Managua's sights are scattered across a sprawling city without a real centre, but there is more here than first meets the eye. The old lakefront area holds the ruins of the 1972 earthquake and some of the city's most atmospheric spots. The volcanic Tiscapa Lagoon offers canopy tours with sweeping views. Ancient footprints at Acahualinca are among the oldest human traces in the Americas. Add the national theatre, the Sandino silhouette, and the lively weekend scene at Puerto Salvador Allende, and you have a city worth more than a transit stop.