Granada is the home of 125,000 people who are very aware and proud of their cities’ heritage. One of the first cities founded in the New World, built in 1524, Granada has also been the scene of many historically significant events. One such event was the American William Walker’s assumption of power in Nicaragua and the establishment of his headquarters in Granada. And from the picturesque city square to the horse carriage "taxis" and couples nuzzling on park benches, Granada is definitely full of charm. The churches and old fashioned buildings and homes are very beautiful and retain the old Spanish style of architecture, and the restored Convento de San Francisco’s two museums are very interesting. These museums contain a collection of indigenous basalt carvings of real and mythical animals that were discovered on a nearby island in 1849 by an American diplomat. Although most of Nicaragua does not promote and display their pre-Columbian past, the city of Granada does. Granada was the most important and active city in Nicaragua until Managua became the capital in the 1850s.

Go see Granada.

On the outskirts of the city are over 300 small islands which were created when the nearby Mombacho volcano erupted and spewed huge boulders into the lake. These scenic islands and the lake support a growing tourist industry as well as commercial industries. Tourists can hire a boat at any of the lakeside restaurants for a small fee and sail among the islands.

Go see the islands.