A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Tegucigalpa

Life in Tegucigalpa

Sports fans will not be disappointed as the city boasts two football teams and plenty of opportunities to go explore the surrounding area on a hiking trip. You are bound to quickly adapt to the pleasant way of life in Tegucigalpa.

Education in Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa has a well-developed education infrastructure, with several excellent universities and some 1,235 public schools throughout the city and the Central District. The area boasts a literacy rate of 80%, higher than in many other Central American cities. Tegucigalpa has around 147 bilingual schools, meaning the children of expats are well catered for, too.

Top schools include the American School of Tegucigalpa, Del Campo International School, Discovery School, International School of Tegucigalpa, and Los Pinares Academy – the latter two being Christian. Other options include Elvel School, La Estancia School, Macris School, Dowal School, Liceo Franco-Hondureno, ABC Educational Center, and Magic Castle Preschool.

The city has 12 universities, with the National Autonomous University of Honduras (the oldest, founded in 1847), Francisco Morazan National Pedagogic University, the National University of Agriculture, and the National Institute of Professional Formation being the most influential and prestigious.

Transportation in Tegucigalpa

Buses and taxis are the way to get around while living in Tegucigalpa, covering over two thirds of the capital’s roads. Taxis are fairly cheap, and ideal if you want to get somewhere in a hurry. Buses tend to jam up the roads and lead to gridlock.

In general, the city often has a congested traffic flow that is made worse by insufficient road signs and markings. The quality of roads (the oldest of which were not designed for cars) is also poor in some areas. If you nevertheless decide to brave Tegucigalpa’s roads, keep in mind that people drive on the right side of the road in Honduras.

Culture and Leisure in Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa has a rich colonial history going back over 400 years, with the culture of the indigenous peoples dating back hundreds if not thousands of years more, so there is plenty of culture on offer. Many museums explore this history, most notably the Museo para la Identity’s Nacional, housed in the grand 19th century former Palace of Ministries. Its comprehensive collection is in Spanish, but English and French audio guides are available.

Chiminike is a very popular children’s museum about 7 km south of downtown, where expat kids will love learning about Mayan history and exploring the very graphic exhibits on the human body. The National Gallery of Art contains the crème de la crème of Honduran artists from the colonial era to the present day.

For a beautiful day out, you can’t go wrong with La Tigra National Park, which includes a stunning cloud forest and is home to pumas, monkeys, quetzal, ocelots, orchids, and 200 species of birds.

Tegucigalpa also has two top soccer teams: Club Deportivo Olimpia and Club Deportivo Motagua, and expats can watch their matches at the Tiburcio Carias Andino National Stadium.