The picturesque town of Copán Ruinas has delighted visitors for years with its cobblestone streets, attractive architecture, and friendly people. We are proud to say that this is one of the most cosmopolitan and safest villages in Central America.

Copán is situated at an elevation that ranges from 2,000 feet (600 meters) downtown up to 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) in the surrounding foothills. The weather is ideal year round. The region experiences neither the tropical heat of the coast nor the winter chill of higher elevation locations such as Antigua, Guatemala.

There are two seasons here: the dry season runs from November to May, with March, April and May generally the hottest months. The rains come in June, generally in the form of a refreshing late afternoon thunderstorm. For five months, the region transforms into a verdant tropical paradise.

The town of Copán Ruinas has a population of 5,000; another 20,000 people live in the hills that ring the valley. The region´s economy is driven by agriculture and tourism. There are no manufacturing or industrial enterprises for many miles in every direction. For this reason, the skies are clear, the air is pure, and at night the stargazing is unmatched.

Copán has welcomed international visitors for many years, and offers, for its size, perhaps the most extensive tourism infrastructure in Central America.

There is lot to do in Copán. In fact, the recurring complaint of visitors to our valley is that they wished they had planned a longer stay.

The following pages will give you a flavor for the variety of attractions in Copán, so that you can confidently plan a rewarding and complete visit.

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