Below are some places that’ll help you to experience a day full of fun in the vividly coloured streets of the center of Granada, Nicaragua. So start that itinerary!
Café de las Sonrisas
This place is a perfect begin of your day if you’re looking for a big breakfast or just a cup of coffee. Café de las Sonrisas (literally ‘cafe of smiles’) is a non-profit organisation and works with a staff that is hearing-impaired. The cafe has a picture-gram menu and sign charts; so if you like you can even practice a bit of international communication in here. The owners also have a couple of initiatives going on to recycle plastic bag and a bunch of furry friends in their patio; so eat your pancakes as you see the bunnies hopping around. Cute right?
Kathy’s Waffles House
Another decent start of the day would be at Kathy’s Waffle House. If you have breakfast in here you can also nicely combine it with a visit to the opposite city icon Convento de San Francisco. The cafe offers the best waffles in town and on top of that not only maple syrup, but also a terrace with a nice view on the colourful surroundings streets.
Panaderia Artesanal
The sugar addicted amongst us should also have a look in this bakery on the Calle la Calzada. You seriously won’t be disappointed by any of the cakes and pies in here. We took a couple of chocolate croissants from the bakery and the only regrets that we had afterwards is that we didn’t bought some more stuff at the bakery for on the road.
Lucha Libro Books
If you’re travelling for a longer time or decide to prolong your stay in Granada to relax a bit, Lucho Libro Books is a great place where you can refuel your reading list. They have a large section of English (and other languages) books and some nice postcards too. Conquer a hammock at the nearby The Garden Café and read it up.
Casa del Chocolate
A lot of chocolate is been made in Central America and most of the chocolatiers aren’t afraid to try out some serious flavours. A visit to Casa del Chocolate is a great way to indulge yourself quickly with some dark tastes. Try out the hot chocolate or buy some of the pieces with chili flakes or any other funky combination.
Montebianco Gelateria
Hot town, summer in the city. Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty. In the afternoon you might need to cool down a bit in the heat of the moment. Go back to the Parque Central and visit the nearby Montebianco Gelateria. Gobble up a terrific ice-cream while gazing at the artists, locals and city life in the park.
Casa de los tres Mundos
After this break indulge yourself with some culture. The nearby Casa de los tres Mundos features various events in town, that are all listed on the board in front of the gate: ballet, theatre, debates, free movies, folkloric dance, and so on. During the day you can buy a ticket (for the gentle price of around $2,-) to see the beautiful interiors of the casa and a few art pieces at display. Around the corner is another gallery for some more paintings.
The Garden Café
Close to the Casa de los Tres Mundos and situated in a perfect pastel coloured street is my most favourite café in Granada of them all: The Garden Café. This truly is a place where you can feel at home for hours or days. They have great coffee, lunches and brownies and some inspiring art to gaze at in between. Also their gift shop is a pleasure to walk around.
Sunset
As the sun sets in you might opt to flee to one of the nearby churches. The cathedral for example, the Iglesia de la Merced or the Iglesia de Xalteva. Climb the stairs of one of those and enjoy golden hour from above. If you look east you can see the city disappearing in the lake and on the west side you can spot the Masaya and Apoyo landscapes.
Café de los Sueños
If you return from a visit to the lake or have finished your walk on the Calle la Calzada, it’s a nice idea to have a stop at the Café de los Sueños (literally ‘cafe of the dreams’). Have a bebida and a perfect snack platter while being part of a very original interior with paintings inspired by fantasy scenes; such as Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland. As if that ain’t dreamy enough, the music of Amélie in the background adds up to a very unlike Nicaraguan yet amazing vibe.
Pita Pita
Hungry yet? Longing for some comfort food? The best falafel and hummus in town is to be enjoyed at Pita Pita, near the Calle la Calzada. With a nice patio and some good service this is a very eligible choice to start your evening, with wood oven pizzas and vegan choices too.
El Tercer Ojo
In the evening shop around a couple of the small tiendas at El Tercer Ojo. Four shops are situated around the patio of the restaurant itself. They provide a good opportunity to buys gifts, wallets, bags, vintage gems or whatsoever.
Calle la Calzada
Ultimately round up your day with a Flor de Caña or a Toña beer at the biggest bar street of the town: Calla la Calzada. It’s a simple as that. Et voilà, here’s your recipe for a perfect day in Granada, Nicaragua. If you have any other tips, let me know!
