 Where to go |
Caracas | 
The Andes | 
Los Roques | 
Los Llanos | 
Margarita | 
Choroni | 
Canaima | 
Colonia Tovar | 
Falcon State | 
Sucre |
Venezuela described as the paradise on Earth by its discoverer Christopher Colombus is an amazing country. Its myriad landscapes , together with a huge animal and vegetal diversity , makes it a singular place. With its 916 050 square km surface Venezuela offers white sand beaches and transparent waters, dry and desert like zones, plains of extraordinary beauty and particularly interesting for naturalists, mountains proudly represented by the Andean Mountains Range and ancient tablelands, called Tepuis, emerging from the dense green of the jungles. All this diversity can be reached thanks to the transportation systems available and the growing facilities for the visitor in the country.
You will find in Venezuela:
The highest waterfall of the world: the Angel Falls,
The largest lake in Latin America: Maracaibo Lake,
The third biggest river in South America: the Orinoco River,
The longest and highest funicular railway of the World in Mérida,
The most ancient rocks of the Earth: Guayana's Massif,
43 national parks and 21 natural monuments.
| CARACAS |
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Venezuela's capital, founded in 1567 by Diego de Losada, has one of most dramatic settings among South American cities. It sits about 3000 feet above sea level in a long valley that stretches from east to west. On one side of the valley are the uninhabited emerald slopes of Avila National Park; on the other, the rugged and heavily settled hills of the southern suburbs. The slopes of the Park rise above the city like immense green wave, forever on the verge of breaking. The elevation and proximity the ocean (about 15km to the north) combine to give Caracas almost unbeatable weather.
In recent decades, especially during oil booms of the 1970s and 80s, Caracas has seen unprecedented growth. Many of the original colonial buildings were replaced by gleaming modern skyscrapers, although there are still historic jewels to be found within the modern shadows. A majority of the cultural and architectural attractions can be found in the area immediately surrounding Plaza Bolivar, the city center.
Those wishing to explore the areas immediately around the city will be well-rewarded. The omnipresent Avila National Park offers incredible views of both Caracas and the nearby coast, which is also worth an excursion.
 The Teresa Carreno Center for the Performing Arts |
An architectural wonder in itself, the Teresa Carreno Center for the Performing Arts is a huge complex designed to provide the ultimate venue for every kind of performance. It was originally intended as a permanent home for the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra, but the idea evolved into a home for everything: opera, symphonic music, theater, pop music, ballet, and modern dance. It was designed by a triad of accomplished architects who won a contest: Tomas Lugo, Dietrich Kunckel, and Jesus Sandoval.
| | Children's Museum |
Originally conceived of as a giant classroom where children could get a hands-on experience of the wonders of the natural and man-made worlds, the Children's Museum exceeded the dreams of its creators. The museum became so popular that it quickly exceeded the goal it set when it opened in 1982 - a million visitors a year. Its success is largely due to a dedicated staff and colorful, touchable exhibits that capture the imagination of both kids and adults. The exhibits artfully and cleverly reveal the mysteries of physics, biology, communications, ecology, and the unique geography of Venezuela itself.
| The Sofia Imber Contemporary Art Museum |
The Sofia Imber opened in 1974 and holds Venezuela's largest collection of modern art. It is easily a world-class museum, featuring the works of over a hundred national and internationally-known artists, in every medium and scale. It has five levels and over 16,000 square meters of display space, as well as a wonderfully endowed sculpture garden.
| National Art Gallery |
Natural Sciences Museum
Caracas' Natural Sciences Museum is one of the best in South America. Since its inauguration in 1871, the museum as amassed a formidable collection of specimens and artifacts from not only Venezuela and South America, but from all over the world.
El Avila National Park
To see El Avila National Park, one need only stand in an open space in Caracas and look to the North. The towering and verdant slopes are part of the park, which has hundreds of well-kept trails and spectacular views of both Caracas and the coast.
Recreational Park
| Altamira Square |
Other attractions
La Rinconada - the race track
Sambil Shopping Center
Paseo Las Mercedes - a major strip for nightlife
La Francia - the gold trader's district
El Hatillo
Just half an hour drive away from modern Caracas towards the East , you can spend a day or two in the charming village of El Hatillo. You will find colonial characteristics, colorful facades, handicrafts shops and typical and gastronomic restaurants.
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