San Rafael del Norte

San Rafael del Norte is a small town in the mountains north of Jinotega, and its parish church is the surprise: the interior is covered in painted decoration, stained glass and gilding of an elaboration unusual for a town this size, the work of decades of parish effort and donation. On a hill above stands the Tepeyac sanctuary, a chapel and gardens with a large statue and a view over the valley, reached by a road or a walk up. The surrounding country is pine and coffee, cool and green. The town is quiet, with a small central park and a few places to eat, and it works as a half-day trip from Jinotega or a stop on the way further north toward the Coco river country.

What you actually see

• The painted church - an elaborately decorated interior in a small town.
• The Tepeyac sanctuary - the hilltop chapel, gardens and valley view.
• Pine and coffee hills - the highland country around the town.
• The central park - the quiet heart of a mountain town.

When to go

December to April for the roads and clearer weather. Patron saint days in late October fill the town. The highlands are cool and often misty at any time of year.

Honest expectations

The church may be locked outside service times. There is little else to do in the town and facilities are limited. The road from Jinotega is winding. It is a two-hour stop rather than a destination.

Nearby

Jinotega lies south; the Coco river country is north.