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Where is San Juan de Limay located?

San Juan de Limay is a quiet municipality in the department of Estelí, located 195 kilometers from the capital, Managua and 47 kilometers northwest of the departmental head, city of Estelí.

The territory of Limay was inhabited in its origins by the chorotegas and was declared a municipality in the year 1891.

If one thinks of San Juan de Limay automatically relates it to their crafts of marmolina, but this municipality possesses natural and archaeological-historical jewels practically unknown that will surprise us pleasantly. It is worth to take a break to this municipality.

If we come from the city of Estelí, approaching the junction of the Sirena, we are welcomed by a series of 20 imposing figures more than one and a half meters high. They are statues of women representing scenes of daily life made in stone marmolina by the artisans of Limay. It is the well known Corridor of Las Gordas.

In the town center of the municipality we can visit the various craft workshops that make figures and sculptures of all kinds with the stone marmolina. If Limay is known nationally and internationally it is thanks to its marmolina craftsmanship that is still elaborated today with traditional instruments and techniques, thus preserving the cultural heritage of the ancestors.

Know your history

In the center of the municipality is the House of Culture, where the visitor can take a tour of the history and customs of the municipality as well as their crafts and their most relevant craftsmen.

In the Municipal Park we can observe "La Piedra" a petroglyph of 1 meter of height found in the community of Mateare.

Close to the town center, in the community of El Limón, there is a waterfall where you can cool off, the Salto de El Limón.

But if we talk about jumps, San Juan de Limay, has a natural jump of spectacular water of more than 100 meters of practically unknown height, El Salto Colocondo. A refreshing swim in the pool under the jump in the middle of an unrivaled natural environment is a great way to spend the day. This jump is on the road between Limay-Estelí, once you have arrived in the community of San Luis you have to continue for about 10 kilometers to the community of Colocondo and there to continue on foot or horseback (approximately for more than an hour) to Reach the Salto. The walk is worth it.

During approximately one kilometer on the course of the river Los Quesos, at a distance of about 3 kilometers of the urban helmet we find "The petroglyphs of Rio de Los Quesos" are formed by: The Encounters, the Siren, the Jet, and the cave The Witch .

In "La Poza de la Sirena", located 2 kilometers from the town center north direction, we find petroglyphs. In the "Cave of the Witch" there are pictographs of great historical relevance (feathered serpent among others)

In the community of San Luis we can also visit the pre-Columbian archaeological remains (engraved in stone), where it is only possible to arrive on foot or on horseback.

Limay continues to surprise us, almost as unknown as the Salto Colocondo is the Colorado Canyon, located in the community of the same name 6 kilometers from the junction to the Natural Reserve Tepesomoto-La Patasta. To get to the entrance of the Canyon is necessary a vehicle of four-wheel drive, or leave the vehicle to a certain point and follow the path on foot. Despite not having the same spectacular dimensions as the famous Somoto Canyon, this canyon offers adventure everywhere.

Limay has in its territory several mines of marmolina and lime that we can visit. As well as the already disused gold mine, La Grecia Mine, located in the community with the same name.

Within the territory of San Juan de Limay is part of the Quiabuc Nature Reserve and La Patasta Nature Reserve

The patron saint festivities of San Juan de Limay are in the second fortnight of June, with its most special days being the 24th celebrated by Saint John the Baptist and the 29th celebrated by Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

HOW TO GET SAN JUAN DE LIMAY:

If you travel by own car from the city of Estelí you have to take the Pan-American highway to Somoto-Ocotal. At kilometer 158 of the Pan-American Highway you will find the junction of the Sirena (properly signposted), there you have to turn left to continue on a paved road towards the municipality of Limay, which is 37 kilometers away.

If you travel by public transport from the city of Estelí you have to take a bus in the north cotran (bus terminal north) that goes to San Juan de Limay.

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