Virgin Andes, tropical jungles and heavenly beaches on the Caribbean Sea. Venezuela tempts with fantastic landscapes, and Caracas – the capital of the country – with its cultural diversity. The Cordillera de la Costa mountain range lies near the valley of the metropolis. Next to the luxurious neighborhood with beautiful villas, the so-called barrios, there are slum districts. Caracas is a city of contradictions, but how fascinating! Modern high-rise buildings are reaching out to the sky next to post-colonial buildings. We find there numerous monuments of sacred architecture with the Metropolitan Cathedral in the lead, as well as historic sites such as the Panteon Nacional or Casa Natal & Museo Bolivar. In the Caracas area there are many parks and reserves, where you can go hiking (for e.g. Parque Nacional el Avila), take a ride on Tyrolean traverse (Senderos Aereos) or treat yourself to a paragliding flight. The city beach Balneario Camuri Chico, the Hacienda La Trinidad Culture Park and boat trips organized by local travel agencies are very popular. Families spending their vacation there will probably like PlayOn – an entertainment center with a lot of attractions for children.
Caracas lives at night. In Las Mercedes, you will find full of vibe pubs, dance clubs, and drink bars. It's worth visiting the Chacao Culture Center, where interesting events take place late into the evening.
During the holidays in Caracas, we can enjoy the traditional Venezuelan specialties. In almost every gastronomic place we will get a delicacy called arepa, a flatbread made of corn flour, served with favorite stuffing. The most popular local dish is pabellón criollo – stewed beef with black beans, rice, and fried banana platano slices. On a hot day, try delicious juices such as jugo de cana (from sugar cane) or chica (made from corn and rice, with the addition of pineapple and ice). Venezuelans love coffee, which is why in Caracas we find many cafes (including Gourmet 54), where you can drink a freshly roasted small black (negrito) or coffee with milk (marón). For an exquisite traditional dinner it is worth visiting the restaurant Alto, Maute Grill or El Azan, and for the delicious ice cream – Gelato Mio
