Holiday in Caracas

About Caracas

Caracas is the capital of Venezuela and a city that oscillates between drama and beauty like few other metropolises in the world. The 3-million-inhabitant city (5 million in the region) is located in a narrow valley at an altitude of 900 meters, wedged between the imposing Ávila Mountain (2,765 m) to the north and a chain of hills to the south. The result is a cityscape of breathtaking backdrop: skyscrapers against tropical green mountain slopes, and above all, the Ávila with its cable car that takes you from the metropolis to the cloud forest in 15 minutes. Plaza Bolívar, named after the liberator Simón Bolívar, is the historical heart: the cathedral, town hall, and the Casa Natal de Bolívar (his birthplace, now a museum) surround the square, where the history of Latin American independence comes alive. The Panteón Nacional houses Bolívar's sarcophagus under a ceiling painting by Tito Salas — a pilgrimage site of Venezuelan national pride. Caracas was one of the richest and most modern cities in Latin America in the 1950s-70s, and the architecture from this era is impressive: the Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (UNESCO), designed by Carlos Raúl Villanüva, combines Bauhaus modernism with tropical architecture and works by Calder, Léger, and Arp — a masterpiece of the 20th century. **Important Note:** Venezuela is in a severe economic and political crisis. The Foreign Office advises against non-essential travel. The security situation, particularly street crime, requires utmost caution.