In this video, IL editor Lee Harrison tours downtown León—Nicaragua’s intellectual capital, and also a university town. León, the capital of the country for 200 years before Managua was so designated, once served as the country’s political, military, cultural, and religious center.

It is said that the only reason that Managua was made the capital was because of its location: between the very liberal León and the very conservative Granada.

León is still the intellectual capital of the country today, and its Municipal Library has good collections. The Metropolitan Cathedral here is considered the most significant colonial structure in all of Central America; many prominent Nicaraguans, including Ruben Dario, are buried inside its walls.

In this video, you’ll see:

• A well maintained city with a recent rise in tourism
• A good example of colonial architecture
• More foreign influence — like an Italian bakery and a new casino
• A lot of wall art and photos as tributes to Nicaraguan freedom
• Book sales at the side of the street and sidewalk vendors selling food and antiques
• A bustling main square

Editor’s note: You can read Lee’s full report on Nicaragua in IL’s July magazine–out today. In this article, Lee details lifestyle and real estate opportunities in Nicaragua’s two most beautiful colonial cities, Leon and Granada. If you’re not a subscriber, you can become one here and you’ll get instant access to this article and all the other articles in the July issue.

Click here to view more videos from Lee and our other editors around the world.