Estelí Cigar Factories
Fábricas de Tabaco de Estelí
A world-leading cigar production center where you can book factory tours to watch tobacco leaves being fermented, hand-rolled and packed into boxes.
The tobacco grown in Estelí and the surrounding valleys is famous worldwide. The town and its outskirts have dozens of cigar factories, including the long-established Joya de Nicaragua. Visits usually need to be booked in advance through your hostel, a travel agency or the factory's website. Tours last about 1–2 hours and show tobacco grading, fermentation piles, hand-rolling by workers and quality inspection. Afterward, you can sample and buy cigars. Some areas of the factories are off-limits for photography, so please follow the rules.
Opening hours
Mostly weekday daytime; reservation required
Nearby sights
- Estelí Murals
- Gallery of Heroes and Martyrs
- Estelí Cathedral & Central Park
- Estanzuela Waterfall
- El Jalacate Rock Carvings
- Tisey-Estanzuela Nature Reserve
- Miraflor Nature Reserve
- San Juan de Limay Soapstone Carving