Find places in Venezuela

Must-Haves

• Teleférico Warairarepano (Maripérez)
  The cable car climbs the Ávila for views over the whole city on one side and the Caribbean on the other.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Plaza Bolívar de Caracas (Centro)
  The historic heart of the city, shaded by trees and surrounded by the cathedral and old government buildings.

Must-Haves

• Parque Nacional El Ávila, Sabas Nieves trailhead (Altamira)
  The city's favourite morning hike starts here, climbing through forest to a ranger station with valley views.

Off the Beaten Path

• Galipán (El Ávila)
  A mountain village of flower farms, strawberries and cosy restaurants reached over the top of the Ávila.
• Colonia Tovar (Aragua hills)
  A German founded mountain village an hour from Caracas, with strawberries, sausages and cool air.

Fun for Everyone

• Parque del Este (Los Ruices)
  A huge Burle Marx designed park where Caracas families picnic, jog and relax at weekends.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jardín Botánico de Caracas (Los Chaguaramos)
  A peaceful botanical garden next to the university campus, with palms, cacti and native plants.

Must-Haves

• Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (Los Chaguaramos)
  A UNESCO listed modernist campus where Calder's floating clouds hang in the Aula Magna.
• Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas (Parque Central)
  A major collection of modern art, including Venezuelan kinetic works by Soto and Cruz-Diez.
• Casa Natal del Libertador (Centro)
  The restored birthplace of Simón Bolívar, steps from the Plaza Bolívar.

Fun for Everyone

• Galería de Arte Nacional (Bellas Artes)
  The national collection of Venezuelan art, from colonial painting to the twentieth century.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Panteón Nacional (Centro)
  The resting place of Bolívar and other national heroes, with a striking modern mausoleum beside it.

Must-Haves

• Pueblo de El Hatillo (El Hatillo)
  A colonial village of painted houses and craft shops on the edge of the city, lively at weekends.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado Municipal de Chacao (Chacao)
  A busy neighbourhood market for tropical fruit, cheese, fish and a quick arepa.

Fun for Everyone

• Centro Sambil Caracas (Chacao)
  One of the largest malls in South America, an easy and sheltered place for errands and food.

Great for Date Night

• Centro Comercial Tolón Fashion Mall (Las Mercedes)
  A modern mall in the main dining district, handy before dinner in Las Mercedes.

Fun for Everyone

• Leones del Caracas baseball at Estadio Monumental (La Rinconada)
  Winter league baseball is a national passion, and a Leones game is loud, family friendly fun.

Must-Haves

• Diablos Danzantes de Yare (San Francisco de Yare)
  A UNESCO listed Corpus Christi ritual of masked red devils dancing in the streets, near Caracas.

Low Cost and Authentic

• La Casa del Llano (Altamira)
  A round the clock arepera where Caracas eats shredded beef, cheese and black bean arepas at any hour.

Fun for Everyone

• Arepas at El Hatillo village (El Hatillo)
  Simple restaurants around the plaza serve arepas, cachapas and fresh juices.

Great for Date Night

• Las Mercedes restaurant and bar strip (Las Mercedes)
  The main nightlife district, best visited by car or ride app and enjoyed in well known venues.

Fun for Everyone

• Bars of Los Palos Grandes (Los Palos Grandes)
  A neighbourhood of relaxed bars and terraces near the Ávila, best by ride app at night.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Eurobuilding Caracas (Chuao)
  A large business hotel with a pool and on site security, a common base for first visits.

Fun for Everyone

• Hotel Tamanaco Caracas (Las Mercedes)
  The city's classic big hotel, with gardens and a large pool close to the dining district.

Great for Date Night

• Pestana Caracas (El Rosal)
  A modern hotel in a central east side business district with a rooftop pool.

Must-Haves

• Mukumbarí Sistema Teleférico de Mérida (Barinitas)
  One of the highest and longest cable cars in the world, climbing to Pico Espejo above the glaciers.
• Jají (Jají)
  A restored colonial village of white houses, wooden balconies and craft shops in the hills.

Fun for Everyone

• Los Aleros (Tabay)
  A recreated Andean village of the 1930s with actors, old trades and plenty for children.
• Venezuela de Antier (Mérida)
  A theme park recreating old Venezuela, with traditional food, music and costumed characters.

Great for Date Night

• Paragliding over Las González (Las González)
  Tandem flights over the valley with established local pilots are a Mérida classic.

Fun for Everyone

• Heladería Coromoto (Centro)
  An ice cream parlour famous for hundreds of flavours, from trout to avocado to beer.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado Principal de Mérida (Centro)
  Andean cheeses, sweets, crafts and a hearty pisca andina breakfast under one roof.

Must-Haves

• Laguna de Mucubají (Sierra Nevada National Park)
  A glacial lake on the páramo with an easy trail onward to the dark waters of Laguna Negra.
• Pico del Águila (Mucuchíes)
  One of the highest road passes in Venezuela, with condor statue, páramo views and hot drinks.

Off the Beaten Path

• Laguna Negra (Sierra Nevada National Park)
  A deep, dark mountain lake reached on foot or horseback from Mucubají.
• Los Nevados (Sierra Nevada National Park)
  A remote mountain village reached on foot or by mule, for walkers who want real adventure.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jardín Botánico de Mérida (Universidad de Los Andes)
  A university garden with orchids, bromeliads and a canopy walk.

Off the Beaten Path

• Capilla de Piedra de San Rafael de Mucuchíes (San Rafael de Mucuchíes)
  A stone chapel built by the artist Juan Félix Sánchez, one of the most moving sights in the Andes.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Catedral Basílica Menor de Mérida (Plaza Bolívar)
  The city's cathedral overlooks the main square and is the starting point for a walk around the centre.

Fun for Everyone

• Feria Internacional del Sol (Mérida)
  A February fair with bullfights, concerts, parades and the crowning of a carnival queen.

Off the Beaten Path

• Paradura del Niño (Mérida)
  January celebrations in Andean homes and villages, with music, prayers and a procession of the Christ child.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Los Frailes (Santo Domingo)
  A historic stone hotel in a former monastery high in the páramo.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Trout restaurants of Mucuchíes (Mucuchíes)
  Roadside restaurants serve fresh mountain trout with arepas de trigo and hot chocolate.

Fun for Everyone

• Arepas de trigo at Mercado Principal (Centro)
  Wheat arepas, local cheese and hot chocolate make an easy, typical Andean breakfast.

Great for Date Night

• Mérida evening plaza life (Plaza Bolívar)
  Evenings around the central plazas are relaxed, with students, street food and music.

Must-Haves

• Gran Roque village (Gran Roque)
  A car free village of painted posadas and sandy streets beside the turquoise sea.
• Snorkelling the Los Roques reefs (Los Roques National Park)
  Clear water, turtles and rays make snorkelling here a highlight of any trip.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset walk to the Faro Holandés (Gran Roque)
  A short climb up the hill behind the village to an old lighthouse with a sweeping view of the reefs.
• Catamaran sailing trips (Los Roques National Park)
  Spend several nights sailing between cays and anchoring in empty bays.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bonefishing the flats (Los Roques National Park)
  The shallow flats are famous among fly fishers for catch and release bonefishing.

Must-Haves

• Cayo de Agua (Los Roques National Park)
  A sandbar joins two islands here, creating one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Fun for Everyone

• Francisquí (Los Roques National Park)
  Close to Gran Roque, with a natural pool, calm water and easy snorkelling.
• Madrisquí (Los Roques National Park)
  Calm, shallow water make this cay a good choice for families and weak swimmers.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Crasquí (Los Roques National Park)
  A long, quiet white beach with a simple fish restaurant for lunch.

Off the Beaten Path

• Noronquí (Los Roques National Park)
  A far cay with calm turquoise bays and very few other visitors.

Great for Date Night

• Dinner on the sand at Gran Roque (Gran Roque)
  Many posadas serve fresh fish and pasta by candlelight on tables set on the beach.

Must-Haves

• Salto Ángel (Auyán Tepui)
  The highest uninterrupted waterfall on earth, seen from the Mirador Laime after a river journey.
• Laguna de Canaima (Canaima)
  A tea coloured lagoon with pink beaches and a row of waterfalls framed by tepuis.

Fun for Everyone

• Salto Hacha (Canaima)
  The widest falls on the lagoon, a spectacular sight from the beach and by boat.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Salto Ucaima (Canaima)
  A broad waterfall upstream of the lagoon, reached by short boat rides.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kavac Canyon (Kamarata Valley)
  Swim through a narrow canyon to a waterfall in a remote Pemón community.

Must-Haves

• Walk behind Salto El Sapo (Canaima)
  A path runs between the rock and the falling water, a thrilling and very wet experience.

Great for Date Night

• Scenic flight over Auyán Tepui (Canaima)
  A light aircraft flight over the tepui and Angel Falls, the best way to see them in dry months.

Fun for Everyone

• Boat trip on the Carrao River (Canaima)
  A day trip up the river past rapids, tepuis and small beaches.

Off the Beaten Path

• Campamento Isla Ratoncito (Río Churún)
  A simple hammock camp facing Angel Falls, where river trips spend the night.

Must-Haves

• Waku Lodge (Canaima)
  A comfortable lodge on the lagoon shore with views of the falls.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Campamento Parakaupa (Canaima)
  A lodge near the airstrip with gardens and tepui views, often part of packages.

Great for Date Night

• Campamento Ucaima, Jungle Rudy (Canaima)
  A historic riverside camp founded by the pioneer Rudy Truffino, upstream of the lagoon.

Must-Haves

• Playa El Agua (Antolín del Campo)
  Margarita's most famous beach, a long stretch of sand lined with palms and beach restaurants.
• Parque Nacional Laguna de La Restinga (La Restinga)
  Boatmen weave through mangrove tunnels to a wild shell beach on the far side.

Fun for Everyone

• Playa Parguito (Antolín del Campo)
  A beach known for its waves and surfers, with a lively young crowd.

Off the Beaten Path

• Península de Macanao (Macanao)
  The wild, dry western half of the island, with cactus hills and quiet fishing villages.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Playa Manzanillo (Manzanillo)
  A fishing beach in the north with simple restaurants serving the morning catch.

Must-Haves

• Playa El Yaque (El Yaque)
  Shallow water and steady wind make it one of the best places in the Caribbean to learn kitesurfing.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset at Fortín de La Galera (Juan Griego)
  The hilltop fort above Juan Griego bay is the island's favourite sunset spot.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pampatar seafront and fishing boats (Pampatar)
  An easy evening stroll past colourful fishing boats and the old fort.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Oyster stalls at La Restinga (La Restinga)
  Fresh oysters with lime and fried fish on the long beach, simple and memorable.

Must-Haves

• Empanadas de cazón at beach stalls (Playa El Agua)
  The island's signature snack, fried shark empanadas eaten on the sand.

Must-Haves

• Castillo de San Carlos Borromeo (Pampatar)
  A seventeenth century fort facing the bay, a short walk from Pampatar's seafront.
• Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Valle (El Valle del Espíritu Santo)
  The shrine of the island's patron saint, the focus of a huge pilgrimage each September.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Castillo de Santa Rosa (La Asunción)
  A hilltop colonial fort with a famous story of independence heroine Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi.

Fun for Everyone

• Museo Marino de Margarita (Boca del Río)
  A marine museum with aquariums and skeletons, a good family stop near the Macanao road.

Fun for Everyone

• Fiesta de la Virgen del Valle (El Valle del Espíritu Santo)
  A September feast with processions, music and pilgrims from across eastern Venezuela.
• Carnaval in Margarita (Porlamar)
  Parades, music and beach parties fill the island during the carnival holidays.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mercado de Conejeros (Porlamar)
  The island's big market for fruit, fish, hammocks and everyday Margarita life.

Fun for Everyone

• Sambil Margarita (Pampatar)
  A large mall for shopping, cinema and air conditioned breaks.

Fun for Everyone

• El Yaque beach bars (El Yaque)
  Kiters and windsurfers gather at sunset for cold drinks on the sand.