Leon Day Trip from Managua

We had a wonderful tour of Leon. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and spoke fluent English. He picked us up on time and his vehicle was air-conditioned, spacious, and comfortable. If you have a chance, ask your guide to stop for homemade quesillos. These cheese-filled tortillas are native to the region. Yum yum! Leon has a fascinating history and beautiful architecture. We recommend climbing to the top of the Basilica Catedral de la Asuncion a truly other-worldly experience and visiting the sad but fascinating Museum of Legends and Traditions. After visiting Leon, I have a greater appreciation of the beauty of Nicaragua and the struggles of its people.

This is an excellent experience. You get to visit the old ruins of Leon which were abandoned hundreds of years ago and the new city which is really from the 1600's. The guide, Henry, spoke English very well and was knowledgeable about politics, educational system, history, geography and culture. I recommend this trip highly when visiting Nicaragua.

fantastic guide. we happened to be the only ones on the tour, so it was literally a private tour. guide was amazing and was so passionate about his work. worth the trip.

Leon, along with its sister city and former rival Granada, is one of the most beautiful colonial cities of Nicaragua. As a child, I used to go to Leon often with my dad, who sometimes worked there on the weekends. However, as an adult I had not returned to Leon, in favor of Granada, which is more accessible from Managua. Since I hadn't been to Leon since 1992, I was determined to return to Leon. Overall, Leon is less appealing to the eye than Granada, but in a way that makes the experience in Leon seem a bit more authentic. Most of the colonial houses in Leon still function as houses, instead of retails space. The authenticity of Leon is best appreciated by visiting its cathedral, one of the oldest and biggest in Latin America. Compared to the much newer cathedral in Granada, you can feel the ancient history of the Cathedral of Leon. In all the many times I visited Leon, I had never been inside the cathedral. For the first time, I was able to visit the tomb of the famous Nicaraguan poet Ruben Dario. But the best part of the Cathedral, it's the rooftop, which in itself is a work of art, all in white and with its beautiful domes, that almost feels like you are walking on top of some surreal sculpture. This tour also takes you to an excellent art gallery in Leon, that includes a vast collection of Nicaraguan art, Central and South American art, and even some European pieces. It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise to our visit in Leon. One of my favorite parts of this tour was our visit to Leon Viejo, the ruins of the original city of Leon as it was founded by the Spanish. The city was abandoned due to the constant earthquakes caused by the volcanic eruptions of the nearby Momotombo Volcano. But you can still see the foundations and walks of many of the ancient colonial buildings. As a native Nicaraguan, I had never been to Leon Viejo. And walking down those ancient streets along those ancient buildings, it felt like I was walking through a history book, and discovering something new and beautiful about my own country. This was the first of three tours that we took with our guide Moises Ferreti. He was always professional, knowledgeable, and personable. I highly recommend visiting Leon and this tour.

Not much too see. Cathedral was under reconstruction. It is a nice University town and saw a great art collection that was in town. My guide worked in a side trip to the beach which made the day. Henry is great. When they loose this guy they might as well give up on tours.

Bustling city, slightly different than Granada. It was interesting to visit but relatively long drive to get there for not too much time actually pent there.