Overview

León has spirit and is a fascinating place to wander and absorb Nicaragua’s colonial and revolutionary history. Like Granada, the core of Nicaragua’s second city and intellectual capital is brimful with red-tiled colonial-style buildings but, unlike its peaceful rival, effervesces with artistic and political energy. A city with a strong religious tradition, it hosts a dozen crumbly churches juxtaposed with murals depicting events from the 1979 revolution. The city’s university and student scene lends it a youthful feel.

50km beyond the city are the sedate World Heritage ruins of León Viejo, the original site for León, and Nicaragua’s capital until an earthquake hit in 1609. Meanwhile, thrill-seekers can tackle the stark slopes of Cerro Negro volcano, with the option to ‘ash-board’ back down.

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Nicaragua

Cotinga: Off the beaten track Nicaragua

18 days from £3,430pp

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Nicaragua

Self-drive Nicaragua: Adventures by road

11 days from £1,900pp

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Nicaragua

Signature Nicaragua: Fire, water and revolution

13 days from £2,690pp

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Where to go when - our guide to Leon

Leon Nicaragua

The weather in Leon is wide and varied

Nicaragua’s second city is characterised by it’s red-tiled colonial-style buildings and it’s artistic and political energy and is mainly frequented by locals and students of the university. Awash in revolutionary history, the people are extremely friendly and a lively nightlife scene.

View our Leon weather guide

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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