Department of Leon

Destinations and Highlights of Leon

La Paz Centro and Nagarote The beginning of the culinary tradition Los Quesillos goes back to 1902 in La Paz and Nagarote. This plate is prepared with corn and onions, cream and cheese. On the way to Leon Nuevo you can find several stands where they are being sold by locals.

San Jacinto La Paz Centro These geyser type hot water springs are heated and powered by a volcanic vein from Volcano Santa Clara. Here you can also observe the mud pools heated at more than 300 degrees Celsius. It is one of the most popular attractions in the area.

Ruinas de León Viejo La Paz Leon Viejo has some of the most amazing old buildings in Nicaragua. The tourists come to Leon Viejo or Old Leon in order to see these fantastic structures, unique in all of Central America. Different styles can be observed in the several old buildings.

Volcán Cerro Negro La Paz Volcano Cerro Negro is the third youngest of all America. Its shape, structure and type are unique in the country, and a famous scientist and diplomat called Efrain Ephraim said it was formed in 1850.

Volcán Momotombo La Paz The famous Momotombo Volcano, at a height of 1300 meters above sea level had its last eruption in 1905. That activity created a huge lava flow forming a unique river- like scar on the volcano`s slope , still visible today, and probably it will also conduct the next lava flow downhill.

Colonial León The city of Leon was founded by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in 1524, on the shores of Lake Xolotlan, and near Momotombo Volcano. Culture, history, traditions and amazing old buildings are all part of this city and blend in perfectly to create one of Nicaragua’s most important destinations to visit. Leon’s amazing old buildings are famous throughout the entire isthmus. Here, several styles can be found, from baroc, gothic, neoclassical and also colonial. Two famous buildings are the Basilica of La Asuncion and el Colegio de La Asuncion. Also, there are more than 16 churches in the area, 11 of them built during colonial times.

Art and history of Leon Leon is also very important because it was, for many years, one of the only places where people could get an advanced education. Therefore, the city of Leon and its educational institutions are mentioned in hundreds and hundreds of historical passages.

Complejo Volcánico "Pilas - El Hoyo" León This volcanic complex is situated next to Cerro Negro Volcano and it is formed by several craters. It highest altitude is of 1000 meters above sea level. The only active crater is El Hoyo or The Hole, from where gases constantly come out of a fracture.

Isla Juan Venado León The island Isla Juan Venado is a sandy island situated in front of the pacific coastal shores of Leon. It is 18 kilometers long and only 300 meters wide. Towards mainland it is bordered by the Las Peñitas estuary and La Garita estuary. There are many water and land creatures that inhabit this curious islands. Also, its mangroves and marine soils are extremely interesting and important, since they are part of the food chain that feeds the rest of the wildlife in the area.

Beaches of Leon Leon also has some amazing beautiful beaches. Some of them are Poneloya, Salinas, Las Peñitas, Juan Venado, EL Velero, and El Transito. All of them have exotic black sand.

Telica Telica has a height of 1061 meters above sea level. Its name means Black Place, after the nahualt native language “ Tlilican “. The name was given because of its black volcanic soil. It has a constant activity with eruptions every 5 years.

Puerto Sandino Puerto Sandino is near Leon. It is a beautiful beach area, well known for great surfing when strong swells come in. Also, the nature conservation has guaranteed that the visitor can still find interesting wildlife.

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