Caracas
Straddled across a high plateau beyond the Caribbean Sea and dominated by the imposing Mount Avila, Caracas reverberates as the energetic and fast-paced capital city of Venezuela. Droves of towering skyscrapers punctuate the skyline against a backdrop of shanty towns clinging to the steep valley walls, testament to a city that squeezes the tremendously wealthy and desperately poor into a single chaotic sprawl.
Caracas basks in a pleasant spring-like climate all year round making exploration of this cosmopolitan city easy. There are plenty of interesting museums and galleries to browse including the Casa Natal del Libertador; the birthplace of Simón Bolívar, and the contemporary art museum Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas Sofía Imber. Tributes and memorials to El Libertador can be found all over Venezuela and Caracas is by no means an exception from the Nacional Pantheon to Plaza Bolívar. A bronze statue of Bolívar saddled upon his noble steed is nestled at the core of Plaza Bolívar which marks the heart of the colonial quarter. The leafy plaza is encircled by a vestige of government buildings, notably the Capitolio Nacional, and to the east of the plaza is the attractive Metropolitan Cathedral which houses the Bolívar family chapel.
Escape the bustle of the city and stroll around the Jardín Botánico, festooned with tropical flowers, plants and draped with vines. Alternatively, head north of Caracas and trek an extensive network of scenic trails in Parque Nacional El Ávila, home to monkeys, hummingbirds and anteaters to name just a few.