León is one of those places that’s got an effortless soul. You can feel it in almost every corner of the city.
It’s got a raw, unpolished charm, with a mixture of gritty streets, beautiful colonial buildings, and a buzzing university crowd that keeps things fun and lively. If you’re a Backpacker looking for something real, León’s your spot.
This city played a huge role in Nicaragua’s fight for independence and the Sandinista Revolution, and you can still feel that rebellious energy in the streets today. It’s super rich in culture, but cheap on it’s street food, full of history with none of the empty touristy facade.
The main reason backpackers head here is that Leon is the best starting point for Nicaragua’s famous volcano boarding, hiking trails, and relaxing beaches.
The top things to do in Leon
Visit León Cathedral :
This is the biggest Cathedral in Central America.
Climbing up to the rooftop is a must-do activity here that a surprising amount of backpacker fail to do. Once you’re up there, you’ll get some truly incredible views of the entire city and the surrounding volcanoes, and the whole experience has a kind of peaceful vibe that’s hard to beat.
Go Volcano Boarding on Cerro Negro
Let’s be honest this is probably why you are here. It’s also the reason your mum bought you travel insurance, but mums around the world take a breath, this is completely safe and makes for pretty unbeatable bragging rights.
First you’ll hike up Cerro Negro, an active volcano covered in black volcanic ash, and then board down its steep slopes at breakneck speed. It’s a bit like snowboarding, but way more badass.
Here is our full guide to Volcano Boarding Cerro Negro
Surf at Las Peñitas Beach
Just a 20 minutes bus ride from the city lies the chilled out beach town of Las Peñitas. You can get a shuttle directly there for $5 return from Big Foot Hostel.
The beach has long stretches of sand, a great sand bottom surf break for beginners, and a couple really lovely beach bars.
This is probably one of the best places you can learn to surf in Nicaragua. If you are an intermediate or advanced surfer you might want to head directly for the famous breaks around San Juan Del Sur.
Street Food and Night life
Dishes to sample: The safe bet Quesillos —tortillas stuffed with gooey cheese, pickled onions, and sour cream. You can grab one from most street vendors. We also love Baho: This hearty dish is made with beef, plantains, and yuca, all slow-cooked in banana leaves. It’s a filling treat that is rich with flavour.
For breakfast Pan & Paz for coffee and pastries, or head to El Desayunazo for a big breakfast if you need to fuel up before your surf trip to the beach …. or volcano.
ViaVia León for live music and a fun hostel vibe, or join the locals by wandering down El Callejón, an alley lined with bars where students hang out pretty much every evening.
The best backpacker hostels in Leon
We have two clear favourites :
Bigfoot Hostel: This is the place to stay if you’re into volcano boarding (they run tours), meeting people, and having a good time. It’s got a lively atmosphere, a pool, and plenty of social events.
Hotel Al Sole : A more relaxed option. With clean, spacious rooms and a great location close to the city center, it’s perfect if you’re looking for somewhere a bit quieter to unwind after your adventures.
How to get to León?
León is super accessible. It’s about an hour and a half by bus from Managua, and buses run frequently. You can also catch direct buses from Estelí or Matagalpa if you’re traveling from up north.
When is the best time to go to León?
León can get seriously hot, making some of the more strenuous adventures pretty challenging. The dry season, from November to April, is when you’ll get sunny skies and warm weather, but be prepared for some sweaty days.
If you decide to avoid the sweltering sun visit during rainy season (May to October). Everything turns lush and green it’s cooler and will be overcast. Another thing to consider is that Volcano boarding is slower when the sand is wet… that might be a blessing our a curse depending on your bravery.
