Masaya Nicaragua Review

Masaya is a cool town, located just a few miles up the road from the national park and its massive volcano of the same name. Masaya itself though could well end up buried under tons of lava and ash one day, but until then, it's a town that shouldn't be missed by any visitor to the area.

Masaya has the most beautiful market in all of Nicaragua, good places to eat and drink, and a scenic location on the shores of a volcanic lagoon, with towering mountain peaks in the background. 

The lagoon sits between the city and the national park, and the best place to see it is from the Malecon --- a hilltop promenade that's got a festive, party-like atmosphere just about anytime you go and that's got spectacular vistas for miles around.

The Mercado is the reason most people stop in Masaya: it's an incredible place! Built in 1891, it's surrounded by massively thick grey-stoned walls with foot-thick wood doors, hefty iron work, and even a few bullet holes here and there (little souvenirs of the 1970s, when a battle between Sandinistas and the local Guardia was fought right in the middle of town! Inside you'll find an incredible selection of Nicaraguan handicrafts, plus cheap liquor and as many Cuban cigars as locally rolled Nicarguan stogies.

Just down the road from Masaya itself is another lagoon --- Laguna Apoyo --- that's a Mecca for inexpensive lodging, private lakeside villas, and weekend getawayers escaping the hustle and bustle of Managua. Beautiful place!

If you're into history, you'll want to check out Coyotepe --- it used to be an old Army fort, but during the years when Nicaragua was ruled by American puppet dictator Somoza, it was used as a prison for freedom fighters.