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Is Granada the ‘Real’ Antigua?

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When I was in Antigua, Guatemala this past December, I was pondering where I would go in Nicaragua.  The reason I was planning so far ahead is because:  1) I am a planner and it is just the way I think and 2) I knew there was so much of Nicaragua I wanted to see and wanted to maximize my time there without moving too quickly to enjoy it.  I knew that Granada was the main tourist destination in Nicaragua and yet another colonial town, so I thought it may only require a day trip to snap a few photos of the main sites.  I met three people that weighed in on whether or not Granada would be worth spending my time.

Granada 017Nicky and Juan, a couple from the US who were traveling for a few months and had already been to Nicaragua, suggested I could skip Granada.  In their words, “It is basically a dirtier Antigua.” Keep in mind they were not slamming Granada; they were just trying to give me an idea of their perception of the city compared to other places.  For them, after seeing Antigua, Granada was pretty much the same from a visual/ things-to-do perspective (old colonial churches, brightly painted facades, cobblestone streets, horse drawn carriages, surrounded by volcanoes, etc.).

Then there was Richard, the Scottsman, who I would describe in a word as “eccentric.”  Richard is a true traveler.  Probably in his 60s with wild white hair and a scruffy white beard, he’d been all over the world, including trips to Iran, India, Africa.  Actually, it seemed like he had literally traveled everywhere in the world, and he did it with a three-quarters full 35-liter backpack.  When I told Richard what I had heard from the other travelers at our hostel, he snickered and said, “Granada is the real Antigua.”  In the end, I ended up spending 6 days in Granada.  So now I can weigh in with my opinion.

Granada 508Granada is the real Antigua in the sense that the town has not yet been completely bought up by expats and wealthy Nicaraguans.  Just a couple blocks from the main tourist streets you see poverty.  You see how the indigenous locals live in tiny, ramshackle homes with laundry hanging across the front of the house, spare parts and equipment strewn across small patches of what you may call a yard, and trash lining the streets.  It is grittier.  It feels more dangerous, as any town does when you blend the world of impoverished locals with that of the wealthy (at least comparatively) expats and tourists.

I am certainly not implying that Granada is better than Antigua in any way.  I still love Antigua and fondly remember the two weeks that I spent there.  Nor am I implying that the people and the cultural experience are the same.  But I do understand what the Scottsman was trying to tell me. 

One thing I’ve learned while traveling is that everyone has different perspectives of a place, and it is what we bring with us – our past experiences, our likes and dislikes, our travel companion, and even our current mood and attitude – that shapes how we see a new place and how we feel about the experience.

In the past, I was probably one to quickly judge or even try to argue if I had a differing opinion about a travel destination.  Now I realize that we all see something different, and my story is just one of many.  But I will still be quick to share mine with anyone who will listen.

Check out my photos of Granada.

The Nicaragua Travel Tips page has been updated with information on León and Granada.

Comments

    • Leon was also my favorite place in Nicaragua. It just felt so normal. Not too big. Not too small. Modern enough, but you could still sense the history and the culture.

  3. Already in Panama…and here I thought I was catching up with you–ha ha. Skipped Granada this time because I was there last year. Did enjoy it; although they were redoing most of the main streets at the time and it was a bit loud and messy. Just got to Costa Rica myself. Will head to Panama in a week or so (of course that usually changes). Travel well; travel safely.

  8. I preferred Granada to Antigua. Antigua was expensive as all hell and had WAY more people around. I felt a more authentic experience in Nicaragua.

  9. I hated Antigua for the exact reasons you mention: It was overrun with expats and hardly felt “authentic” to me. I like the sound of Granada. I’ll be in Nicaragua in May, but not sure if I’ll have time to leave the city where we’re docking.
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