Set between the Managua-Granada Highway and the hulking form of Volcán Masaya, MASAYA 's stirring geography would make it an attractive town to visit even if it weren't also the centre of Nicaragua's artesanía production and home to two colourful crafts markets . These are of quite recent provenance - only during the Sandinista years did Masaya and the Pueblos Blancos develop their crafts tradition into a marketable commodity - but Masaya is now by far the best place in the country to buy hammocks, rocking chairs, traditional clothing, shoes and other souvenirs. Many of the crafts on sale came originally from the indigenous barrio of Monimbó , and the district continues to churn out a sizeable proportion of the region's handicrafts. Monimbó still has its own chief ( cacique ), whose authority was recognized in law in 1991, though other signs of true indigenous culture are scarce, and Masaya's cultural affinities are expressed mainly in its crafts and at fiesta time.

The most exciting time to visit Masaya is on Sundays between mid-September and mid-December, when the town indulges in a ninety-day period of revelry known as the Fiesta de San Jeronimo . The beginning of the fiesta sees one of the most fascinating processions in Nicaragua, the Torovenado , when Monimbó's large gay population comes out in style, indulging in a spot of cross-dressing and ridiculing those in power, including the politicians of the moment. A more recent invention is the popular Jueves de Verbena festival, held every Thursday evening throughout the year, when a spirited celebration of indigenous culture, music, dance and gastronomy is held in the renovated Mercado Nacional de Artesanía, and locals, tourists and musicians dance, sing, eat and drink the night away.

Most visitors come here on day-trips from Managua or Granada - a sensible plan, since Masaya doesn't have a large range of hotels and the bus services are fast and efficient