Honduras sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

Excursion routes in Honduras will attract those tourists who are keen on history. In this country, you will see ruins of ancient temples, visit old cities and learn many interesting stories about Maya tribes. Besides that, resorts of this country are famous for their wonderful nature. Exotic trees, flowers and tropic forests can be seen everywhere in the country. There are also many beautiful parks in cities.

Comayagua town is home to one of the most famous religious buildings in the country. This is Santa Maria Cathedral. The building belongs to one of the best examples of the colonial period architecture. The grand opening of the cathedral took place in 1711. Initially, there were 16 altars in the church, but unfortunately only 4 altars have survived. The altars are the biggest treasure of the cathedral. They are made of wood and decorated with magnificent gliding and carved ornament. The bell tower has a clock that was gifted to the city by Philipp II in order to celebrate the opening of the cathedral. Despite the fact that the clock is nearly a thousand years old, it still works and remains the main symbol of Comayagua.

Several important tourist sights are located in the city of Tegucigalpa. Basilica of Our Lady of Suyapa is one of the most famous landmarks of the city. The building of the basilica has been started in 1952 and still continues. The statue of Our Lady of Suyapa, who is considered the protector of the city, is the main relic of the church. The statue is taken out of the church on important holidays, so that everyone can pray to it. Fans of art and sculpture are recommended to visit the National Art Gallery, the 12 halls of which exhibit different collections. The building itself is also very interesting. It was constructed in 1654, and initially the first university of the country occupied its premises. Besides the permanent exhibition, the gallery often exhibits collections of modern art, so residents and guests of the city can see works of young talented artists. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Los Dolores Church is one more beautiful sight of the city. The church was built in the 18th century. Its facades are decorated with beautiful stained glass windows, carved ornaments and drawings. The inner design is no less breath-taking. Copan Ruins remain one of the most visited landmarks of the country. During the prehistoric era the place was the location of the biggest Mayan city. The exploration of the ruins started only in the 19th century, so even nowadays archaeological excavations never stop in Copan. Tourists will be charmed with the atmosphere of the ruins and will be able to learn more about the Mayan civilization in local museums.

History and Entertainment

In the prehistoric period, the territory of Honduras was populated by the Indian tribes. The main activities of the first settlers were farming, hunting and fishing. In the 2nd century AD, these lands attracted the Mayans who managed to ban the Indian tribes within a very short time. At that time, the Mayans formed several big towns, the largest of which was Copan. In the 9th century, the Mayans left their towns for unknown reasons. Today, their ruins found are important archeological districts.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Honduras saw the colonial period. The first European man visiting Honduras in 1502 was Christopher Columbus. The first troops of conquistadors came here 20 years later. Spanish settlers hoped to find gold and silver deposits in the lands they had conquered. Later, they formed the city of Tegucigalpa near big silver mines. Honduras had been a Spanish colony until 1823 despite the fact that the country became officially independent two years earlier.

The main entertainment for tourists is walking along unique archeological districts where you can see ruins of ancient Mayan towns. You really must combine sightseeing with relaxing at local beaches that are considered one of the most picturesque in the world. The most popular beach resort is La Ceiba and Tela. Their guests can relax at spacious sandy beaches. These resorts are quite noisy and crowded, so those who prefer relaxing in a peaceful atmosphere should visit the islands of Roatan and Utila.

As Honduras is a country with the developed industry. It will be interesting to visit shops here. In the country, there are excellent factories producing textiles, shoes, tableware and different food products. You can find a lot of interesting souvenirs on markets, for instance, colorful clothes in national style and hand-made wooden items. Here, amazing coffee is produced. Coffee sets are very popular with tourists. Travelers also buy dried and candied tropical fruit. On local markets, buyers have a wide choice of fresh fruit and seafood.