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Gracias
One of the best kept secrets in Honduras is the Colonial
City of Gracias in the Lempira region, one of Honduras's
most historic towns. Founded in 1539, many colonial era
buildings in Gracias remain standing today. Three colonial
churches stand within the center of the city, San Sebastian,
Las Mercedes and San Marcos, with a fourth one, Santa
Lucia close by in a neighboring village.
The landscape around Gracias is extremely mountainous,
with heavily forested areas surrounding the city. Located
at the foot of the Montaña de Celaque, the highest
peak in Honduras at 2,880m above sea level, and home to
the a National Park that bears the same name, this area
boasts one of the largest tracts of cloud forest left
in Central America, and is one of Honduras's most pristine
parks.
A visit to Celaque National Park, one of the nation's
finest, is a must for anyone who enjoys nature. A nine
kilometer dirt road leads from Gracias to the park's entrance
and visitor's center. There is an entrance fee of US$2
payable at the entrance. There is no public transport
to the park, but a car can be hired in Gracias.
Hikers will enjoy ascending the principal trail through
one of the largest existing stands of cloud forest in
Central America to Celaque's 2,849 meter (9,347 foot)
summit, Honduras's highest. The cloud forest is a great
place for wildlife observation, including the beautiful
and elusive quetzal. Others, content to enjoy a walk in
the forest, can return to Gracias and relax in the nearby
hot springs southeast of town.
In the neighborhood of Gracias are several small communities
with some of the largest concentration of Native Indian
population in Honduras. Of these the most significant
in the area are the Lencas. There is a good production
of handicrafts in the region, the most outstanding being
ceramics manufactured by the Lencas.
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