For handicrafts, the best place in Managua is the Roberto Huembes Market, where you will find hammocks, pottery, wooden carvings, leather goods, and embroidered textiles from across Nicaragua. The prices are good and the selection is wide — this is a more practical shopping experience than the tourist-oriented stalls in Granada. Bargaining is expected.
The Mercado Oriental is the largest market in Central America by area and a genuine sensory experience — a vast, dense, mostly covered labyrinth selling everything from car parts to fresh mangoes. It is not particularly aimed at tourists but is fascinating to walk through; keep a firm grip on your belongings.
For more comfortable shopping, the Metrocentro and Galerías Santo Domingo malls have international chain stores, supermarkets, and food courts. They function as social centres for the middle class and are air-conditioned, which is welcome in Managua's heat.