with most travelers departing from San Pedro Sula, about a four-hour drive from San Pedro Sula.  A must see if you come to Honduras.

The ancient city of Copan thrived until A.D. 822 and produced some of the most skillful stone carvers of the Maya world. The master craftsmen are gone, but the deserted ruins remain as a testament to their work. Copan is still relatively unspoiled--a delight for travelers who want marvels without the marveling crowds.

Meticulously maintained and more prominent than a skyscraper, the Mayan ruins at Copan are a superb memorial to a once powerful kingdom. To really appreciate Copan, it is a good idea to read all about it before you arrive.

In the land known today as HONDURAS, the Maya-Toltec culture was born 3,000 years ago before Christ, while Europe was still considered a land of barbarians. Scientists consider the Maya-Toltec civilization to have become the most developed indigenous culture in the world. Without a doubt, it was the most advanced in Middle America. Copan's pyramids temples and stone monuments justify this claim. They are located in the northwestern zone of Honduran territory, near the border with Guatemala. At Copan, Mayan structures date back to at least 1,000 years B.C.

You have to walk more than 200 m of steamy tropical-forest trails before reaching Copan's Great Plaza, where the city's main acropolis rises some 30 m toward the sky. The tallest structure in sight is the Hieroglyphic Stairway, a monument that chronicles the achievements of 15 kings with more than 1,500 elaborately carved glyphs. Many of the other ruined buildings and monuments are undisturbed, wrapped tightly by the thick roots of ancient ceiba and cedar trees. Beyond the main plaza is a lush park with hiking trails.

The nearest town is Cobán Ruinas.