What to See and Do in Caracas
There are so many things to see and do in Caracas that you could easily spend your entire holiday in Venezuela just discovering the attractions of its capital city but then you'd miss the Angel Falls, the Caribbean beaches, the rainforests, the mountains, the tepuys and all of Venezuela's other amazing attractions. So, on the assumption that you will only be spending a few days in Caracas before heading off to experience some the world's most memorable sights, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Visit the "Casa Natal"
Simón Bolívar was the driving force behind the liberation of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia (which was named after him) and Panama and the story of his role in South America's battle against colonial rule is a fascinating and inspiring one. The Casa Natal is the house where Bolívar was born on July 24, 1783. The house subsequently fell into disrepair but was later acquired by the state and has been authentically reconstructed. The photograph shows the stone font in which Bolívar was baptised, which was donated to the Casa Natal by the cathedral.
Adjacent to the Casa Natal is the Museo Bolivariano containing a host of documents and other items connected with Venezuela's struggle for independence.
Photo: Peta Cole
Picnic in Parque del Este
Parque del Este is beautiful 200-acre park on the site of a former coffee hacienda. Although recently renamed in honour of Francisco de Miranda, it's still called Parque del Este by most people here. Open every day except Mondays, the park is close to Miranda metro station and people from all over Caracas come there to relax, especially at weekends.
At the large supermarket just across the road from the Miranda metro station, you can also buy everything you need for your picnic, including fruit such as mangoes and papayas that are exotic and expensive in Europe but are fresh off the tree here.
Remember that you are not allowed to bring alcoholic drinks into the park or smoke inside its boundaries.
Photo: Peta Cole
Visit the Museum of Modern Art
One of the best museums of modern art in Latin America is located a short walk from Bellas Artes metro station. Here you'll find not only works by leading Venezuelan artists such as Jesús Soto and Alejandro Otero but also a fine collection of European art, including works by Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Léger and Bracque. Full-size reproductions are on sale in the gallery shop at very low cost and there is a good café in the sculpture garden. The museum is open from 10am to 6pm from Tuesday to Sunday and entrance is free.
There are several other interesting museums in the same area, including the Natural Science Museum, the National Art Gallery and Museum of Fine Arts, all within a few minutes walk of each other.
Photo: Peta Cole
Take the Cable Car to the Ávila mountains
Cable cars are usually good value and the Caracas cable car ("el teleférico") is no exception, although it is dwarfed by the one in Venezuela's Andean city of Mérida, which is the longest in the world. The Caracas teleférico takes you high up into the Ávila mountains. On clear days you get panoramic views and on others you're just surrounded by swirling clouds. Both are memorable.
The flower-growing community of Galipán is a short walk from the terminus and you will find some excellent restaurants there, including our own favourite which we have no intention of naming as it is already hard enough to get a table. Take your camera and also a cardigan or anorak - it can get quite cold up there, a rare experience in Caracas.
Photo: Peta Cole
Taste a Parchita
The parchita is a type of passion fruit but the Venezuelan variety bears little resemblance to the small purple fruit that you see in European supermarkets. The parchita is mainly used to make "jugo natural", which simply means freshly squeezed juice. It's flavour is sweet, tart and aromatic, perfect for a hot sunny afternoon. You can also buy parchita youghurt (look for the "Martha's" brand) and if your dessert menu includes parchita sorbet ignore everything else.
Caracas is full of cafes and street-stalls that sell a huge variety of juices. You can choose from "jugos" (freshly squeezed, usually with sugar added), "merengada" (blended with milk) and "batidos" (mixed with crushed ice). If you don't want sugar in your drink, say "sin azucar".
Shop in Centro Sambil
Caracas has long been a shopper's paradise. Its many shopping malls ("Centros Comerciales") offer a huge range of high-quality merchandise at prices that are significantly lower than you would expect to pay in Europe or the USA, thanks to the lower rents and wages here. Among the best known malls are the Tamanaco, San Ignacio and Sambil centres and of these Sambil is one of the best choices for tourists.
Said to be the largest shopping and recreation centre in South America, it is located a few minutes walk south-east of Chacao metro station. The centre contains 540 shops, as well as banks, a food fair, cinemas and other entertainments. Here you can find genuine designer label clothes at a fraction of the price you'd pay in London or New York. All the shops and businesses are open every day until 9pm, including Sundays.
Photo: Peta Cole
Enjoy a free concert at "La Estancia"
A short walk from Altamira metro station, La Estancia is another former coffee hacienda that is now owned by PDV, the state oil company. The beautifully restored house and gardens are now a cultural centre and host free exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and photographs.
On most Sunday mornings there are also free concerts that often feature Venezuelan folk music. Venezuela has a thriving and diverse folk music tradition that blends European, African and Indigenous influences into forms that are uniquely Venezuelan and this is the perfect place to hear some of it.
If you're visiting in June or July, it's best not to sit under the mango trees - a falling mango can hit the ground at more than 30mph! No smoking in the grounds!
Photo: Carefree Caracas 2007 S.A.
See the Central University
The UCV (Universidad Central de Venezuela) complex is literally a work of art that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Designed by architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and opened in 1957 after 12 years of construction, the buildings incorporate around 80 frescos, murals and sculptures by leading Venezuelan and European artists of the time, including Fernand Léger whose stained-glass window is pictured left.
The University City also includes the Aula Magna concert hall where the Municipal Symphony Orchestra gives public concerts (at a nominal cost) on Sunday mornings during the university terms. Apart from the outstanding acoustics of the hall, the Aula Magna is noted for the sculptures by Alexander Calder that are suspended from the ceiling.
Photo: Peta Cole
Follow "The Lycra Trail"
Caracas is dominated by the Ávila mountains and serious trekkers could easily spend a week exploring the Ávila National Park but for an effective introduction take the walk up to Sabas Nieves. This is known locally as the Lycra Trail because so many Caraqueńos make it part of their fitness routine. Some run up the steep trail barefoot carrying weights and many set themselves time targets but most of us prefer a more leisurely ascent, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the panoramic views of Caracas.
Take your camera and allow a couple of hours. Look out for luminous blue butterflies, picturesque waterfalls and the blue-and-yellow kiri-kiri birds shown on the right; these will pose nicely for you if throw them some pieces of bread.
Photo: Peta Cole
Taste the World's Best Chocolate and Coffee
Venezuela produces the best chocolate in the world. Most of it is bought up by European "chocolatiers" for use in luxury chocolates but there's still plenty on sale in supermarkets in Caracas and it's the perfect souvenir to give to your friends as you show them your photographs of the Angel Falls.
Venezuela also produces some of the best coffee in the world but Venezuelans are coffee connoisseurs and they drink almost all of it themselves. Caracas is full of cafés that serve perfect coffee. Particularly recommended is the strong café con leche (with milk) that Venezuelans call "marrón" (brown). If that's too exhilarating, try a "marrón claro" (slightly less brown). Before you leave, go to a supermarket and buy as much as you can fit into your baggage because coffee will never taste as good again.
