Leon Travel Guide

Introduction

100km (62 miles) NW of Managua

Granada might have all the style, but León has all the substance. This historic university city may not be as unblemished and beautiful as its southern rival, but its history of rebellion and political radicalism, coupled with a vibrant and enthusiastic populace, means it wears its wounds with pride and makes for a fascinating visit. Those wounds come in the form of bullet-scarred buildings and an ancient abandoned colonial city called León Viejo. Its pride comes in the form of countless churches, museums, and the largest cathedral in Central America, along with narrow cobbled streets that lead to tiny parks and provocative murals. León is very much a city with character and with a story to tell. Perhaps that's why León is the birthplace of Nicaragua's greatest hero, the poet Rubén Darío, and is the center of an exciting art scene.

Today, it may be the dusty, hot capital of the northwest, but León was once the capital of the nation. It lost...