The Incredible Doors of Granada, Nicaragua

I rarely, if ever, feel the urge to write about a city while I'm actually in it. For one reason or another, in Granada, I can't help myself. I've been busier than an accountant during tax season since I arrived here. After this morning's trip to Mombacho Volcano, I've decided to post something about one of my recommended things to do in Granada. Something I'm excited about.

While at the top of the volcano, looking over Lake Nicaragua, I was trying to decide why Granada was growing on me so quickly. I'll be honest, when I first arrived, I enjoyed Granada, but I wasn't taken by it, if you know what I mean.

Most things to do in Granada are actually outside of the city, like climbing Mombacho Volcano, exploring Las Isletas de Granada, or visiting Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve.

I realized that it is growing on me because I couldn't help being entranced and fascinated at every turn while walking the streets of Granada.

I narrowed it down to the doorways.

The Doorways of Granada

The colourful, vibrant entryways of this city tell a story that I think I've been piecing together since I arrived. Thus, my project this afternoon was to try to capture this story and spin it into my own. I spent the last few hours wandering up and down major streets, alleyways, side-streets, and backstreets.

What I was looking for are the doors you see below. I found them in spades. Here are the doors of Granada:

Each door in Granada has its own unique personality, each a showcase of the talented artisans and woodworkers that created them. Some doors are large and constructed of thick, ornately carved wood. Others are painted in bright attention-demanding colours, some pleasantly contrasting the facade of the buildings.

The widest doors tell a story of passing horse-drawn carriages, and the wealth that came with owning a carriage and horses. These tall, wide doors are relics of a time when the booming economy of Granada relied on the import and export of goods such as timber, gold, and silver.

All the doors in Granada showcase the city’s history in some way. With each door you pass, you wonder what lies behind it. Perhaps a courtyard with a fountain and a lush garden. Or a family catching up at the day’s end. No matter what is behind the thick, heavy doors of Granada, they all bear hidden worlds steeped with history.

How to See the Doors of Granada, Nicaragua

One way to do it is just start walking! Exploring a city on foot is one of the best ways to learn your way around.

The Lonely Planet Nicaragua Guide has a useful map of Central Granada with all the must-see Spanish Colonial buildings including Iglesia La Merced, Casa de los Leones, and the abandoned San Juan de Dios Hospital. If you enjoy exploring abandoned buildings, check this place out!

Another option is to join a walking tour. Whether free or paid, walking tour guides offer insight and back stories to the buildings (and doors) that you see around the city.

Get out of your hostel or hotel and hit those cobblestone streets for a day in Granada. Don’t forget to bring your camera!