DANLÍ: CITY OF HILLS… AND CIGARS

Danlí is a city in eastern Honduras in the Department of El Paraíso, just 92 kilometers from Tegucigalpa. The city’s economy is primarily agricultural, with the main crops being tobacco and corn. Surrounded by rolling pine covered hills, Danlí is commonly known as the City of Hills.

Danlí is famous for its Corn Festival every August. The event includes artisan fairs, parades with decorative floats, art contests, rodeos, sports events, and a carnival. The whole city becomes one big traditional festival. More recently, however, Danlí has become the cigar capital of the country, producing the world’s most emblematic brands. The cigar industry now generates 40 percent of the local economy and employs thousands of women and men.

Most of the tobacco is grown in the vicinity of Danlí and in the valleys of Talanga and Jamastrán.

Today, Danlí retains much of its early colonial architecture, with narrow streets and a central park surrounded by historic buildings. The city’s streets are always busy, filled with merchants enjoying thriving commerce and tourists enjoying traditional foods and the local charm of the area.