Flavors of Granada: Cooking & Discovery

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

What you will visit:

Granada
Also known as La Gran Sultana, Granada was founded in 1524 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba. It is situated near the famous Lake of Nicaragua and behind the Mombacho Volcano. Since its foundation, this city has survived attacks and invasions from Spanish, English and Dutch pirates. It is the oldest city in mainland America.

Granada, local market and cooking class

Found on Calle El Comercio, this wonderful local market with a colorful and chaotic array of vendors is where locals fill their baskets with fresh produce, spices and everything needed to prepare the best that Nicaraguan cuisine has to offer. Don an apron and prepare for a hands-on demonstration on how to prepare authentic Nicaraguan dishes. Learn the secrets to making local favorites so you can dazzle your friends and family back home.

What you will see along the way:

Picture-perfect Granada charms with its pastel-painted colonial buildings with typical indoor gardens and tiled roofs, reflecting a Moorish and Andalusian appearance. Highlights feature the 18th-century Fuerte La Polvora with its beautiful courtyard, the city's many churches such as La Merced with its active bellower that is rung by hand on the quarter hour, and verdant Xalteva Park anchored by the Xalteva Church with its distinct white and bright orange facade.
Photo Opportunities:

Enjoy the verdant Nicaraguan landscapes populated with unique flora and fauna as you journey across this wondrous 'Land of Lakes and Volcanoes.' Stop in the village of La Virgen, one of the few places where you can get an up-close look at Lake Nicaragua, Central America's largest lake. The island you see rising from the center of the lake is Ometepe, a UNESCO Biosphere Preserve and home to two majestic volcanoes.


Lunch:
Nicaraguan cuisine dates back to the pre-Columbian era and has been influenced through time by the Spanish conquistadors. The traditional menu is 'criollo,' a fusion of Indian-Spanish flavors and dishes. Corn is the basis for most meals as well as rice and beans and wonderful, tropical fruits, which add sweetness and flavor. Nicaraguan cuisine is well seasoned but not particularly spicy. Your freshly prepared meal will showcase the best of the local ingredients available at the marketplace.