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Guide to Caracas, Venezuela
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CaracasCaracas
The grand, vibrant, energetic capital of Venezuela, Caracas is defined as much by its skyscrapers and modernism as the poverty stricken neighborhoods it has. However, through the traffic jams, constant renovations, razes, and projects, Caracas is full of history, culture, and science. All of these elements make the city entirely expansive and yet able to hold its tight-knit South American roots intact.
When to go:
A visit to Caracas is possible any time of year. The temperature usually stays in the mid-70s and rainfall is surprisingly minimal, both of which make your choice almost entirely dependent on what events youd like to see. If you wish to experience the Festival Internacional de Teatro (International Theater Festival) you must visit during March and/or April (even trickier, the festival runs only in even-numbered years). Caracas also holds the Festival El Piano during June and July every year, and the performances are wide-ranging.
Getting there and around:
Caracas airport, Simon Bolivar airport, takes both international and domestic flights, and fares are cheap. Simon Bolivar airport is located in Maiquetia, about 26km from the center of Caracas, and to get to the city the best means is the bus. The fare is relatively inexpensive for a bus fare, and much less expensive than your second cheapest option, taxi. Note: Buses do not run 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Traveling throughout Caracas is very easy with its highly efficient, clean and speedy metro system. There are 3 main lines running different paths throughout the city. Tickets which we have found to be best suited for tourists are the 10-per-ride passes. If you want to visit the suburbs of the city, buses are available, or take a taxi. Remember, if you take a taxi youll need to negotiate a fare with the driver before traveling to your destination.
Where to go:
A good place to start exploring Caracas is the National Capitol. Taking up an entire city block, youll see great golden domes, neo-classical architecture, and much more. The Capitol was commissioned in 1870, and is fully of amazing interior decorations, including the oval-halled Salon Eliptico, with a gorgeous mural-covered dome and walls of superbly done portraits of past heroes in Venezuelan history. On Venezuelas Independence Day, the original Act of Independence is on display.
A highly venerated site in Caracas is Casa Natal de Bolivar, Simon Bolivars home as a youngster. It is now a museum entirely devoted to his life and his contributions to Venezuela and its fight for independence. Nearby to the Casa Natal de Bolivar is the Museo Bolivariano, which holds more personal items of his.
The beautiful Museo de Arte Colonial is a great place to visit. The surrounding gardens themselves are appealing. The museum is housed in Quinta de Anauco, a colonial mansion. The interior is as magnificent as the exterior. The rooms seem equipped for royalty, and the art is also something to behold.
Caracas most venerated building, though, is the Panteon Nacional. It once stood as a church but now is home to the resting places of past notables and Venezuelas most notable hero, Simon Bolivar. His sarcophagus is lying where the churchs altar once stood. The changing of the guard occurs here a few times a day.
A great tourist destination is Parque Central. Its not your typical park. Instead of greenery interspersed with trees, concrete structures, skyscrapers, pathways, and architectural nuances are what highlight this area. Some may find it tacky or ugly, but many of Caracas wonderful cultural museums and venues are located here. Both the Complejo Cultural and Aleneo de Caracas are here, as well as the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (home to works by Chagall, Matisse, Monet, Lejer, Miro, and more). There are also 100+ engravings done by Picasso housed here.
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