short tour in the location to show the cocoa trees, the process of making some chocolate, and a brief history of chocolate, and you can even taste some! And buy dark fresh pure chocolate!
Catarina is a small village near San Juan de Oriente. The inhabitants are laborious people. It is popular not only for the Mirador de Catarina but for the designing of furniture simulating antiques. There are also lots of gardens and ornamental plants that are sold in downtown. In some of the patios of the houses they grow bamboo cane. Big baskets, lamps, furniture, and small baskets are designed using bamboo. During this field trip there is a chance to visit the artisans who worked with bamboo, see their workshops, and see the process of elaborating the various beautiful products made of bamboo.
This is a leisure activity to relax. Flying kites is an activity for having fun! The scenery is announced one day ahead, and it could be the shores of the lake in Granada, the Park of the Poets, or the outside area of the baseball stadium in Granada. The kites are designed by handicapped children, and sometimes there are local kids who join this activity to have fun along with the Spanish school students.
Daily life is somehow different in the rural area even the area is close to the city. This is a good opportunity to see how people live and what they do, what it is living in the country side. We will visit a corn or beans field, and will probably experience picking beans fruits or corn if there is the time for crops. And other surprising activities in the farm!
This is an interesting visit to a butterfly farm near Granada. The farm is located at about 20 minutes from downtown. It is surrounded by nature and it is located in a peaceful rural area. In the farm there are many different butterfly species. There are big and beautiful, blue Morphos, as well as bright orange, yellow, and white butterflies. There are butterflies of all sizes and colors, you can easily observe many of them from a short distance