In the banks of the Nicaragua Lake –it’s so large that Spanish conquistadors thought they’d discovered a new ocean- stands Granada, one of the mainland’s oldest colonial enclaves. Pirates and filibusters ransacked the city and set it on fire, yet the town has managed to stick to its nicknamed Grand Sultan pride intact.

Nicaragua boasts over 40 volcanoes. The city overlooks the Bombacho Volcano and clambering up to the crater is just another must-see. From the top of it, travelers may follow down a trail into the woods, crowned by fumaroles and hammocks, from where they can make out one third of Nicaragua’s total surface. Take this other tip: tour the 14-mile stretch between the former Masaya Marketplace –home to a magnificent festival every Thursday- and a strip of land where you could take a fancy at swaying in a hammock or purchase the finest pair of snakeskin boots money can buy. On your way back, step up to the crater of the Masaya Volcano, where conquistadors staked a huge cross to chase away the devil that used to live in it. You’ll hardly forget the landscape before your eyes.

Another 20-minute stretch stands between San Juan de Oriente and Catarina, a location teeming with excellent craftworks. The town’s main street leads to a watchtower from where visitors may look down at the Apoyo Lagoon –a jaw-dropping lake that rests atop a volcano crater. Its sulphurous waters are simply wonderful for the human skin. Its banks are crowned by the Norome tourist compound.

If you love the sea, Nicaragua’s Pacific coast is not far from there. Steer down to San Juan del Sur, just a 20-minute drive from the Costa Rican border.

Just a half-hour drive from San Juan del Sur, Morgan’s Rock –Nicaragua’s first deluxe ecoresort- stands tall. Perched on Ocotal Beach.And don’t you forget, of course, Little Corn Island, a tiny white islet of powder-thin sand and deep blue sea with unbeatable conditions to practice scuba diving.

Drop in on Puerto Limon. The 9 miles of land stretching into the Panamanian border looks like a picture-perfect Caribbean postcard, with palm trees, deserted beaches of crystal-clear waters and schools of frolicking dolphins. And it’s all about Central America, a world region that always has something to offer and wears its heart out on its sleeve.