Nickle Tour: Granada is Nicaragua’s gem.  It’s a beautiful, restored colonial city but while it’s certainly beautiful, we found it lacking in things to do.  While 2 days will suffice, we got stuck there for 4 because it was during the holiday rush and buses going to/from Costa Rica were full of families going back and forth. 

Travel Tip: If you overnight at Laguna de Apoyo, take your own food!  Or, be prepared to shell out $5-10 per meal at one of the local hotels.  And, because of the geography, the lake is shaded most of the day so get there early if you want some sun.

See: Granada has beautiful churches, islands to discover in lake and a gorgeous open-air, pedestrian-only street which leads down to the lake.

Sleep: We stayed at Hostal Oasis and it has everything you could want: private rooms and dorms, kitchen, internet, TV, and a pool!

Eat: There’s a lovely, grand restuarant on the square that we enjoyed.  Sit on the balconey to watch the night’s activities take off while avoiding street vendors on the downstairs patio.  Also, there are plenty of restuarants – many offering 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour – along the grand avenue.

More: A day trip to Laguna de Apoyo can be a nice way to spend the day.  They have small hobie cats for rent, you can swim or just enjoy the peace and quiet.