Overview to Caracas: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Caracas is famed for its mass of skyscrapers and shantytowns, and the chaos of its street life. Although one of those South American cities that seem so impenetrable on first glance, the exuberant and friendly locals really help you find the essence of the city.
Roughly speaking, there are two areas in Caracas that attract the majority of any visitor’s time in the city. El Centro is the historic center while, set a little to the east and joined to it by the Avenida Boiívar, the Parque Central could be labeled as the cultural center.
The colonial Plaza Bolivar is Caracas’ principal plaza. From here, the Cathedral, the presidential seat at El Capitolio Nacional and the beautiful San Francisco church are all close by. Two blocks southeast, the Casa Natal de Simon Bolivar hosts an array of items related to the great man.
Across in the Parque Central, an array of museums and galleries await leisurely exploration, with the Parque Los Caobos housing the Galeria de Arte Nacional, Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Ciencias Naturales.
Away from these main areas, there's a cluster of small, idiosyncratic neighborhoods to enjoy. El Hatillo, for example, is a colonial town swallowed up by the southeastern suburbs, whilst the area of Las Mercedes offers cosmopolitan shopping and sociable hangouts.
The Universidad Central de Venezuela has its world-renowned campus in Caracas. This World Heritage Site is well worth a look, and since it comes with a host of energetic, vibrant students, time here can prove the key to unlocking Caracas’ fun-loving heart.