Things to See and Do

The geographic and psychological heart of Santa Rosa de Copán is the historic downtown, a lovely place to stroll and admire the restored buildings and cobbled streets. Declared a national monument, the downtown area is restored and protected by the Santa Rosa Historical Preservation Commission.

Santa Rosa is noted for the excellent hand rolled cigars produced by Flor de Copán, makers of the famous Zino line. The factory, located four blocks east of the bus station, offers guided tours in Spanish 7:30 through 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 through 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is a charge of US$2 per visitor. Be sure to take the factory tour while in Santa Rosa, even if you don't smoke.

Cigars are available for sale at the factory outlet, which is two blocks west of the central plaza. My friend the cigar taster at the factory (yes, there really are a few people in this world who are paid to have jobs like that) recommends the Santa Rosa: mild but not light, well made, and one you will not grow tired of midway through.

Coffee lovers will want to visit Beneficio Maya, where fine coffee is graded and roasted for export. Aside from being able to view the process, visitors can buy fresh export grade coffee. Take a taxi to the beneficio, as it's a little hard to find. There is usually something to see year round, although most activity takes place during coffee harvest season (October through February).

Ten minutes outside of town on the road to Gracias is the village of La Montañita. There you will find Doricentro, a privately operated park with water toboggan, swimming and wading pools, light snacks and beverages, picnic areas, and music. An entrance fee of US$1.50 includes use of the toboggan and pools. Doricentro is open weekends and holidays.

Further along the road to Gracias is Las Tres Jotas (US$0.75), another private park that is also a working tobacco farm and fishery. Have the bus driver point it out, as the sign on the highway is easy to miss. Aside from picnic areas and wading pools, Las Tres Jotas has the freshest fish you'll eat. Las Tres Jotas is open daily and welcomes overnight campers.

A very special time to visit Santa Rosa de Copán is during Easter Week. During the week before Easter, Santa Rosa presents some of the best processions in the nation. Six in all, the processions are full dress street theater reenactments of the different parts of the Easter story daily beginning Holy Thursday. There's the Incarceration Procession, the Holy Cross Procession, the Funeral and Mourning Processions, the Resurrection Procession, and more.

The most spectacular is undoubtedly the Holy Cross Procession, or Vía Crucis, on Friday morning. Bearing cross and under guard, Jesus makes his way through the heart of Santa Rosa's historical district along a two kilometer route beautifully decorated with carpets of flowers and colored sawdust in the streets. Because the carpets are ruined by the passage of the procession, you will want to arrive well before the nine a.m. starting time to admire the handiwork of the many Copanecos who have labored since dawn on the decorations.

My personal favorite, however, is the candlelight Women's Procession Friday night. Mary and her friends march silently through the dark streets in mourning for her son's death, the only sound their footfalls on the cold cobblestones.

Another good time to visit Santa Rosa de Copán is during the annual fair in the last two weeks of August. Dedicated to the local patron saint, Santa Rosa de Lima, there are religious observances, a beauty pageant and coronation, street carnivals, a rodeo, cultural performances, and more.

Honduras's Independence Day, September 15, is marked by three days of celebrations and parades with surprisingly intricate uniforms and costumes. Each year schools compete to see which can display the most striking or unique presentation. Kindergartens march on September 13, elementary schools on September 14, and high schools on September 15.

There are also volunteering opportunities in Santa Rosa de Copán. The La Roca community center is always seeking volunteers who are willing to commit at least two months. Currently the center is looking for volunteers to teach classes like crafts and English and to coordinate sports programs in basketball and volleyball for girls and soccer for boys. Spanish definitely helps, but is not absolutely necessary in these particular activities. Email the center for more information.

A nearby orphanage operated by Baptist missionaries has ongoing opportunities for volunteer dentists in their medical and dental clinic. The orphanage and clinic is located in a rural setting 30 minutes from Santa Rosa. Accommodations are provided. A minimum one week commitment is requested. Email the clinic for more information.