Caracas

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A view of downtown Caracas, with southern mountains in the background, as seen from the slopes of the mountains to the north of the city.
A view of downtown Caracas, with southern mountains in the background, as seen from the slopes of the mountains to the north of the city.

Caracas is located in northern Venezuela, near the Caribbean. It is Venezuela's capital, largest city, and the location of its major international airport.

[edit] Understand

Caracas, often described as a concrete jungle, is rarely the top choice for tourists to Venezuela. It is congested, noisy and polluted, and, in parts, dirty and dangerous. Wandering through unknown streets is risky even in daylight. However, as the capital of Venezuela it is the key to understanding the country: the city displays staggering inequalities of wealth but is bound together by the warmth and happiness of its inhabitants, their love of the beach and partying, and the soothing presence of Mount Avila. It also has many surprises for the visitor, not least the verdant avenues and excellent subway.

[edit] Climate

Caracas has a tropical climate with very little variation between summer and winter temperatures. Set in a valley some 900 meters above sea level, its climate is often described as its best feature: never cold, seldom too hot. Average daily temperature in summer range from a minimum of 18°C (64F) to a maximum of 28°C (82F). Winter temperatures are only two to three degrees cooler. Most rainfall occurs during the period from May to November and may be accompanied by electrical storms.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Maiquetía's Simón Bolívar Airport has three passenger terminals (Internacional, Nacional and Auxiliar) and is 25 km away from central Caracas via a highway through the coastal mountains. A new road bridge, replacing one that collapsed in 2006, came into service in July 2007, ending months of tortuous journeys to and from the airport. The trip to Caracas should now take around 40 minutes or up to 60-70 minutes during rush hour.

Taxi fares are usually at least Bs. 100,000 (US$45 at official rate, 20 US$ at unnoficial rate) to Caracas but there are many unlicensed taxis offering their services, so travelers should be very careful. In particular, it is advised to agree on a price before getting into the taxi, not sharing with anyone other than the driver, and preferably using only the airport's official black Ford Explorer cabs, although these can be pricey. Check with your hotel to see if they arrange airport pickup - it may need to be booked in advance. There is also a new taxi service that you can book online at www.taxitocaracas.com

[edit] By car

Fairly decent highways connect Caracas with La Guaira and the airport to the north; Maracay, Valencia and Maracaibo in the west; Barcelona and Puerto La Cruz in the east.

[edit] By bus

A taxi from the bus terminal to the center will cost you around Bs.15,000.

Buses from the airport to Caracas cost around $5. Passengers have the option of alighting either at Gato Negro metro station (less than safe at street level) or under a bridge at the Parque Central bus terminal, from where you'll need to get a taxi to your final destination or walk about 1 km along a busy road to the Bellas Artes metro station.

There is also a new government-run bus service to the Alba Hotel in Bellas Artes, costing Bs.8,000 (BsF.8). Passengers do not need to be guests at Alba. Further information is available from the two tourist board offices in the Maiquetia international terminal.

The La Bandera bus terminal connects Caracas with towns and cities to the west of the capital such as La Victoria (1 hour), Maracay (1.5 hours) and Valencia (2.5 hours). The 800m walk from La Bandera metro station to the bus terminal is not safe after dark and travelers should exercise caution at all times.

[edit] Get around

Taxis can be easily hailed in the street and are generally - but not always - safe. They have no meters so prices should be agreed on before getting in. Caracas traffic is notoriously bad and the metro is usually a better option. Licensed taxis have yellow plates, and some private cars with white plates are taxis too, but it's always safer to take a licensed yellow plate taxi.

The Caracas metro is clean, modern, safe and extremely cheap. A single journey costs just Bs.500, "ida y vuelta" (return ticket) is Bs.900 and a 10 journey "multi abono" ticket is Bs.4500. Because prices have changed little in recent years yet bus fares have outpaced inflation, the metro is frequently overcrowded, particularly during peak hours.

The metro system is backed up by a network of metrobuses that depart from certain metro stations and take fixed routes to areas of the city not reached by the underground. Like the metro, the metrobuses are cheap and clean, but passengers complain of bus shortages. Most services run only about every 20 minutes. The buses have fixed stops and will not pick up passengers away from these.

The ubiquitous minibuses, or por puestos, run along many main roads in Caracas, often ending up in obscure residential neighborhoods not reached by the metro. They can be flagged down anywhere and you can usually ask the driver to let you jump off whenever he stops, such as at traffic lights. Although sometimes useful - such as for reaching the Sabas Nieves entrance to El Avila from Altamira metro station - the buses are more expensive than the metro (Bs.1000 a ride), slower and are invariably in a very bad condition.

[edit][add listing] See

Despite not featuring on many tourists' itineraries, Caracas has more than enough sights and attractions to fill three or four days.

  • La Plaza Bolivar. in the city center. Statues of Simon Bolivar, close to the congress and other government buildings. Nice colonial architecture. Metro Capitolio. edit
  • La Casa Natal de Simon Bolivar. Bolivar's birthplace, also downtown. One of the few well-preserved colonial buildings with some great paintings and a museum. Next door is the Museo Bolivariano with some of Bolivar's war relics. Metro La Hoyada. edit
  • Museo de Arte Colonial, Located in the Quinta Anauco on Av Panteon in San Bernardino. this is a lovely old house and garden that hosts small concerts some weekends. edit
  • Universidad Central de Venezuela. was designated a World Heritage Site by the UN in 2000. Designed by Venezuela's most famous architect, Carlos Raul Villanueva, the university campus, known as the Ciudad Universitaria is a sprawling complex considered a masterpiece of 1950s and 1960s architecture blended in with art. A stroll around the grounds, keeping an eye open for moden art works by artists such as Fernand Leger. Metro Ciudad Universitaria. edit
  • Jardin Botanico, located next to the Central University. is a well-kept garden with an impressive array of tropical plants and trees. Metro Ciudad Universitaria or Plaza Venezuela. edit

[edit][add listing] Do

A view of Caracas from near the top of the Teleferico
A view of Caracas from near the top of the Teleferico
  • The Avila mountain to the north of Caracas is highly recommended for hiking, views of Caracas, and its fresh air. The Sabas Nieves entrance, accessible by bus from Altamira, is the most popular.
  • The Teleférico is a cable-car that takes visitors up the Avila. The ascent provides a beautiful view of the city. At the top (altitude approximately 2600 m), one can obtain a view of Caracas to the south, and of the ocean (Caribbean Sea) to the north on a clear day. It will cost Bs. 30,000 (US$ 15) to take the teleférico up (and back down). Reduced fares are available for students, children, and senior citizens (approximately Bs. 20,000). Take the ride up to Avila as early as possible, before an afternoon haze obstructs your view from the top of the mountain. There are a few restaurants, many food kiosks, and numerous attractions suitable for children. These include a small skating rink, some small rides, and jungle-gyms. There is a well known fondue restaurant also located at the top. Some hiking trails branch off from the teleférico station, but without a map it is not easy to find them or know where they go, as they are not marked.

[edit][add listing] Buy

  • Centro Comercial Sambil. One of South America's largest shopping mall, with two movie theaters, dozens of restaurants and probably hundreds of shops. Metro Chacao. edit
  • Altamira. An exclusive neighborhood and shopping district in the eastern part of the city. Can be accessed easily by metro. edit
  • Centro Comercial San Ignacio. Many boutique stores here, as well as lots of good bars and restaurants. A hub of Caracas nightlife. edit
  • Centro Comercial El Recreo. Another large mall, located next door to the Gran Meliá Hotel. Metro Sabana Grande. edit
  • Centro Ciudad Comercial Tamanaco (CCCT). An old but popular complex of shops, offices, restaurants and a couple of nightclubs. Take a Metrobus from the Altamira metro station. edit
  • Centro Comercial El Tolón. An upmarket mall in the Las Mercedes neighborhood. 15 minutes walking from Chacaito metro. edit
  • Centro Comercial Paseo Las Mercedes. A bit old fashioned but a good art house cinema and Oscar D'Leon's Mazukamba nightclub is here.

 edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Las Mercedes

  • El Granjero del Este, Av. Río de Janeiro, ☎ +58 212 991 6619. Open late. One of the better of the dozens of "areperas" dotted around town. Specializes in arepas, a savory corn-flour bread that doubles as Venezuela's traditional staple food. Pick from a dozen types of filling (including the classic Reina Pepiada - chicken, avocado, spring onions and mayo.) Or try a cachapa (a sweet corn pancake with a choice of toppings) or a nice steak with yuca. Wash it all down with beer, or with freshly made tropical juice. To do it the traditional way, go at 3 a.m., after a night out dancing. Cheap.  edit
  • Malabar, Calle Orinoco, ☎ +58 212 991-3131. Expensive but very good cuisine, mostly French, with a relaxed but trendy atmosphere. edit
  • Aranjuez, Calle Madrid, Qunita Anacoa, ☎ +58 212 993-1326. One of the older steak houses in Caracas, with top quality Argentine and Venezuelan cuts of beef. edit
  • Cafe Ole, Calle California at Calle Jalisco, ☎ +58 212 993-9059. This open air candlelight cafe is a popular haunt for after dinner cafe and some excellent desserts. edit
  • Mamma Mia, Avenida Principal, ☎ +58 212 993-7230. A perennially popular though noisy restaurant with a good selection of Italian dishes. edit

[edit] La Castellana

  • Avila Tei, Avenida San Felipe, Centro Coinasa, ☎ +58 212 263-1520. Excellent, if costly, Japanese restaurant. edit
  • Chez Wong, Plaza La Castellana (facing the roundabout), ☎ +58 212 266-5015. Very good Chinese restaurant. edit
  • Chili's, Calle Jose A Lamas, Torre La Castellana, ☎ +58 212 267-9146. A branch of the American Tex-Mex chain. edit
  • La Estancia, Avenida Principal La Castellana, ☎ +58 212 261-1874. A famous beef/meat restaurant with traditional Spanish decor.

 edit

  • La Romanina, Av Avila (between Calle Miranda and Av Mohedano, just west of Plaza La Castellana), ☎ +58 212 266-8819. A simple setting but very good thin crust pizzas. edit
  • New Spizzico, Av Principal La Castellana (one block north of the Plaza), ☎ +58 212 267-8820. Very pleasant Mediterranean style decor with a lovely outdoor terrace. Good mostly Italian food but not with very generous portions.

 edit

[edit] Altamira

  • El Tarantín de Valentina, Tercera transversal entre Segunda Avenida y Andrés Bello, Los Palos Grandes., ☎ +58 212 2858839, [1]. Tue-Fri: Noon - 10 pm, Weekends: 9 am - 5 pm. An excellent choice if you want to sample traditional Venezuelan food served with style and meticulous hygiene. Offers regional specialties from all over the country. The owner, Valentina Quintero, is the author of the most popular tourist guide about Venezuela for Venezuelans and something of a local celebrity. edit

  • Cafe-Trattoria Mediterraneo, 1ra Avenida Los Palos Grandes, Edificio Oriental, ☎ +58 212 283-3680. Great retro decor, and a minimal but excellent menu. Recommended. edit

[edit] La Candelaria

  • Bar Basque, Alcabala a Peligro, La Candelaria, ☎ +58 212 572 4857. Caracas has a large Basque immigrant community and many excellent Basque restaurants. Bar Basque is the pick of the litter. Run by the same family for half a century, it's a legendary hangout for the politically connected. As in all Basque restaurants, the menu focuses on seafood. Superlative food. Expensive. Only a few tables, reservations required. edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

  • La Belle Epóque (closed). Located in Bello Monte, this is the best club value and experience in the city. Great prices with great bar tenders (one speaks English). Great mix of well to do caraqueños and tourists. Three parties for the price of one: techno, American rock, reggae. Live music Thurs-Sat. One room has old black and white movies playing on a projector to reggae music. Another pure techno (no beer in here, just drinks, especially Red Bull and Vodka). The last is the live band playing American rock--and they're great. This club is a must do in Caracas. Note: Unfortunately this club has closed its doors in 2006 due to the end of their lease. The owners are planning to put up another club, in the meantime check out the "Moulin Rouge" in the city center.
  • El León. On the corner of La Castellana roundabout, this Caracas stalwart benefits from one of the best open air terraces in Caracas. Plastic tables and chairs are simple and the service is slow, but the beers are cheap and the atmosphere is good.
  • Whiskey Bar. Located in Commercial Center San Ignacio. Very similar layout to a typical East Coast lounge in the United States. Popular hang-out for professionals. The coldness you experience here from people are not representative of the Venezuelan people.
  • El Maní Es Así. Located in a side street behind Sabana Grande, this remains Caracas' best-renowned salsa club where locals and foreigners like to show off their moves, accompanied by live bands, till the early hours. To get a table, you'll probably have to pay 'servicio', i.e. agree to buy a bottle of rum or whisky. Sadly, the area around the club is not safe after dark and visitors should arrange taxis to avoid walking in the area.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Caracas has many hotels but no youth hostels as one might expect to find in other South American countries. Backpackers will find that Caracas is not a cheap destination, and that rooms per night per person range 20-30 USD. While the whole of the city is considered to be dangerous at night, stick to the hotels in the east, that is, Sabana Grande or farther east.

Many (but by no means all) hotels in the Sabana Grande area will offer rooms on an hourly basis, primarily for unmarried Venezuelan couples.

[edit] Budget

Most hotels are in Sabana Grande. Do not stay in hotels west of the historic city center. While Sabana Grande has affordable hotel rates, you need to take great care at night. Crooked cops are known to harrass tourists for money during the day. <name="Caracas cops" url=http://travelvice.com/archive/2007/04/crooked-caracas-cops.php#passport-problem> Sabana Grande is not as safe as it used to be, especially the Boulevard. Neighborhoods further east such as Altamira and Las Mercedes offer much safer accommodations but at increased cost.

  • Hotel Altamira, Av Jose Felix Sosa, Altamira Sur (near Britanica Tower), ☎ +58 (212) 267-4284, 267-4255 (, fax: (58-212) 267-1926). Around $30.  edit
  • Casa Luisa, Near El Hatillo, some 10-12km from downtown Caracas (). This guesthouse apartment has only 2 rooms but with space for 3 in each room. $40 a night, $5 breakfast.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

  • Hotel Milenio (located between the Ciudad Universitaria metro and the Sabana Grande metro).  edit
  • El Cid, ☎ + 58 212 263-1715. This residential hotel also caters for short visits. Excellently located in the La Castellana district, it offers a pleasant alternative to many hotels with antique wooden furniture in the rooms and a guest house feel. Bs.180,000-200,000 ($83-93).  edit
  • Hotel Shelter Suites, Av Libertador and Av Jose Felix Sosa, Chacao (opposite Sambil shopping mall), ☎ +58 212 265-3860 (). Great location, clean and modern, this is a popular option and should be booked two weeks in advance. Max 2 people per room. Rooms from Bs.190,000.  edit
  • Hotel Savoy (near the Alliance Francaise). From Bs.135,000.  edit
  • Hotel Alba Caracas, Avenida Mexico con Sur 25 (formerly the 'Caracas Hilton'). Like the Melia below, this once impressive Hilton hotel has suffered from the deterioration of central Caracas. Although close to the city's best museums, the Bellas Artes area is no longer the capital's finest and should not be wandered at night. In September 2007, the hotel was taken over by the state and aims to provide 'socialist tourism' services. edit

Media:Example.ogg===Splurge===

  • Gran Meliá, Av. Casanova, esq. C/ El Recreo, Sabana Grande 1050, ☎ +58 212 762-8111 (toll free: +1 800 745-8883, fax: +58 212 762-3737), [3]. Elegant 5 star hotel. Located in Sabana Grande, the old heart of the city’s business and financial district, but now somewhat rundown and home to hundreds of street sellers. edit
  • Marriot, Av. Venezuela con Calle Mohedano, El Rosal, ☎ +58 212 957-2222 (toll free: +0 800 100-6139, fax: +58 212 957 1111), [4]. In the center of the business district, this hotel has become deservedly popular in recent years, although its relatively small size means it is often fully booked. edit
  • Hotel Intercontinental Tamanaco, Final Av. Principal De Las Mercedes, ☎ +58 212 909-7111 (fax: +58 212 909-7116), [5]. Check in: 3PM; Check out: 12PM.  edit
  • Embassy Suites.  edit
  • Radisson Eurobuilding.  edit

Keep in mind that the beds in many hotels (mostly up to the mid-range levels) are nothing more than matresses on concrete slabs that resemble box springs. Depending on what your sleep preference is, they may not be the most comfortable for you. Something for you to consider when looking for a hotel to stay at.

[edit] Stay safe

If you get robbed never resist, don´t play hero. It is advisable to take some medium amount of money with you (maybe around an equivalent of 50 dollars in small notes) that you don´t piss of robbers in case... A lot of murder, kidnapping and robbing take place. Caracas is - after "Sao Paolo" - the second most dangerous city in Latin America. If you have to walk anyway stay away from the "barrios" which are the poor ugly neighbourhoods built into the hills similar to "favelas" in Brasil. Always take the car also for small distances.

[edit] Contact

  • Free WiFi
    • Chili's -Torre La Castellana
    • Tony Roma's - Las Mercedes
    • Café Ole

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

El Litoral, or the narrow band of coast between El Avila and the Caribbean Sea, is also known at the State of Vargas and the location of the best airport hotels. These beaches are not well known with visitors but are popular with Caraqueños on weekends. The area has been slow to recover from the disasterous mudslides of December 1999 which ironically made the beaches better. Still they are of lesser quality than the beaches of Choroni, Morrocoy, Mochima or Margarita.

  • La Guaira - historic port district
  • Macuto - long history as the favored among the urbanite Caracenos and most crowded on weekends
  • Caraballeda - upscale district with yacht marina
  • Naiguatá - surf and cultural festival zone
  • Catia La Mar - west of the airport with cheaper hotels that do airport pickup. Marginal neighborhood and beaches
  • El Hatillo - nice restaurants and pretty colonial architecture.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

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