Managua: Budget Travel Guide, Managua, Nicaragua

Managua is located on the shores of Lake Managua. It’s the largest and most populous city in Nicaragua. Managua has been the capital of the country since 1852 after a compromise was reached between the two rival cities of Leon and Granada. A catastrophic earthquake destroyed 90% of the downtown area of Managua in 1972 which means that the city has few historic buildings. Only the Cathedral, National Palace of Culture and Ruben Dario theater survived with varying levels of damage sustained. Managua is a modern city with multi-lane highways running through the centre and wide pavements lining the roads.

It’s easy to read blogs about the dangers of Managua and scare yourself silly before you even arrive. We had no problem walking around the city center during the day, nobody hassled us or even approached us. We spent most of our time in or near Revolution Plaza; the area wasn’t crowded or dodgy at all, in fact it was strangely deserted. 

Like all capitals in Central America, Managua has areas that are safer than others. It’s important to do some prior research and book accommodation in a safe, affluent area of the city. By staying in a low-crime area, you reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime. La Posada del Arcangel is located in one of these safe areas and is within walking distance of all the main attractions I mention later in the activities section. Arcangel was the perfect oasis after the relentless heat of Leon, with air-conditioning in all rooms and an air of tranquility. It felt like walking into an affluent family home, the walls were absolutely brimming with imaginative art pieces and the cabinets were filled with antique ceramic pieces and quirky ornaments. The place almost felt like an art gallery and museum rolled into one. Usually in hotels, the art is displayed behind glass to prevent any damage from occurring by hotel guests, this wasn’t the case here. I even caught a glimpse of the resident artist who was responsible for filling the walls with his own art. The room itself was comfortable and clean and the breakfast was pretty good – zero complaints from us. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).