CaracasCapital
Venezuela · Country profile
Caracas is the high-valley capital of Venezuela, a dramatic metropolis that fills the narrow green valley of the Avila mountain with a dense, chaotic and spectacular sprawl of towers, highways and tiled barrios between the slopes. It is the seat of the politics and the culture of the country, with its cultural centre, its concert halls and its great parks of the city, and the cable car of the mountain lifts the whole city to the summit ridge of the forested peaks. The old quarter gathers the cathedral, the government palace and the memorial of the birth of the liberator, while the markets and the plazas of the centre run the commerce of the everyday. Bold, difficult, proud and endlessly dramatic, Caracas holds the whole stormy charisma of the country in a single mountain fold.
About Caracas
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. The city's documented population is around 2,245,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Venezuelan Bolívar (VES) and Spanish is spoken; the dialling code is +58. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Simón Bolívar International Airport.
The High-Valley Capital Under the Avila Mountain
Caracas is a raw, overwhelming high-valley metropolis where the mountain of the Avila looms over a dense, fast-moving and deeply self-confident grid of towers and freeways. The essential days are the old quarter and its palace, the cable car and the viewpoints on the crest of the mountain, the museum of the fine arts and the parks and malls of the city. It demands a local driver, current advice and the careful focus of attention, but rewards with the extraordinary panorama of the valley, the energy of its streets and the warmth of its people. It is the fearless, volcanic heart of a country that the traveller either embraces or moves past quickly.
The Mild Valley Seasons, the Two Currencies and the Driver Plan
The valley climate is mild, a perpetual spring of warm days and cooler evenings with the rain more likely in the middle of the year. The official currency and the free-market dollar work in parallel, and the Spanish is the language, with the English thin outside the hotels. The essentials are the old quarter, the cable car and the museums, and the trips to the coast at a day distance. The security of the capital is the real factor, so a known driver to the hotel is near compulsory and the movement outside the familiar districts is best avoided. The music, the food halls and the extraordinary mountain views are the rewards of the well-advised capital stop.
The Cable Car of the Summits, the Old Quarter and the Museums of the Centre
The cable car of the Avila lifts the visitor from the city to the summit of the mountain, where the walkway on the rainforest crest gives the great panorama of the whole valley and the sea beyond. The plaza of the Bolivar and the old cathedral of the centre face the birth house of the liberator, and the museum of the fine arts and the music hall of the cultural centre carry the serious cultural life of the city. The markets of the quartiers, the arepas of the street stands and the baseball of the local teams give Caracas its everyday soul, and the colonial towns of the nearby coast add the sea breeze to the high capital.
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- Country
- Venezuela
- Population
- 2,245,000
- Coordinates
- 10.6002, -66.9904
- Capital
- Caracas
- Region
- South America
- Currency
- Venezuelan Bolívar (VES)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +58
- Country code
- VE
Getting to Caracas
Airports we list for Caracas:
Frequently asked questions
Is Caracas the capital of Venezuela?
Yes — Caracas is the capital of Venezuela.
What currency do I need in Caracas?
The local currency is the Venezuelan Bolívar (VES). Languages spoken in Venezuela include Spanish.
What is the dialling code for Venezuela?
The international dialling code for Venezuela is +58.
Which airport should I fly into for Caracas?
Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) is the airport we list for Caracas.
Flying out of Caracas? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.