León

Asados El Pelibuey

A simple buffet style restaurant serving grilled chicken, beef, pork and pelibuey (lamb). Very popular among the locals. The restaurant is named after the Pelibuey sheep that does not grow wool, making it suitable for warm climates.

C$60

Bar y Restaurante Misissipi

Comedor Cucaracaha

Very tasty traditional Nicaraguan food. Great soups. Legendary restaurant popular among the locals. Simple atmosphere.

Buho Books

Small independent bookstore. Has used books in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish and Swedish, and maybe other languages as well.

Open now · closes 5 pm

Casa Lola

New restaurant in an old historical building, with tables in and around a beautiful court yard. Excellent meat and seafood dishes. Wide selection of fancy coctails and rum. Best place in León for a romantic dinner.

Tue-Thu Sun 12:00-22:00, Fri Sat 12:00-23:00·C$700

Center for Initiative on the Environment

Centro de Iniciativa Medio Ambiental

An educational center about animals, plants, biodiversity and the environment.

Closed · opens 2 pm·C$20

Central Market

Mercado Central

Large food court with all sorts of great beans and eggs and rice and fried cheese and cheese-stuffed platanos and thick tortillas. Great for breakfast, you can fill up for a dollar or two. You can also buy fresh-made juices, and gaze in awe at the giant blocks of fried cheese. On the street behind the market is Buen Gusto, where you should grab some Pollo Vino on the cheap.

Central Park

Parque Central

A lively park with a fountain and shady trees in front of the cathedral. The park is a great place to people watch as it is packed with families and youth chatting and playing, with vendors selling ice cream and drinks. On weekends musicians, dancers or street performers may add to the atmosphere. Of the eight streets leading up to the square, six have been converted to nice pedestrian streets. For a guided walking tour of the city, gather at the northeastern corner of Central Park at 9:00.

Centro Cultural y Museo Rigoberto López Pérez

Casa del Obrero

A beautifully restored colonial building honoring the poet Rigoberto López Pérez. In 1956, in this building, he assassinated the dictator Anastasio Somoza García (father of the other two dictators, Luis and Anastasio Somoza Debayle), after which he was killed in a hail of bullets. The building has some impressive art work including a mural by painter Ricardo Morales, as well as poems written on the walls.

Centro de Compras Metropolitano

A market place for clothes in a fine colonial architectural setting. You can also find suitcases and backpacks here.

Cine Siglo Nuevo

The only movie theater in town, primarily showing popular North American movies. With three auditoriums, multiple movies are shown each day. Some movies are shown both dubbed, earlier during the day, and with subtitles, later in the evening.

Coco Calala

Tasty vegan food in pleasant outdoor seating in a luch garden. Great fruit drinks. Popular among international travelers. Also a small delightful hostel with swimming pool.

Mon-Sun 8:00-21:00·C$250

El Bodegón

Nice Cuban food that is popular among tourists, but not quite as good as Tacubaya two blocks further north.

C$300

El Bárbaro

Resurected after the old bar burned down. Soccer and boxing on the TV screens.

El Fortín de Acosasco

For the best view over the city with the volcano range in the background, head to this historical fortress southwest of León. During the Somoza dictatorship, the fortress was used both to control the city and as a prison for political opponents. Best reached from Sutiava, but there is also a road from Barrio Guadalupe.

Free

El León Dorado

Excellent bakery with Nicaraguan style bread and pastry. Try their traditional 'picos' bread, which is renowned across the country.

Mon-Sat 7:00-18:00

El Sesteo

Great location with views of the cathedral. Has a diverse menu from typical local food and beverages to fast food.

Mon-Sun 10:00-22:00

Environmental Botanical Garden

Jardín Botánico Ambiental

Run by the UNAN-León university for both public education and research. The botanical garden has recreated the four different forest types that exist in Nicaragua, with cacao, cinnamon, avocado, mango, coco and many other trees. You will also see birds and other wildlife. The entrance fee includes an extensive guided tour along stone covered forest paths. Ask the guide why a plant with long thick leaves is called "lengua de suegra".

Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00·C$146 for foreigners, C$25 for Nicaraguans

Ermita San Pedro

A baroque chapel completed in 1718, with a simple but beautiful exterior. Of four small historic chapels in Sutiava, this is the only one that survived the turbulent times of the early 19th century.

Estadio Rigoberto López Pérez

Newly built stadium that's home field for the Leones de Leon, the local professional baseball team. Order some vigoron, get a Victoria and enjoy.

Gecko's Bar

One of the biggest bars in León. Always lively at night. Alternative place where diversity is the main ingredient. You will find a wide variety of domestic and imported drinks and some dishes to try.

Iglesia El Calvario

A colorful baroque-style church from 1764 with a vivid depiction of the crucifixion inside.

Iglesia Guadalupe

The main church in the southern part of León, built at the end of the 19th century. Unlike the typical west facing entrance of other León churches, the entrance of this church faces north towards the cathedral.

Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza

With its ashlar masonry the church has an almost medieval look, but it is one of the newer churches, built in 1934.

Iglesia San José

A small church that was built as a chapel to Iglesia San Filipe. The church is old, but it has a modern façade after renovations in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Iglesia San Juan Bautista

A relatively simple church located in front of San Juan Park. It was built between 1620 and 1650 but reconstructed in a neoclassical style in the 18th century, with large wooden columns. It used to be the church of the old hospital.

Iglesia San Juan de Dios

Small church with a simple exterior. Has a beautiful altar piece, depicting Saint John of God, the Assumption of Mary and Saint Raphael the Archangel.

Iglesia San Sebastian

Protected by a modern roof, only ruins remain of this old historical church from the 18th century, after it was bombed by the Somoza dictatorship in 1979. A new parish church has been built next to the ruins.

Iglesia de San Francisco

Santuario Diocesano San Francisco de Asís

Built in 1639, this is one of the oldest churches in Leon, located adjacent to the former Franciscan convent. The church closed in 1830 when the Franciscan friars were expelled, but it was reconstructed in the 1960s. It has a nice bell tower and some beautiful altarpieces. Also note the small colorful woodcarvings depicting the forteen stations of the cross. Outside the church there is a statue of Saint Francis talking to a wolf.

Iglesia de San Juan Bautista de Sutiava

One of the oldest and largest churches in León, serving a traditionally indigenous community in Sutiava. The rustic wood interior is a pleasant deviance from the often ornate styles that are more typical of most León churches.

Iglesia de la Merced

Baroque church from 1762. It belonged to the friars of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy until they were expelled from Nicaragua in 1830. The church's statue of Saint Mary of Mercy came from Barcelona a few centuries ago.