Granada drips with photogenic elegance, a picture postcard at every turn. It’s no wonder many travelers use the city as a base, spending at least a day bopping along cobblestone roads from church to church in the city centre, then venturing out into the countryside for trips to nearby attractions.
I am sure you know by now but I hate large Latin American cities – dangerous places full of pollution belching traffic and very little heart. To boot, these cities are generally not geared up for walking and more often than not you take your life into your own hands when you do chose to be a ‘pedestrian’.
What I do like is small cities with culture and respect for pedestrians. Granada is one such city. With a population of only 120,000 people it’s more like a town. I stayed in a gorgeous B&B with a lovely pool, super friendly staff and some incredibly interesting guests.
Las Isletas:
When the Mombacho Volcano erupted thousands of years ago, it threw huge rocks into Lake Nicaragua. As a result of this violent eruption some 365 islets were formed in front of Granada. The islets differ in size between a hundred square meters and over one hundred hectares. The wild nature, resident birds and visitors and the day to day routine of the local families make it an ideal place for a boat ride.
The small islands serve different purposes. There is a community of about 1200 people living on the islets. Most of the people living here are fishermen. Other islands accommodate hotels or luxurious houses (some of them can be rented). There are also uninhabited islets with only palm trees growing on them.
I booked my tour directly with one of the boat captains who took me on an awesome 2-hour journey through some of the beautiful small islands.
Next stage: Isla de Ometepe.
