I think Nicaragua inscribed the wrong places and instead should focus on all the awesome natural sites around the country. Both Leóns are kinda lame. On the other hand without an inscription nobody would visit and no funding for keeping it maintained. There were after a 3 coaches parked outside the entrance gate when I drove up, blasting their aircon the entire time parked there and the site was "overrun" by elderly American tourists. So much in fact that no guide was available for taking me which is supposed to be mandatory (or maybe just a service you get for the $5 entrance fee). This trip is shaping up to be a DIY tour more than ever.

So while the groups heading for the restaurant across the gate (with guides hmmm) I was free to explore the remains of old Leon, abandoned after an earthquake from the magnificent Momotombo nearby (should be a WHS like Fujisan but isn't even tentative). That was many hundred years ago. A possible look of the town can be seen by a nearby model. I'm guessing it's a typical old town layout. I think I counted 3 churches alone. As you get to these places in the area you will get used to one thing: they are just walls now, barely a foot high sometimes. They aren't even original if I'm not mistaken. Replaced with new mortar to give it a look that something once stood here. The better ones even get a roof cover. The plaques nearby don't actually explain more than the name of the building. I can't see how a guide would give more info than that aside from padding it with general info of what would have gone down in that kind of building. Any info on the old town is lost to us now.

There is also a "museum" with some info panels, only in Spanish mind you, but it's pretty laughable.

I actually knew what to expect from pictures so if "foundations of buildings gone long ago" isn't your kind of thing them you are probably ticking this off for the sake of completion. It's not far from the main roads but the sandy "roads" in Puerto Momotombo aren't fun to drive. I once almost got stuck in the sand too.