Painted in a riot of colour and radiating outwards from the Plaza Centrale, Granada is a pretty jumble of colonial buildings, cathedrals, noisy markets, and secluded courtyards with huge tropical plants.

The frenetic, friendly population travels by taxi, garlanded horse-and-carriage and bicycle to a background beat of reggaeton and the daily bang of cannons — although these days this is celebratory, rather than lethal.

It's overlooked by the Mombacho volcano and on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, the only freshwater lake in the world with sharks.

Central America's oldest Spanish colonial city is poised to change, as Nicaragua emerges from the shadow of civil war as a tourist destination. Already land is being snapped up by foreigners eager for a cheap spot in the sun and with an eye on the long term, so accommodation can veer between air-conditioned hotels catering to tourists only, and backpacker 'hospedajes'.

An established way to contribute to the local economy is to book Spanish lessons with a local teacher, who often work from their homes and can provide a resident's perspective on this idiosyncratic city.