Centro Commercial and Carretera Masaya

If the Zona Monumental was the heart of the old city (stilled during the earthquake of 1972), then the new Managua is slowly growing a new heart in the busy, chaotic, commercial downtown. The Centro Commercial is where you’ll find the Catedral Nueva, Metrocentro Mall (a local landmark), the UCA bus terminal and all the top hotels and restaurants. To the east is the upscale Los Robles, a treelined residential area where family homes are increasingly giving way to galleries, upscale restaurants (check out Zona Hippa for the best in eating) and the area’s midrange hotels. To the south is the Carretera Masaya, a formerly sleepy highway that is now the go-to area for the city’s most glittery casinos, clubs and Galeria Santo Domingo. Centro Commercial may be busy, but it’s also one of the safest neighborhoods to stroll.