Honduras: The Mayan City of Copan

To begin this journey, travel to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' second largest city. From this destination, travelers can take an express bus, a tour bus, or a rental car to the city of Copan Ruinas, 122 miles outside San Pedro Sula. The small town of Copan Ruinas is made up of little white house with red tiled roofs, sitting along narrow cobble-stoned streets. With about 60,000 tourists passing through each year, Copan residents offer horseback riding tours to the ruins. The ruins can also be reached on foot with a 20 minute walk through the lush rain forests of the area

The Great Plaza of the Copan ruins houses an acropolis reaching 100-feet toward the sky. The ruins, built in 100 AD, feature expert craftsmanship and artistry, making these 54-acre ruins an important archeological site. The city's age of glory was in the 9th century, when the inhabitants numbered 20,000 and the city contained numerous temples, plazas, and two pyramids. One of Copan's main attractions is a stairway with more than 1.500 hieroglyphic carvings. These hieroglyphics chronicle the achievements of 15 of Copan's 17 rulers. About half of the Copan ruins have been unearthed but there are currently no plans to finish the excavation.

Although Honduras is one of Central America's poorest countries, it holds some of the most significant Mayan ruins that have been studied to date. Because of the treasure it holds, Copan is a popular and worthwhile destination for travelers and adventurers.