Man-agua, Nicar-agua is the nicely hydrated capital of this Central American nation.  A devastating earthquake in 1972 leveled the kinetically crowded streets, the city that rose from the rubble is a sprawling giant.  An  enormous mass of humanity, Managua is a poly-limbed multi-tiered beast, a series of trunks and fingers without a central heart from which to orient, visitors are often wont to know where is is.  1 million Nicorettes (the technical name for Nicaraguan citizens thanks to Philip Morris) inhabit this anti-pedestrial city.  This isn't your go-to tourist destination, two days is plenty to check out the large lake Managua, and the city sites along the Plaza De Republica.  A spare hour is sufficient for the waterfront promenade.  A baseball game is also a raucous and interesting option.  Food is far from fantastic, but if you get hungry try the Italian, it's getting better.  Regardless, you didn't come to Nicaragua to shoulder around in crowded cities, use Managua as a launching pad from which to storm the beautiful mysteries of 'the New Costa Rica,' Nicaragua.

Managua is a capital that is undergoing many changes. The city has changed dramatically in ten, fifteen years. Whereas the city was clearly a third world capital not long ago, some parts of Managua can nowadays hardly be distinguished from western cities. Luxurious shopping malls, fancy banks, dominant billboard campaigns, and high class hotels and restaurants are all available to the select few that are able to afford this luxury.

When it comes to nightlife, Managua offers many bars, discotheques, theaters, and cinemas. Compared to western prices, alcoholic beverages, theater visits, and cinema tickets are fairly cheap. Although Nicaraguan cinemas and discotheques are smaller than their western counterparts, quality levels are similar to those in Europe or the U.S.

The Rubén Darío National Theater is one of the few buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake. It is Nicaragua’s most important theater, and national and international artists have given splendid shows, concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural performances. The theater continues to present shows, presentations, and other events that are worth a visit, so be sure to check out the Events Calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

The office of the Nicaraguan president (Casa Presidencial) can also be found close to the theater, and there are several other culturally interesting locations nearby. This same area was Managua’s historical center, before the 1972 earthquake flattened most buildings. Several monuments can be found here, and it has also been an important place during the revolution. The historical center of Managua can be an interesting visit, and the National Museum – located in front of the presidential office – is another worthy stop.

To find out what the markets are like in Nicaragua, visit Mercado Huembes. This is a quite large but friendly market, where many Nicaraguans buy their food, clothes, and other necessities. Souvenirs are also sold at the Huembes market. Another option is Mercado Oriental. This is the biggest market in Nicaragua, employing more than ten thousand people. You can get anything at Oriental, but this is not a very tourist-friendly market. It can get very crowded and disorganized. Leave big cash, watches, and other valuable objects at home. If you are careful and attentive, shopping at Mercado Oriental can be fun and for sure a unique experience!

The national stadium has hosted Nicaragua’s most important baseball games, and during the baseball season about five matches take place every week. Tourists can enjoy Nicaraguan enthusiasm for the country’s most favorite sport, and there is also an interesting hall of fame at the stadium.

Lagoons in a capital city
Another interesting aspect of Managua is the presence of no less than four lagoons within the city limits. The most central and most well-known lagoon is Laguna Tiscapa, or the Tiscapa Lagoon. The lagoon is of volcanic origin and has been formed around 10,000 years ago. Tiscapa is also an historical site: before the revolution, the presidential palace was located at a hilltop overlooking the lagoon. The small historical park that has been set up includes interesting objects like a tank given by Benito Mussolini to Anastasio Somoza, in addition to some superb views of the city. Furthermore, adventurers can enjoy gliding down the ziplines of the canopy tour that leads from the hilltop to the bottom of the lagoon. Read more about the Tiscapa Canopy Tour in our Activity Guide.

The Asososca Lagoon is the most important source for Managua’s drinking water. The Lagoon is located at the beginning of the southern highway (Carretera Sur), close to the connection with the new highway to León. The lagoon can hardly be seen from the road, but there is a small park (called Las Piedrecitas) that can be entered, overlooking the lagoon. The view of Asososca is spectacular, but access to the actual lagoon is restricted because of its importance as source for potable water.

The Nejapa Lagoon is located south of the Asososca Lagoon, also along the southern highway. There are some great views of this lagoon from restaurants located along the highway. The Nejapa Lagoon itself is a shallow lagoon and swimming is not possible. It happened several times during the dry season that all of the water of the lagoon evaporated.

The fourth lagoon is the Acahualinca Lagoon. This small lagoon has shallow waters as well and is located close to Lake Managua, in a neighborhood with the same name. Swimming is not possible either.