Tegucigalpa

Originally founded under the name of Real Villa de San Miguel de Heredia de Tegucigalpa in 1578, Honduras’ capital and largest city, Tegucigalpa is not just a gold and silver mine center, but also the capital of the Francisco Morazan department of the country. The Choluteca River separates Tegucigalpa with its nearby city Comayaguela, which in some way is legally considered as the other capital.

Tegucigalpa has a tropical climate that is very pleasant because of its altitude. Hills and surrounding mountains tend to trap pollution. The city boasts of many scenic areas, the Tegucigalpa main square in the day time, and the Juan Pablo II Boulevard at night. But the city is famous for the Basilica of the Virgin of Suyapa and the Statue of Jesus Christ in El Picacho City Park. The famous statue is very large and overlooks Tegucigalpa. There are also many great cultural and historical sites within the city such as the Museum of National Identity, the former Presidential Palace (now a museum too), the National University of Honduras and the 18th century Cathedral.

Families and adventurous people will definitely enjoy La Tigra National Park, Pichaco Hill, as well as the Chiminkee Science Park, which is also a museum for children. Tegucigalpa’s Spanish speaking citizens are very friendly. The city is composed of mainly barrios and colonias. A very interesting city tour would be at the wealthy neighbourhood of Colonia Palmira, where many upscale restaurants and foreign embassies are located. The MetroMall and the Multi-plaza offer some great shopping as well as really good restaurants and a movie theatre complex.

You will also enjoy the Historia Natural and Galeria de Arte Nacional as well as the Centro Cultural de Espana en Tegucigalpa for occasional art exhibitions.