Overview
Take a trip to Leon on your Nicaragua Vacation
Leon is named after the city of Leon in Spain. After independence, the elites of León and Granada struggled over which city would be the capital. Leon was dominated by the liberals and Granada by the conservatives. The fighting ended when Managua became the capital.
After Granada, which is better preserved, Leon, on a Nicaragua vacation, has the best colonial architecture in Nicaragua. It is a university town where during the 1979 revolution, the Sandinistas took in the violent street-by-street fighting. Leon used to be the hub of cotton growing but that has declined.
It has more colonial churches and cathedrals per capita than any other place in Nicaragua. Leon Cathedral is the biggest cathedral in Central America. The story goes that the construction plans sent back to Spain for approval showed smaller dimensions because they were afraid the Church wouldn't approve of such a large cathedral. The cathedral is also the final resting place of Ruben Dario, as well as many other notable Nicaraguans. You can climb the stairs up to the roof, where you can have a good view of all of Leon's churches and the surrounding volcanoes on Nicaragua tours.
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Classic Nicaragua: Granada, Matagalpa & More
San Juan Del Sur, Leon, Matagalpa, and GranadaDrift among Nicaragua’s volcanic lake islets, wander colonial streets, explore cloud forests and coffee country, then relax by the Pacific amid jungle-fringed shores.
10 days
From US$3,655/p.p.
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Classic Nicaragua: Granada, Matagalpa & More
San Juan Del Sur, Leon, Matagalpa, and GranadaDrift among Nicaragua’s volcanic lake islets, wander colonial streets, explore cloud forests and coffee country, then relax by the Pacific amid jungle-fringed shores.
10 days
From US$3,655/p.p.
Request a Quote
What do the experts say?
I love learning about Nicaragua's culture and experiencing its Spanish influence in some cities. I was only there for five days, but I'll never forget how delicious the food was and how welcoming and extremely polite the people were.
Nicaragua is well known for its dramatic volcanic landscapes, lakes, rainforests, and colonial cities. I love how friendly the people are and how delicious the food is! There is always something fun to do in Nicaragua!
The historical Leon landmark, Cathedral of Mary...
Maximo Jerez Fountain in Ruben Dario Park
A Gothic master piece of Gothic, the Leon Cathe...
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Place
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Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
LeonPartly Cloudy
33°C / 91°F
34mm / 1.3"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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ExcellentBased on 5,342 ReviewsBrooke from Goway Travel was really great to work with. There was 12 of us travelling and we weren’t all travelling on the exact same itinerary. Brooke worked hard to keep us all organized. She facilitated all the bookings and flights for an African safari and further travel for some after that. The safari out of Nairobi was excellent. Would definitely use Goway Travel and Brooke again. Karen GGoway Travel one of the best travel companies that my family have used to book a vacation. We worked with Leo Li, a travel agent at Goway to plan a two week tour to China called Scenic China: Mountain, Rivers, and Rice Terraces in October, 2026. From the start, the communication was clear and helpful. Leo listened to what we wanted and added a day before the start of the tour and a day at the end of the tour which was requested, booked great hotels, and took the stress completely out of booking flights and transfers.
When an order for tea that was purchased during the tour and not delivered as scheduled, Leo contacted the tea company to insure that the tea order had been shipped.
The entire detailed itinerary was sent to me giving the dates and activity of each day and when and where the local guides were to meet us at each location whether an airport, train station, or hotel . Goway gave a customer helpline to call for guidance, help coordinating services, or urgent assistance.
Leo did an outstanding job of putting together a memorable tour and we would happily recommend Goway to anyone looking for a seamless vacation.Howard TI will always use GoWay when I travel. And especially use my agent Bijal Kana. You never feel unsafe and your transfers and itinerary are amazing. This is my second trip with Goway, having gone to Egypt with them and having an amazing experience. I’ve now traveled to China and also had an amazing experience. The only thing I would improve is that some of the quality of the restaurants were less than I would have expected, sometimes feeling like you’re in a fast food restaurant ..I’m not sure if that’s controlled by go away or the local tour managers. But as far as driving and transportation in the itinerary, it was perfectly planned. The hotels also were top-notch. The tour guides also guide you securely in airports and trains to make sure that you are safely placed in the right area. If i had anything to improve on, it would be the restaurant quality, I expected more of a four or five star restaurant experience, which I would say 75% of the time I felt like we were in a very nice restaurant. Which made me think it was up to our tour guide that chose the restaurants. There were a few times that was extremely disappointed on the location and the restaurant experience. But other times I felt like it was the best place in the world they could’ve chosen so I’m not sure. Please don’t take this as anything against go away. I would definitely use them every time I travel.
I wish I could directly submit a review on each tour guide in each location, which would be much more specific on how the experience went. Maybe in the future they will give a more in-depth survey on each tour guide that you interact with and their choices and their touring style. That being said I still give the trip a 95%. Marina PenderThis Kenya adventure was my second trip to Africa with Goway, and once again, my go-to Africa specialist, Alexandra Hale, worked her magic. She helped create a thoughtfully planned itinerary that included all the must-see highlights of Kenya, with the perfect blend of luxury and adventure.
Our custom journey took us from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara, on to Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, and finally to the beautiful Kenyan coast along the Indian Ocean. Along the way, we stayed at outstanding accommodations, including the Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi, the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, and the Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani.
Every destination offered incredible experiences, but if I could change one thing, I would have added an extra day at the beach to enjoy the coast a little longer.
The in-destination support provided by the Sense of Africa team was exceptional. Their knowledgeable guides enhanced our experience at every stop and ensured everything ran smoothly throughout the trip.
One of my most memorable experiences was the hot-air-balloon safari over the Maasai Mara. Seeing wildlife from above at sunrise was truly breathtaking. The experience was made even more special with a freshly prepared champagne breakfast in the bush after landing.
This was another unforgettable African adventure, and I’m already looking forward to returning to the continent. When it’s time to plan my next trip, Goway will be my first call.ABanksExceptional Service from Leo Liu at Goway Travel
Our recent 16-day private journey through China was an extraordinary experience, thanks in large part to Leo Liu of Goway Travel, who worked closely with me to create a truly personalized itinerary.
What I appreciated most about Leo was his willingness to collaborate with me throughout the planning process. I had very specific ideas about the destinations, luxury accommodations, cultural experiences, and activities we wanted to include. Rather than simply offering a standard tour package, Leo listened carefully to my preferences, offered valuable suggestions, and worked patiently with me to refine every detail.
Our journey took us through Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Guilin and Yangshuo, and Hong Kong. Each destination offered something special, from China’s magnificent historical landmarks to its vibrant modern cities and breathtaking countryside.
The accommodations were thoughtfully selected, including the Peninsula Beijing, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, and the beautiful Sugar House in Yangshuo. We particularly enjoyed the unique experiences woven into our itinerary, including the spectacular Gong Yan performance in Shanghai and the scenic beauty of Yangshuo.
What made Leo exceptional was that he understood the kind of travel experience we wanted. He respected my input, welcomed my suggestions, and helped transform my ideas into a seamless and memorable journey. Planning a complex private trip requires considerable coordination, and his professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail were greatly appreciated.
Having traveled extensively, we value a travel advisor who does more than arrange hotels and transportation. We appreciate someone who genuinely collaborates with us to create meaningful experiences. Leo Liu delivered exactly that.
Thank you, Leo, for your dedication, patience, and excellent service. Our China adventure was filled with wonderful memories, and we look forward to planning many more journeys with you and Goway Travel.
Highly recommended for travelers seeking thoughtfully designed, personalized luxury travel experiences!SuzetteI’ve travelled with GoWay Travel for over ten trips abroad.(Australia, Japan, NewZealand, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya/Tanzania.)
Each itinerary was customized to fit my needs, suggestions given to improve the experiences, and the air transportation was arranged.
The consultants have been exemplary, with Brooke Theron being my skilful consultant for this my third trip to Botswana. She was patient, knew her destinations, listened to my wants and delivered an itinerary that was different from my two other trips to Botswana.
Since I now travel solo, I’m very conscious of security, planning, being met and transported from airports to destinations, very good accommodations with excellent food packages, and lots of activities.
This trip rates in the top three of my journeys with GoWay. Brooke booked me into the Kwando Reserve- Splash 3 days and Lebala camp 3 days and 2 days on the Chobe Princess cruise on the border of Botswana and Namibia. Kwando Safaris were excellent and the Chobe Princess was good but not quite what I had envisioned.
The whole trip was flawlessly detailed and executed. I was never left wondering what to do or where to go. GoWay’s partner in Botswana is Thompson Africa. They were very good.
WIth GoWay and their wonderful consultants you can’t go wrong. You are safe and well looked after. I highly recommend this travel company.521810 - Linda Ann Weich - AfricaI want to thank Taha for his outstanding knowledge on Ghana. It was so good to work with him on the planning and the process to Ghana. Everything was amazing, from the hotels, tour guide Leslie, restaurants, and the food. I would definitely recommend Taha to anyone wanting to travel with a group.
Best,
Lisa V HendersonLisa HendersonEarly 2026 I met Alice Teramoto at the Phoenix travel show. I asked her about a dive trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Thankfully I kept her card. About 7 months later I started planning the trip myself. I was overwhelmed after I got my airline tickets to and from Australia and organized a dive boat. Thankfully I found her card. I texted her with my dates and within two days she had a complete agenda to me. It was amazing. She had transport to and from airports, car rental, tours everywhere I was going. I was gone for 6 weeks and I was so happy with everything she planned. I haven't used a travel agent in the past but believe me I would us Goway Travel and Alice again. barbara coy
Everything was looked after and no stress for usJean WilloughbyVanessa from Goway Travel did a fantastic job pulling together a really comprehensive itinerary for our trip to Egypt. Her advice about "must see" sites was extremely helpful and she also provided great tips based on her own experience travelling to Egypt. Excellent planning by Vanessa meant we were able to thoroughly enjoy our trip. Olga
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