It is actually very easy to get to Casa Tranquilla in Granada from the Managua International Airport. I am going to give you the directions with the street names however the street names really don’t mean much because of the streets, for the most part, are unmarked. Unlike in the US and Canada where there are signs, there are few here so print the map and the written directions and you won’t have any problem.
Let us start from the airport, so there will be no confusion and we will end up at the doorstep to Casa Tranquilla in Granada. Most of the roads from the airport to Granada are well marked and will be on major highways the entire time until we get to Granada.
Turn right out the gate from the airport or the car rental agency. I think they are all in the same area and on the same side of the street as the airport. They should give you a map of the airport and directions to Granada. The distance is about 47 km. The main highways are pretty well marked and there are signs to the next town.
From the airport go east (right) on highway CA1, Central American Highway #1. You will come to a rotunda or traffic circle and just keep going through it east. The police watch the rotundas a lot and the biggest driving error is not entering and leaving in the proper lane. The vehicle in the rotunda have right of way so when it is clear enter and leave in the same lane. Stay in that same lane for a good distance as the police have been known to give tickets if you change quickly, even though you are technically out of the rotunda. Do not cross any solid lines, another offense. There will be a lot of parked buses at this first rotunda and it is an easy one so get practice here. Just watch what the car ahead of you does and follow his lead.
Continue on until you get to another rotunda and here most of the traffic will go just to the left. There are three roads out of the rotunda, the first right takes you back to Managua, the second goes to Tipitapa where you want to go and the left road is the continuation of CA1 and goes north where you don’t want to go.
This road will be pretty straight and almost like a tunnel with trees and lots of potholes too so watch out. You will get to Tipitapa on this road where it will be a Tee intersection and turn right. You will be on highway 11 (NIC 11) and there are signs to Granada so just follow them. Asking for directions is OK. Rather than ask for Granada it is more customary to ask for the next town which will be Masaya.
At this point, you have two choices. One is to keep going straight which will take you to Masaya. At the Tee intersection, you will turn left to Granada. Complete the directions below. The second choice is to watch for a sign pointing to the left that says, Granada. If you turn left this new road will bypass Masaya and just follow the signs to Granada. There are several more traffic circles but they are all clearly marked to get you to Granada.
On the way, you will see the free trade zone industrial buildings where they manufacture soft goods. There is a school zone along the way so be sure to just keep with the flow of traffic. The speed limit is suddenly reduced so if you are there during school hours it is a famous point for yet another traffic stop. Don’t you feel safer already?
Keep going until you see another Tee intersection with a steep hill downwards to the right and a large church with a lot of glass straight ahead. Turn left. There is usually a lot of police here too. You are now in Masaya and highway 4 or NIC 4. I believe you have two maybe 3 more rotundas (traffic circles) and just keep going straight. You are still on NIC 4. The next town is Granada. As you enter Granada you will see a large sign on the left that says something like Granada 1524. The next landmark is the baseball stadium on the left and just ahead is the only traffic light in town, which has not worked in years. You will turn right here. Immediately on the left will be a Shell Gas station. This is Avenida Elena Arellano. Two-speed bumps are just ahead. One stop sign and straight ahead until you get to another Tee. This is Calle Pueblo Chiquito but is unmarked and you will turn right and go a short distance to another Tee which is Calle El Cementerio, also unmarked and turn left here. Within a few yards, you will cross a bridge and see the cemetery on the right. Turn left at the very next street which will be Calle Nueva across from the cemetery and on the right you will see a pool hall. Straight on Calle Nueva to Casa Tranquilla, number 140 on the left.
The house is yellow and about 60 wide at the front. There is a garage door on the left.
Supermarket Maxi Pali is across the street from Casa Tranquilla.
