Granada: Itineraries

A Top Day in Granada

Although never a keen earlybird, for Granada I will haul myself out of bed pronto, grab a camera, and head out to take advantage of the fabulous morning light dappling the richly-colored facades of the city's gorgeous colonial homes. I wander fairly randomly and eventually fetch up at the boisterous market, a vibrantly down-to-earth counterpoint to the noble and stately old town. Breakfast is fresh fruit straight from the stalls. Then it's across town, crossing the central square, and passing the spectacular portal of the Casa de los Leones. Beyond here, the monastery church of San Francisco houses a cracking museum: the moody sculpture from the indigenous Chorotega civilization is my personal favourite. Later, I pace back to the central plaza, where a simple kiosk serves me a Granada speciality, vigarón (yucca with pork skin), for lunch. By this time of day the sun's got a real kick to it, and energy levels are low, so a jaunt around town in a horse-drawn carriage is right on cue. I pick a happy-looking steed, and ask the driver to whisk me the few blocks to the La Pólvora fortress, which had a dark history under the dictatorship, but now offers an exhibition and arresting views.

Next it's down to the lake - though this seems an inadequate word for such a huge body of water - and a little boat trip. If there's enough time, we'll get to some of the hundreds of islets that provide a home for fishermen, jabbering monkeys, Nicaragua's ultrawealthy, and numerous waterbirds. Back in Granada with the soothing evening light, I find a bar with a terrace and order a beer. Toña of course, served icy cold. Time to ponder my evening. That trip on the lake has given me a hunger for guapote (rainbow bass), and I know just the place. Las Colinas is local and earthy (literally, with a dirt floor) but they do fish better than most. Later, I'll pick either the smooth dance sounds of El Club or the grungy reggaeton dancefloor at Mi Tierra for my night on the town.

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