There are many things to do in Matagalpa!
Looking for the best things to do in Matagalpa? There are many of things to do in Matagalpa and surrounding areas. Following is our selection of the most interesting things to do in the area.
Downtown Things to do in Matagalpa
City Tour.
A walking tour of the city will provide some insight to the city that makes locals feel proud of living in. Matagalpa has played an important role in the national economy for over a century as the coffee producing centre on Nicaragua. In addition two of the main Sandinista Revolution leaders where born here. Visit the Cathedral, the Church of San Jose and the Dario Park. Make sure you do not miss the two museums, the Coffee Museum of Matagalpa and the Carlos Fonseca Amador Museum. Adjacent to the church you will find the Monument to the fallen revolutionary heroes and finally at the central park you will be able to see the bronze statues of Carlos
The Cerro “El Calvario” lookout point.
High above the city of Matagalpa, El Calvario offers a fantastic view of the city and the valley. Although you can technically walk up to it from town, locals highly recommend that you don’t, since the access takes you through a poor neighbourhood that could prove to be unsafe. Instead, hire a taxi to take you up, or if you have a vehicle, drive up to the top on you own. The road is actually in very good shape, and it is only about 4 kilometers long (2 ½ miles). Once at the lookout, pay the entrance fee of 20 Cordabas per person plus 20 Cordabas for your car.
The view is outstanding, you can see the Apante Mountain in the background, as well as the whole city of Matagalpa. It can bee quite windy up there, so make sure you grab on to your hat or cap, or it can easily be blown off you head. There are a couple of basic establishments that sell sodas and basic food at the top. The area around the mountain top has been under a reforestation process. The Municipality of Matagalpa made a commitment to plant a tree here for every new person that was born in the municipality… If you do a tree count, you can see that there is a high birth rate in Matagalpa !
Nearby Things to do in Matagalpa
Cascada Santa Emilia
Take the road that leads towards the municipality of La Dalia. After about 16 kilometers from Matagalpa you will come to this truly impressive waterfall. It is clearly marked on the road with a sign that reads Eco Lodge Cascada Blanca. Although the lodge is not yet operational, they do have a set of steps leading down towards the Yasika River. They also have a restaurant facility that serves good typical Honduran food as well as some outstanding Italian food. They also have good clean bathrooms.
If you walk down to the river you will come across a beautiful waterfall that is some 30 meters high (about 100 feet) falling into a fantastic deep swimming hole. The trail actually leads behind the fall and on to a cavern that looks down towards the waterfall and swimming hole. If you like nature and swimming do not pass on the opportunity to visit this site! For more information, visit www.passportnicaragua.com of email: vveizaga@hotmail.com. You can also call (505) 8966 2070.
Cerro Apante trails
The Cerro Apante dominates the valley of Matagalpa looking towards the southwest of the city. This lovely, very green mountain has a set of trails that lead up to a lookout point high in the mountain. All in all, it will take you a good 3 to 4 hours to hike up to the lookout point and back. You will be rewarded with magnificent views of the city. Matagalpa Tours offers trips to Cerro Apante. You can get more information at www.matagalpatours.com and E-mail them at info@matagalpatours.com
Selva Negra
Up in the mountains, on the highway that leads to Jinotega, you will come across the Selva Negra hotel. The dense cloudforests are usually covered with fog early in the morning. This is home to a large coffee finca as well as to one of the oldest hotels in this part of Nicaragua, The Selva Negra Hotel. The property is run in an environmentally conscious manner, and provides a cool, refreshing escape from the usually hot Nicaraguan climate.
There is an entrance fee to the hotel. You can choose between 50 Cordabas as an entrance fee or a redeemable 100 Cordabas entrance fee. The latter gives you the right to credit at the restaurant. There is a complete tour of the facility that will show you how the different production processes take place. Well worth the visit! You can not miss the turn off the main road! There is an old war tank on the side of the highway marking the entrance.
The Community of El Chile
A nice community located within an hour of Matagalpa. Located at the foot of a hill called El Chile, which affords a fantastic 360 degree view. This community dedicates itself to the producing lovely handicrafts produced in a primitive loom. The result are lovely, colourful handmade products that include, bags, wallets and even camera holders. Come and visit the community! For more information, visit www.matagalpatours.com or Email: info@matagalpatours.com. Telephone (505) 2772 0108.
