Jinotega

Jinotega sits in a high bowl at around a thousand metres, ringed by steep green mountains that hold cloud through much of the year, which is where the nickname the city of mists comes from. It is the centre of Nicaragua's largest coffee-producing department, and the road up from Matagalpa climbs through plantations and past viewpoints over the valley. The white cathedral faces the central park, and a path climbs from town to the Peña de la Cruz, a cross on the ridge above with a view over the whole bowl. Lake Apanás lies north and the Datanlí-El Diablo and Peñas Blancas reserves east. The city itself is plain and functional, and the reason to come is what surrounds it.

History

The name probably comes from Nahuatl xiotenko, "place next to the jiñocuajo trees". A Spanish census of 1581 recorded Jinotega as a wholly indigenous town, in 1606 it was named San Juan de Jinotega, with John the Baptist as patron at the site of today's central park, and the department now produces 80% of Nicaragua's coffee (Wikipedia, Jinotega).

What to look for

• The mountain bowl - steep green slopes enclosing the city.
• Peña de la Cruz - the hilltop cross and its view over the valley.
• The cathedral and park - the working centre of town.
• Coffee country - plantations on every slope around.

When to go

December to April is driest, though cloud and drizzle are common year round, which is the character of the place. Harvest from November to February brings the plantations to life. Nights are cold by Nicaraguan standards.

What to expect

It is often grey and wet, and the mists that give the city its name also remove the views. The city has few sights of its own. The road from Matagalpa is winding and slow. Accommodation is basic.

Nearby

Lake Apanás lies north; Datanlí-El Diablo and Peñas Blancas are east.

Key facts