Discovering León: One of Nicaragua’s Beautiful Colonial Cities
León is a stunning city in Nicaragua that is full of exciting things to do. It’s the perfect destination for hikers and history buffs alike – surrounded by volcanoes waiting to be summited and filled with museums yearning to educate tourists on Nicaragua’s tumultuous past. While there aren’t TONS of things to do in León, each activity here is incredibly fun and interesting. The combination of the colonial architecture, friendly locals, vibrant culture and various nature activities make this a must-visit destination for your Nicaragua Itinerary. Without further ado, let’s get into the absolute best things to do in León, Nicaragua!
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Top 9 Things to Do in León
1. Volcano Board Down Cerro Negro
When in León, this is an absolute must-do activity – it is easily one of the most insane experiences we’ve ever had. This day trip entails about an hour ride from León to Cerro Negro, where you’ll climb about 45 minutes to the ridge of the volcano, get suited up, and board down! This is definitely not for the faint-hearted; it’s pretty stressful when you’re at the top because it looks quite steep. But once you’re going, you can control the speed at which you go.
Which Tour to Go With for Volcano Boarding
There are two main tour companies (and a few smaller ones as well) that run these tours: Bigfoot Hostel and Volcano Day. You do have to do it as part of a tour so you can get the appropriate equipment. Bigfoot Hostel has a lot more of a party vibe (the bus back to León is crazy), and they measure your speed as you fly down the mountain. Volcano Day tours seem to be a bit more tame, and they also seemed to have better equipment. You can expect to pay about 35 USD, plus another 5 USD at the entrance to the park.
Other Tips for Volcano Boarding
- If your plans have you in León on a Sunday, you should save volcano boarding for then because much of the city is closed on Sunday.
- Don’t bring too much stuff! All you really need is yourself, a hiking outfit, your phone, a little bit of money, and a water bottle. When we went with Bigfoot Hostel, they provided a small bag that carried our jumpsuits that you could put your other things in, and they show you how to ride down with the bag on your chest. If you bring more than what you want to hike up with, you’ll have to leave it on the bus.
- We highly recommend doing this tour at sunset. That way, the temperatures will have cooled off a bit before it’s time to hike.
Book your Volcano Boarding Tour with Bigfoot Hostel or Volcano Day
2. Explore the City on a Walking Tour
This is a great way to learn about the city and get tips from a local for how to spend your time! León was a hotspot during the revolution and has many wonderful churches and other architecture. Be warned that León is extremely hot, so bring lots of water and wear sunscreen!
GuruWalk leads Free Walking Tours of León in Spanish, English, and French every day. The Spanish and English tours are at 9 am and 4 pm and the French tour is at 9 am. If you’d rather explore the gastronomic side of León, check out this León Food Tour!
3. Climb the Cathedral
León’s cathedral is super impressive; it’s the largest in Central America. The inside is cool, but the exciting thing about this cathedral is you can walk on its roof! For 110 Cordobas (just under 3 USD) you can walk along the roof and take in amazing views of the city. You do have to take your shoes off for this in an attempt to keep the roof white! We recommend visiting early when it’s not too hot yet.
You buy tickets around the back of the church. From Monday to Saturday, the ticket office hours are 8:30 am – 12 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm, and on Sunday the hours are 9 am – 1 pm.
4. Visit the Ortiz Gurdián Foundation Art Center
This museum is very impressive and huge – you could spend hours here if you’re very into art (and probably even an hour if you’re not!). The architecture is also very cool; there are tons of beautiful courtyards throughout the museum.
The Ortiz Gurdián Foundation Art Center is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Entry costs 125 Cordoba (about 3.4 USD).
5. Learn about Nicaragua’s History at the Museo de Revolución
This is a great place to learn about the Nicaraguan Revolution and everything that led up to it. The exhibits are in Spanish, but you’ll get a guide who will explain everything to you in detail (in Spanish or English).
At the end of this tour, you also get brought up to the roof for a magnificent view of León. This museum is right in the main part of town (across the park from the cathedral), so you can see all the main spots!
The Museo de la Revolución is open Monday-Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm. Entry costs 100 Cordoba (2.72 USD) per person and the whole thing takes about an hour.
6. Hike Some Volcanoes!
León is surrounded by volcanoes, and the city is filled with tour operators ready to take you on some treks! We personally only did the volcano boarding while we were in León, but other popular hikes include hiking Telica, El Hoyo, Momotombo, and San Cristóbal. You can even camp overnight at a few of them to get great views of the sunrise!
7. Museo de Leyendas y Tradiciones
This museum is located in an old prison, and it’s definitely one of the weirder museums I’ve been to (but not in a bad way!). The exhibits focus on Nicaraguan legends and traditions, and they certainly have some interesting ones!
The Museo de Leyendas y Tradiciones is open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 4 pm and on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 pm. Entry costs 50 Cordoba (about 1.50 USD) and it takes about half an hour.
8. Visit the Flor de Cana Rum Factory
If you’re into rum, this is definitely an activity to add to your itinerary. Located about an hour north of León in Chichigalpa, the factory is an exciting place to learn all about the production of rum and do some tastings!
Book Your Tour with Flor de Cana
9. Head to the Beach (and Maybe do a Turtle Release!)
As you have likely figured out from this post so far, León is HOT. It can be pretty unbearable to be in the city during the midday, so if you’re needing a break from the heat, hop on a bus and head to the beach! There are two beaches about a half hour ride from León: Las Peñitas and Playa Poneloya. You can either visit these as a day trip or spend a couple days on the beach. If you happen to get lucky, you may be able to participate in the release of baby turtles! There are a few tour operators who run this, with the busy season for hatching occurring between October and January.
Where to Eat in León
There is no shortage of wonderful food in León, with tons of options for traditional Nicaraguan food as well as international food.
- Gecko’s Bar for drinking and dancing
- Don Jack’s for amazing coconut chicken curry
- Comedor next to Don Jack’s (not on Google Maps) for delicious, cheap, traditional food
- Pan & Paz for delicious pastries, beer, and sandwiches
- Beers & Pallets for sampling local beers
Best Time to Visit León
The best time to visit León, and all of Nicaragua, is between November and May. This is the country’s dry season, where you’ll have great weather to go on amazing hikes and explore all that Nicaragua has to offer. Be warned that no matter what time of year you go to Nicaragua, it will be hot. The cities are especially warm, so just keep that in mind as you plan your activities, and make sure your accommodations have AC if you don’t sleep well in the heat!
Where to Stay in León
León is a fairly small and walkable city, and it’s very easy to find accommodations close to the center of the city. Accommodations are also fairly cheap in León; the city is filled with cheap hostels and a couple higher end options. Wherever you stay in León, I cannot recommend enough that you get a place with air conditioning. León is HOT and sleeping without AC would certainly be a challenge.
León Accommodations
How to Get to León
The easiest way to get into Nicaragua from outside of the country is to fly into Managua (MGA), which serves as the major gateway to the country. Numerous airlines connect Managua to various international destinations.
How to Get to León from Managua
Once you’re in Managua, the most common and budget-friendly way to reach León is by taking a bus. Several comfortable and reliable bus companies operate frequent routes throughout the day. The journey takes approximately 2-3 hours depending on traffic and road conditions.
For a more convenient and faster option, consider pre-booking a private taxi or shuttle directly from Managua Airport to your León accommodation. This can be ideal for groups, travelers with a lot of luggage, or those seeking a door-to-door service. A private shuttle or taxi will take about 1.5 hours to reach León from the airport.
How to Get to León from El Salvador
If you’re traveling through Central America and plan on traveling to Nicaragua from El Salvador, the easiest way to get to León is via boat crossing in combination with a few public buses.
Read All About Traveling from El Salvador to Nicaragua via Boat
Keep Exploring Nicaragua….
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- Miraflor Cloud Forest: Nicaragua’s Emerald Jewel
- The Best Things to do in Estelí, Nicaragua
- How to Get to the Corn Islands
- How to Get From Nicaragua to Costa Rica by Bus
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
