For those who remember their elementary Spanish classes, gracias means thanks in English. And that is precisely what you will be saying to the heavens above and your hosts below when you see the beauty of the charmed churches and the grandeur of the cloud forests that only Gracias in western Honduras can provide its visitors.
Charmed Churches

Keep in mind that Honduras is very much a Catholic town, tracing its establishment to the year 1526 with Juan de Chavez as its founder. As such, you cannot help but visit three churches in a small town of just 12,000 in the town center. And the best part is that each church has its unique features with Catholicism as the common thread.

First, there is the colonial church of La Merced built in 1616 that took almost 20 years to complete. It is a very haunting site indeed although you will have to content yourself with looking at its façade since the interiors are in almost complete ruins. Supposedly, it has been looted to satisfy the insatiable need of international collectors, which is truly a sad state of affairs.

Second, the San Marcos Church looks like a colonial church. The fact of the matter is that the original structure was built in the 1800s, destroyed in the December 1915 earthquake and rebuilt soon after. Its most distinctive feature is the series of curtains that look like sails billowing in the wind, thus, reinforcing its claim to being the largest church in Gracias.

Third, the Iglesia de Santa Lucia can be found on the road to Celaque. Unlike other colonial churches in the area, it boasts of a blush of color on its façade. Visitors have come so far as to describe it as a novice nun daring to go against church rules by wearing a touch of blush.

You must visit all three churches in Gracias if only to complete your journey into this charming part of Honduras. And when you visit the church of San Marcos in time for its feats day – April 25 – you will have the pleasure of being part of a zealous display of spirituality like only Honduran Catholics possess in abundance.

Cloud Forests

After your spiritual journey into the churches of Gracias, the next journey would have to be a nature adventure into the lush forest of the Celaque Mountain National Park. And of course, you must climb the majestic Celaque Mountain, which is the highest peak in all of the country. And did we mention that the national park is the largest cloud forest in the country?

Depending on how fast you can hike through well-trodden trails, you can make it a 1-3 day hike to the summit. You are well advised to take a guide with you and to travel in groups, which will have the twin benefits of saving on costs and saving your lives from the dangers of the forest.

You will most likely encounter lush vegetation including magnificent wild orchids, vines, ferns and towering trees than wildlife. Of course, wildlife is abundant in this area but certainly on the elusive side. If you are lucky, you might see the colorful quetzal.

Indeed, Gracias might be a small town today but it has big things to offer its visitors starting with its big faith and its big forests.

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