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82°F / 28°C
(More Clouds Than Sun. Warm.)
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Tour One: Old Caracas
This walk will take you through part of the old center of the city (El Silencio) where there are a good number of historical leftovers from what Caracas looked like during the 18th and 19th centuries.
From the early beginnings, the main square of Caracas has been witness to executions, concerts, fairs, theater and bullfights. It's original name was Plaza de Armas (Weapons Square) but it was in 1883, on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Simón Bolívar, El Libertador, that the square was officially renamed La Plaza Bolívar. His statue still remains in the center of the square.
The reconstructed interior of La Casa Natal de El Libertador (the house where Bolívar was born) displays a great deal of colonial furniture and objects. Also there are works by the famous Venezuelan painter, Tito Salas, which depict some of the most remarkable moments in the life of "El Libertador."
To the north of the house where Bolívar was born is the colonial Bolívar Museum, which displays a collection of documents, weapons, clothes, and portraits of El Libertador.
La Casa Amarilla is one of the best-kept and oldest colonial buildings remaining in the old center of town, which once housed the royal prison and served as presidential residence, while today it houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
To the southwest of La Plaza Bolívar is a two-building complex called the
El Capitolio, which houses the Legislative Palace and the Federal Palace. It is here that we can find the "Golden Key," which opens the urn keeping the remains of El Libertador. The Basílica de Santa Teresa is a neoclassical building that actually houses two churches, Santa Teresa to the east and Santa Ana to the west.
The Panteón Nacional is five blocks north of La Plaza Bolívar, and is the most sacred building in the city. It's where eminent Venezuelans found their last resting place. El Teatro Nacional
This theater, which was opened in 1905 and is located just to the south of the Santa Teresa Basílica, is famous for its ceiling paintings representing dance, music and drama, all by the hand of the famous painter Herrera Toro.
Tour Two: Art
The best way to enjoy art in Caracas is by doing a traditional tour of some of the most important museums and galleries of the city. To do so, go to the area of El Parque Central.
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo is considered to be a symbol of excellence by Venezuelans. Its permanent collection is very often requested by museums all over the world. It displays the work of Venezuelan artists like: Otero, Soto, Borges, and a number of international artists such as: Picasso, Leger, Rivers, Tsai and Rauschenberg, just to mention a few names. Apart from that, the museum is also very well known for encouraging plastic arts by organizing all kinds of workshops for the young and old who are interested in painting, ceramics, sculpture and photography.
The Galería de Arte Nacional Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museum of Fine Arts which share the same building, boast between the two of them the most complete legacy of plastic arts of Venezuela and South America. The whole year round, a dynamic exhibition program is offered, in order to provide the public with a great variety to choose from in order to enjoy art and culture.
The Museo de Los Niños is a place where not only children but also adults are given the opportunity to learn about the world surrounding them. The laws of the universe are all explored here: the basic principles of biology, physics, chemistry and art.
The Museo de Ciencias Naturales shows a great diversity of flora and fauna found in South-America and Africa, as well as an important collection of archaeological remains.
The Museo Audiovisual features the memory of Venezuela in images and symbols. This is the place to be if you're interested in the history and development of the local media and the technological progress made in this field. You can find the most complete audio-visual documentation center of the country here. It is often used to house conferences, workshops and seminars.
The name of the Museo del Teclado may be a bit misleading, because in this museum you can find a big collection of musical instruments dating back to all kinds of eras, including Afro-Caribbean and Amerindian, which will take you on a trip through classical, contemporary and experimental music.
Tour Three: El Hatillo
El Hatillo is a little town of about 70,000 inhabitants, located about 10 miles southeast of Caracas. It is the perfect place if you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and spend a nice quiet day in the countryside.
The town is more than 215 years old, and has preserved most of its original colonial architecture: the houses are built around a square, the La Plaza Bolívar, which is very typical in colonial towns. Four streets cross the town from north to south and six streets go from east to west.
El Hatillo is well known for its comfortable climate, old houses and its especially friendly people who make the town such a popular place. Most houses actually host some kind of business, be it a restaurant, a café, a ceramics shop, or a bookshop.
The town, which actually forms part of the Caracas municipality, has become a very popular place to go, especially for weekend outings. Apart from shopping, you can enjoy art, culture and in particular music, since El Hatillo is famous for the annual El Hatillo International Music Festival, which is held between October and November. The long program of this festival includes music shows, concerts, pop-music shows and jazz, as well as dance and ballet. Both national and international musicians and artists perform at this festival and charm the public with their talent. You can find art exhibitions, theater performances, and workshops in the Ateneo del Hatillo.
Don’t forget to try the delicious Churros With Chocolate, a typical snack from El Hatillo and other colder zones in the country. To get there, take the motorway to Baruta, to the east of Caracas, and follow El Hatillo-Oripoto. Also, there are buses from Avenida Humboldt, just off the Boulevard Sabana Grande, a few meters from Chacaito metro station.
Tour Four: Parque del Este Rómulo Betancourt
Located on the Avenue Francisco de Miranda, between Los Dos Caminos and Los Palos Grandes, the East Park, with its over 180 acres of green beauty, is one of the most popular parks in Caracas. Designed by the famous Brazilian architect Roberto Burle Marx, the park is full of different kinds of attractions, and is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city.
In addition to the nine artificial lakes, one of which is dedicated exclusively to rowing, there are a variety of animals and plants as well as picnic areas, playgrounds for children, restaurants, a planetarium and a library. Especially on Saturday and Sunday, this park is full of Caraqueños, and also during the weekday evenings, when you can find them running and doing exercises in this marvelous green space.
There is even a small zoo, where you can see lions, crocodiles, monkeys, turtles and lots of birds from all over the country in the Aviarium. Don't miss the Terrarium, where you can find an immense collection of amphibious and reptiles. Some say this is the largest collection in South America.
The East Park also has an open-air music hall, used frequently for concerts, recitals and other musical events. The Planetarium, dedicated to the study and observation of space, often hosts workshops and talks on all kinds of space-related topics for both children and adults. In times of eclipses, this is the place to be in order to get the best view of this kind of phenomena.
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