GRANADA, NICARAGUA

I went to Granada for 4 days in early June. If you’ve been to Leon before, Granada is a much smaller town. Keep in mind, there is also a Granada, Spain so when you look up Granada so make sure to specify which country.

After staying in hostels for the first half of my journey, I decided to book a nicer boutique hotel for the duration of my stay here. It costs me around $20/night, and it was SO worth it. Being the low season for tourism, I had the entire hotel and all the amenities to myself. My accommodation was so incredibly nice, it was easy to spend entire days relaxing there.

Although I loved my hostel, I found that Granada was not my favorite destination due to two factors: 1) the weather and 2) street harassment

The weather was extremely hot there, more than any of my previous Central America destinations. But I didn’t mind it too much because I had a pool to cool off at my hotel and my own shower.

The street harassment was more than I’ve ever experienced in my life. At every second walking the streets I would get catcalled. In the states, I typically call out my harasser, but being alone in a foreign country and not speaking the language, I ignored the harassment and walked away. There were honks and stares every second (I wish I was exaggerating). The worst is when they suck in their teeth which makes a horrific sound to get your attention.

This may be a one-off situation, but this is what I have experienced first hand

Regardless, I refuse to make judgements about an entire culture, an entire city because of the negative actions of certain individuals.

On my days there, I decided to explore the city on my own, shop for souvenirs, and book an amazing massage!

At first, I went around the city looking for CocoBerry Spa but it looked like they were 1) closed down or 2) not open for the low season. I could not find a sign for the spa anywhere so I resorted to looking for a masseuse named Amos. All of these recommendations I found on Trip Advisor. It took a while to locate Amos because his location changes. I found him at the archeological museum next to the chocomuseum. Ask the reception desk for Amos and they will call him to come and book an appointment with you. Amos works as a chef during the day so I booked my appointment early next morning with him.

And let me tell you, the massage was the most painful and liberating massage of my life. He knew all of the pressure points and even used cupping therapy to increase air circulation on my back. In the beginning, I told Amos I have trouble sleeping because my back feels curved on a flat bed. At the end, he cracked my entire body. It was like a massage and chiropractors visit all in one. That night, for the first time, I felt comfortable sleeping on a bed. For $25USD, this was so worth it.

Taking the suggestion of my hotel, I tried out Kathy’s Waffle House for Breakfast and The Garden Cafe for lunch. Both spots were amazing. I found the ambiance at the Garden Cafe great for enjoying a cup of coffee or dining by oneself/with others. This restaurant also serves as a souvenir shop (albeit on the pricer side). I decided to buy a bottle of hot sauce for my partner and a latte for myself after lunch. After purchasing the hot sauce, I realized that it was more than 3.4oz so I would not be able to take it on the plane with me! After letting the owner know my dilemma, they cancelled the charge and refunded my purchase without hassle. The rest of the time, I spent relaxing at my boutique hotel.

Keep in mind, if you’ve purchased a ticket online with Ticabus to another destination, you must go to their office and have them print out the ticket for you. An online confirmation/ticket will NOT suffice. Also, plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the indicated time in order to fill out customs forms given by the agent on duty.

Tips on traveling Granada:

• Stroll through Calle La Calzada at night
• Eat breakfast at Kathy’s Waffle House

Eat lunch/dinner at The Garden Café

Taxis cost 20 Cordoba around the city

Laundry service is around 250 Cordoba

The Ticabus office is on the left end of the city a couple of blocks above the Nicabus office