A guide to the ruins of Copán in Honduras

Central America is full of ancient sites that reveal fascinating insights into the Pre-Hispanic history of the isthmus, and Copán in Honduras is one of the best. Spilling from a patch of lowland jungle in the far west of the country, this was one of the greatest ancient cities in Mesoamerica, yet this Mayan marvel sees only a fraction of the visitors of Guatemala’s Tikal or Mexico’s Chichén Itzá. 

Set on the outskirts of the modern town of Copán Ruinas, close to the border with Guatemala, ​the Copán Archaeological Site features elaborate bas-reliefs and carved stelae that tell the story of one of the most powerful settlements in the Maya world. Thousands of people lived, worshiped and battled here, as the great city rose, prospered and then mysteriously faded into obscurity. 

Copán culturally dominated large parts of the isthmus for much of the Classic period (250–900 CE), and inscriptions have revealed remarkable details about the people who built the city, their beliefs and local customs. The architecture may not be quite as grand as in some other Mayan sites, but the carvings at Copán are simply astounding and visiting is one of the top things to do in Honduras. 

This place is all the more haunting for its air of quiet seclusion and the squawking of the scarlet macaws that roost in the surrounding jungle. Here’s everything you need to know to plan a visit to the ruins of Copán.

What is the history of Copán?

People have been living in the Copán Valley since at least 1200 BCE, and the city was a hub of commercial activity in ancient times. Graves showing Olmec influences have been discovered dating to around 900 BCE, but Copán’s golden age began in the 5th century CE under Mah K’ina Yax K’uk’ Mo’ (King Great Sun Lord Quetzal Macaw). The king was a great shaman and was revered by future rulers as the semidivine founder of the city.

Subsequent rulers dramatically expanded the site, increasing its influence through warfare and trade. It was Uaxaclahun Ubak K’awil (King 18 Rabbit; r 695–738) who erected the bulk of Copán’s famous carved stelae, while K’ak’ Yipyaj Chan K’awiil (King Smoke Shell; r 749–63) commissioned the city’s most famous and important monument, the great Escalinata de los Jeroglíficos (Hieroglyphic Stairway). 

The abandonment of Copán in the 10th century coincided with the broader collapse of Mayan civilization across Central America. Historians believe that overpopulation, warfare, soil depletion and drought may have driven the Maya to flee their great cities, but the descendants of the builders of Copán still inhabit the surrounding area. 

When should I go to Copán? 

The best time to travel to Copán is during the dry season from November to April. While this is the busiest time of year, the warm, rain-free days are ideal for exploring. During the rainy season from May to October, flooding and erosion can cause problems with road transport. While it doesn’t rain all day in the rainy season, it’s a lot less fun trying to decipher the carvings when it’s pouring down. 

Aim to arrive at the Copán Archaeological Site early in the morning, ideally by 8am, to avoid the tiring heat in the middle of the day. This is also when the ruins are at their most peaceful. The site is officially open until 4pm, so you’ll have plenty of time to wander. Whatever time of day you come, bring a sun hat and mosquito repellent. Early mornings are also a good time to spot birdlife, such as the site’s resident scarlet macaws. 

How much time should I spend in Copán?

Many people make a fleeting visit to Copán, taking in the highlights in just a few hours before moving on to the Guatemalan border, but this impressive site deserves a full day (and an overnight stop) so you can get the best from the ruins and enjoy the laid-back vibe of Copán Ruinas. If you can spare two days from your itinerary, there’s plenty to do in the area. 

Where can I eat and drink at Copán?

There is nowhere to eat at the ruins, so have a good breakfast, bring some snacks and drinks, and grab a late lunch back in Copán Ruinas. Good spots for a quick bite include Mega Pollo y Asados Garífuna for fried chicken with tajadas (fried banana chips) and the restaurant at Mary’s Hotel for tasty pupusa (cornmeal cakes stuffed with meat or cheese).

If you’d rather take your time, hip-chic Café Don Nacho has a wide-ranging menu, plus good cakes and coffee, while the café at La Casa de Café serves a globe-trotting menu of homemade, healthy treats. 

Is it easy to get into and around Copán Ruinas?

The sleepy town of Copán Ruinas has evolved into a charming travel hub; two days here would be ideal. There are good public transport links for visitors popping across the border from Guatemala and people traveling to other parts of Honduras, but forget the town’s small airport – no flights currently land here. 

The bus depot in Copán Ruinas has regular buses to San Pedro Sula – the nearest city with a working airport – and Santa Rosa de Copán, where you can change buses for Tegucigalpa. Less frequent buses run to La Ceiba and Lago de Yojoa. Minibuses to the Guatemalan border run every 20 minutes or so from near the town's cemetery, connecting with buses to the Guatemalan towns of Esquipulas and Chiquimula.

For easy international connections, tourist shuttles run to destinations such as Antigua and Guatemala City in Guatemala, San Salvador in El Salvador and Managua in Nicaragua. Make bookings through hotels and hostels in Copán Ruinas, or contact local tour operator Basecamp Tours. 

To reach the Copán Archaeological Site, walk from Copán Ruinas in around 15 minutes, or take a mototaxi (autorickshaw). It’s a walk of about 1km from the Copán ruins to the smaller complex of ruins at Las Sepulturas.  

Top things to see at Copán Ruinas?

Copán is an expansive site, so take your time exploring and soak in the detail of the carvings that adorn the site’s doorways, altars, stairways and stelae. 

Explore the Gran Plaza and Museo de Escultura

As you enter the archaeological site, the first area you reach is the Gran Plaza (Plaza de las Estelas), dotted with huge, intricately carved stelae portraying King 18 Rabbit and other rulers of Copán. The most impressive stelae date from between 613 CE and 738 CE, and all were originally painted in vivid colors.  

In fact, many of the stelae dotting the plaza are reproductions; the originals are protected inside the site’s excellent Museo de Escultura. Here, you can see varied artifacts, including ceramics and stone carvings, as well as a fully painted mock-up of the Rosalila Temple – discovered hidden away inside Structure 16 by archaeologists in 1989.

Cruise around the stelae, noting the detailed carvings. Stela A is perhaps the most beautiful, showing King 18 Rabbit communicating with a deified ancestor. Other stelae show key moments from the king’s reign, such as his rise to the throne, with panels of Maya glyphs. Stela D rises over an altar with fearsome representations of Chac, the rain god.

Stroll through the ball court

South of the Gran Plaza, across open Plaza Central, is the Juego de Pelota, a Maya ball court erected in 731 CE. This is the second-largest ball court in Central America, and it was used for a game reputedly invented by the gods using a severed head (human players used a solid rubber ball). Note the macaw heads carved atop the sloping walls, and the central marker in the court, installed by King 18 Rabbit.

Examine the carvings on the Escalinata de los Jeroglíficos

South of the Juego de Pelota is Copán’s most famous monument, the Escalinata de los Jeroglíficos (Hieroglyphic Stairway), the work of King Smoke Shell. Covered by a canvas canopy, it features the longest inscription ever discovered in the Maya world, describing the many achievements of the dynasty up until 755 CE. 

Carved into its 63 steps is a detailed history (in several thousand glyphs) of the royal house of Copán, and the flanking bannisters feature more reliefs and glyphs. The inscription has not yet been fully translated as the staircase was found in ruins, but archaeologists are using 3D-scanning technology to create a digital version, in the hope of one day reading it in its entirety. Beside the stairway, a tunnel leads to the tomb of a royal scribe who may have been the son of King Smoke Imix.

Explore the temples of the Acrópolis

The group of temples known as the Acrópolis was the spiritual and political core of Copán, reserved for royalty and nobles. This is where ceremonies were enacted and kings were buried, though most of the royal tombs were looted long ago. The East and West Courts contain a variety of fascinating stelae and sculptured heads of humans and animals. The relief carving at the top of Structure 22 on the northern side of the East Court is particularly fine.

A lofty flight of steps to the south of the Escalinata de los Jeroglíficos climbs the Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of the Inscriptions), with fine panels of Maya glyphs at the top. Check out Altar Q in the West Court – around its sides, carved in superb relief, are the 16 great kings of Copán, ending with its creator, Yax Pasaj Chan Yopaat (First Dawn; r 763–820). Behind the altar is a sacrificial vault in which archaeologists discovered the bones of 15 jaguars and several macaws that had been ritually sacrificed. 

Detour to Las Sepulturas  

Excavations at Las Sepulturas, about 1km northeast of the main ceremonial complex at Copán, have revealed fascinating details about the daily life of the upper echelons of Maya society. Covered by the same entry ticket as Copán, the site consists of three clusters of ruins that were once a residential area for rich and powerful nobles. You can walk between the two sites in around 20 minutes, but the ruined dwellings and altars are often empty of visitors. 

Among the dignitaries who resided here were the royal astrologists and priests. The House of the Scribes is the largest structure; the exterior features busts of Pauahtun, the deity who holds up the four corners of the sky in Maya mythology, and inside is an enormous stone bench with intricate carvings exploring the relationship between the human world and the underworld. 

Hike to hidden archaeological sites in the hills

Set in a defensive position on a mountainside about 2km outside Copán Ruinas, the Rastrojón is another ruined Maya complex, and it was occupied before and after the main city of Copán. The shifting of the ground has twisted the ruins into unusual shapes, and the site features some exceptional sculptures. Visit Rastrojón by walking from town, or take a mototaxi.

Another rewarding half-day trip is the walk to Los Sapos (“The Toads”) – a collection of Maya stone carvings set along a hiking trail next to Hacienda San Lucas. The site is connected with Maya fertility rites and the worn carvings suggest animal forms. Staff at the Hacienda can supply a walking map. 

Explore Copán Ruinas’ excellent museums

The town of Copán Ruinas has a wealth of interesting museums that will expand your understanding of the Maya world. Start in the main plaza at the Museo de Arqueología Maya, which packs in a wealth of treasures from the region and helps put the ruins into context. Look out for the reconstruction of a shaman’s tomb uncovered at Las Sepulturas. 

On the northern side of the plaza, the Museo Digital de Copán displays interesting old photographs and screens an excellent video on the Copán Archeological Site. On the northern side of town, the free-to-visit Casa K’inich is an educational museum that’s great for kids, with numerous interactive experiences relating to Maya culture, including an exhibit on pitz, the Maya ball game.

Unwind at the Luna Jaguar Spa Resort

With an extra day to spare, considering arranging a private car and driver to travel to the hot springs at Luna Jaguar Spa Resort, 24km north of Copán Ruinas. Approached through a tangle of mountains and coffee plantations, the resort features pools where boiling-hot spring water mixes with cooler water from the river. The spa also has herbal steam baths and massage stations, scattered around the hillside and connected by stone pathways.

How much money do I need for Copán? 

Costs at Copán are equivalent to other Maya sites in this part of Central America. A combined entry ticket to the ruins at Copán and Las Sepulturas costs US$20, and additional charges apply to visit the Museo de Escultura and enter the tunnels beneath some of the structures. 

Copán Ruinas has hotels and eating opinions to suit all budgets, including some inexpensive hostels and B&Bs. Here are some typical costs to plan for:

• Night at a hostel: from 300 Honduran Lempira (L300)

• Hotel room for two people: from L600

• Meal per person: L100 to L300

• A bottle of beer in a bar: from L50

• Minibus from Copán Ruinas to the Guatemalan border: L25

• Tourist shuttle to the airport at San Pedro Sula: L500

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Central America guidebook, published in October 2025.