Guidebook for León
Food Scene
Not just great bread. You can get a good coffee or a satisfying meal as well!
13 locals recommend
Pan & Paz - French Bakery
1ra Calle NENot just great bread. You can get a good coffee or a satisfying meal as well!
Hotel Casa abierta
Close to home. Very simple, healthy menu, cold beers, a pool you can pay to use.
Close by. Reliably good food, good prices. Owner is a sometimes grumpy Canadian with a heart of gold. Ambience is very low-key. Your in his house and there's a pool table with wobbly sticks. I eat dinner there more than anywhere else.
Don Jack’s
1ra Calle NEClose by. Reliably good food, good prices. Owner is a sometimes grumpy Canadian with a heart of gold. Ambience is very low-key. Your in his house and there's a pool table with wobbly sticks. I eat dinner there more than anywhere else.
Best breakfast in León. Great atmosphere, well attended by locals. Fast, friendly service and good prices.
8 locals recommend
El Desayunazo
2da Avenida NOBest breakfast in León. Great atmosphere, well attended by locals. Fast, friendly service and good prices.
Very local, out of the way, worthy of a taxi drive. Rancho makes it nice and cool. Food is decent, beer is icy cold. Only a block or two away from El Lobito which is much more popular but not necessarily much better.
Restaurante Rancho Don Pepe
Very local, out of the way, worthy of a taxi drive. Rancho makes it nice and cool. Food is decent, beer is icy cold. Only a block or two away from El Lobito which is much more popular but not necessarily much better.
You cannot get any more local. Right across the street, three doors down. Famous for their bean soup but they have a full menu.
La Cucaracha
You cannot get any more local. Right across the street, three doors down. Famous for their bean soup but they have a full menu.
Mercado Central
José de MarcoletaDrinks & Nightlife
Great place for a cold beer. It's a full restaurant as well, but kind of pricey. Dance club is being built and will be a hotspot when ready.
Barbaro
Great place for a cold beer. It's a full restaurant as well, but kind of pricey. Dance club is being built and will be a hotspot when ready.
Thursday nights are salsa nights and the place is packed. You can dance with the best-- until 12am sharp. Then head over to Zona Rosa where most of the clubs are concentrated if you still want to dance.
14 locals recommend
La Olla Quemada - Bar Cultural
NIC-14Thursday nights are salsa nights and the place is packed. You can dance with the best-- until 12am sharp. Then head over to Zona Rosa where most of the clubs are concentrated if you still want to dance.
Dancing that's more local. For a more foreigner-mixed crowd try Oxigeno. For less pounding bass and more patio, try Taquezal (which also is a good restaurant). All of these are in the "Zona Rosada" a strip of bars/ clubs not far from Central Park.
Gecko's Bar
Dancing that's more local. For a more foreigner-mixed crowd try Oxigeno. For less pounding bass and more patio, try Taquezal (which also is a good restaurant). All of these are in the "Zona Rosada" a strip of bars/ clubs not far from Central Park.
Arts & Culture
World class museum with buildings as impressive as the art inside. Give yourself at least 2 hours...
11 locals recommend
Museo de Arte Fundacion Ortiz-Gurdian
Avenida 3 PonienteWorld class museum with buildings as impressive as the art inside. Give yourself at least 2 hours...
Actually there are a few smaller museums. They're all pretty quick walk-throughs and Angel can give you a tour of them as well as some of the more important churches and the market for 20$
10 locals recommend
Ruben Dario Registry Museum
NIC-14Actually there are a few smaller museums. They're all pretty quick walk-throughs and Angel can give you a tour of them as well as some of the more important churches and the market for 20$
Sightseeing
If you're lucky, they'll be open and you can buy a ticket that gives you entry to the roof. Stunning views. The cathedral itself is beautiful. If you do go, remember not to snap photos and walk around in short shorts if there's a mass in play!
29 locals recommend
Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Avenida Central NorteIf you're lucky, they'll be open and you can buy a ticket that gives you entry to the roof. Stunning views. The cathedral itself is beautiful. If you do go, remember not to snap photos and walk around in short shorts if there's a mass in play!
Entertainment & Activities
Ok, I'll admit I've never done this and have no interest in doing so. But.... for ppl who like that sort of thing, volcano-boarding is supposed to be very fun. Go to the little backpacker zone near ViaVia and there are a couple of places where you can arrange a trip.
21 locals recommend
Cerro Negro Volcano
Ok, I'll admit I've never done this and have no interest in doing so. But.... for ppl who like that sort of thing, volcano-boarding is supposed to be very fun. Go to the little backpacker zone near ViaVia and there are a couple of places where you can arrange a trip.
New Century Plaza
1ra Calle NENice way to work on your Spanish and escape the heat for a bit.
Essentials
Supermercado La Union
1ra Calle NEEverything Else
Great food, great location. They organize lots of activities including turtle-watching. Look up their website for more info.
7 locals recommend
Barca de Oro
Great food, great location. They organize lots of activities including turtle-watching. Look up their website for more info.