La Leona
La Leona

Santa Barbara is a mountainous massif of more than 121.3 km2 of surface and a maximum altitude of 2750 meters above sea level, which is mostly a virgin forest reserve, declared a national park since 1987. Santa Bárbara was one of the seven departments originally created by the first head of state of Honduras, Dionisio de Herrera, on June 28, 1825. This department is characterized by its production of coffee, junk, foods and artisan products.

Santa Barbara is known as the land of "junco and coffee". Most of the native people of the region began to grow coffee in the 1940s, mainly in the lowlands, although it was always a secondary crop. Coffee became the main crop in the area in the 70s, driven by the rise in prices at that time. Typica and Bourbon the most used varieties. Since then, coffee has been the basis of the economy of these communities and an important cultural element.

The coffee region of Santa Barbara is characterized by being located between mountains with cloud and tropical forests and a strong environmental influence of the natural lake called Yojoa.