When in Caracas
Caracas is famed for its mass of skyscrapers and the chaos of its everyday life. There is plenty of wealth on show in the city but look to the outskirts close to the surrounding forests and you will see numerous shantytowns on the outlying hills, reminding you that all is not well.
Everywhere the visitor treads in Caracas they are notified as to the achievements of the great liberator, Simon Bolivar, who rescued the country, as well as Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, from the hands of the Spanish in the early 19th century. The city itself was founded in 1560, when the Spanish explorer Francisco Fajardo arrived in the region.
Temperatures are consistently mild throughout the year, with an average of 25°C, so there is never a bad time to arrive. Caracas also manages to avoid much of the wet season that the rest of the country endures between June and October.
In the Catedral part of town there are a number of major places of note. The Casa Natal de Bolívar is the reconstructed house where Bolívar was born in 1783. The house contains many interesting period items, including banners, uniforms and weapons and is very popular with locals. The nearby Museo Bolivariano, where more personal items are held such as the coffin in which Bolivar's remains were brought back from Colombia, is also a big hit, although his ashes actually lie in National Pantheon.
Nearby can be found the Capitolio Nacional. This enormous building, constructed in the late 19th century, is famous for its golden domes and its splendid Salón Elíptico, a sumptuous hall that contains many portraits. In the halls surrounding the Salon can be seen depictions of battle scenes during the fight for independence.
The Museo de Arte Colonial in San Bernadino is famed for its works of art and furniture as well its beautiful gardens and location in the equally enticing Quinta de Anauco mansion. The artwork is first rate and those coming down on a Sunday will often be able to enjoy a chamber music recital as well.
Architecture fans should head to the Universidad Central de Venezuela, which was granted World Heritage Site status by the UN in 2000. This intriguing complex, designed in the 1950s and 1960s by Carlos Raul Villanueva, is complemented by modern works of art by artists such as Fernand Leger.
The Simón Bolívar airport is located in Maiquetía, 15 miles from town, from where a cheap taxi in to the city should see you right, although there are buses. Trains are non-existent so buses are a good way of getting around the country and beyond. The Terminal La Bandera in the south of the city is the place to go for domestic journeys to the west and south-west. Cross-border buses leave from Terminal de Oriente, in the east of the city, with a variety of destinations in South America available.
The city's metro system is superb and cheap. It serves the majority of places most visitors will want to be and runs from 05:30 until 23:00. Buses are another cheap option, although getting around the centre on one is not easy due to the awful traffic ? best used if you're off to the outskirts of town.
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Introduction
