Must-see attractions in Venezuela

  • Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas

    Caracas

    Occupying the eastern end of the Parque Central complex, the Museum of Contemporary Art is by far the best in the country, though it can be a little…

  • Angel falls

    Salto Ángel (Angel Falls)

    Venezuela

    Thundering Angel Falls is the world's highest waterfall and Venezuela's number-one tourist attraction. Its total height is 979m (3211ft), of which the…

  • Oblique view of the facade and spires of the Santa Capilla in the old town of Caracas. This Neo-Gothic chapel was commenced in 1883 and was modelled on Sainte Chapelle of Paris.

    Iglesia Santa Capilla

    Caracas

    This neo-Gothic church, one block north of Plaza Bolívar, is modeled on the Sainte Chapelle of Paris. It was ordered by General Antonio Guzmán Blanco in…

  • Plaza Bolívar

    Caracas

    This leafy square is the nucleus of the old town. It's always alive with huddled groups of caraqueños engaged in conversation and children feeding freshly…

  • Fundación Bigott

    Caracas

    If you’d like to dig a little deeper into traditional Venezuelan culture – perhaps learn to play joropo music with the bandola llanera (a string…

  • Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada

    Venezuela

    The most popular high-mountain trekking area is the Sierra Nevada national park, which has all of Venezuela's highest peaks, including Pico Bolívar (5007m…

  • Iglesia de San Francisco

    Caracas

    Just south of the Capitolio Nacional, the Church of San Francisco was built in the 1570s, but was remodeled on several occasions during the 17th and 18th…

  • Gran Roque

    Venezuela

    Gran Roque is the main island and population center, and exudes a distinct Caribbean feel. The sandy streets of the fishing village are lined with single…

  • Catedral

    Caracas

    Set on the eastern side of Plaza Bolívar, Caracas' cathedral started its life in the mid-16th century as a mere mud-walled chapel. A church later replaced…

  • Castillo Libertador

    Venezuela

    North of the old town, and separated from it by the entrance channel to the harbor, is colonial Fortín San Felipe, later renamed Castillo Libertador. It’s…

  • Centro de las Artes

    Venezuela

    On the southern edge of the colonial sector is the tree-shaded Plaza Miranda. Positioned at the halfway point between the cathedral and the cemetery, it…

  • Iglesia de San Antonio

    Venezuela

    The Iglesia de San Antonio is at the upper end of the historic town of Clarines. Built in the 1750s, the church is a massive, squat construction laid out…

  • Teatro de la Opera

    Venezuela

    Commissioned by Gómez in 1934, this Soviet-esque theater was intended to be the best in the country, to match the capital status of the city. An immense…

  • Statue of the Virgin Mary

    Venezuela

    This gigantic, 47m-high monument is said to be the world’s tallest statue of the Virgin Mary. Frankly, it bears an eerie, uncanny resemblance to Darth…

  • Kamarata

    Venezuela

    Kamarata is an old Pemón village on the Río Akanán, at the southeastern foot of Auyantepui. Since being discovered as an alternative access point for…

  • Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía

    Venezuela

    North of San Rafael, at an altitude of about 3600m, is the Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía, an astronomical observatory with four telescopes and a…

  • Santa Fe

    Venezuela

    This fishing town is popular with international backpackers for its proximity to the islands of Parque Nacional Mochima. Travelers spend their days island…

  • Jardín Botánico

    Venezuela

    Not far from the zoo is the Jardín Botánico. Inaugurated in 2000, the botanical garden is still young, and only a portion of the total 44 hectares is open…

  • Parque Nacional Médanos de Coro

    Venezuela

    Mesmerizing zebra stripes of sand shimmer in the breeze at the Parque Nacional Médanos de Coro, a spectacular desert landscape with sand dunes of 30m in…

  • Simón Bolívar Mausoleum

    Caracas

    After a 2010 exhumation to confirm cause of Bolívar's death, Chávez built his hero this grand new mausoleum, which opened in 2013. The US$140 million…

  • Cueva de Kavac

    Venezuela

    Near the purpose-built tourist village of Kavac, Cueva de Kavac is not a cave but a deep gorge with a waterfall plunging into it. There's a safe, natural…

  • Museo Diocesano Lucas Guillermo Castillo

    Venezuela

    For an insight into the colonial past, go to the Museo Diocesano Lucas Guillermo Castillo which is named after a local bishop. Accommodated in 15 rooms of…

  • Concejo Municipal

    Caracas

    Occupying half of Plaza Bolívar’s southern side, the city hall was erected by the Caracas bishops from 1641 to 1696 to house the Colegio Seminario de…

  • Museo Marino

    Venezuela

    This good Marine Museum is worth the trip across the island, especially for families. It has a shallow pool of safe-to-handle starfish, snails and other…

  • Galería de Arte Nacional

    Caracas

    Venezuela’s largest museum began construction in 1989 but was abandoned in the mid-’90s. Architect Carlos Gómez persevered though and construction resumed…

  • Casa de la Estrella

    Venezuela

    The sovereign state of Venezuela was born in this historic house on May 6, 1830, when Congress convened here and decreed secession from Gran Colombia…

  • Parque Nacional Cerro El Copey

    Venezuela

    If you have your own wheels (or are willing to hire a taxi) and want to leave the crowds behind, head up into this fresh, hilly national park, southwest…

  • Catedral

    Venezuela

    The eastern end of the Paseo de las Ciencias is bordered by the 19th-century catedral. The most revered image in the cathedral is the Cristo Negro, or…

  • Campo Carabobo

    Venezuela

    For a taste of unadulterated Venezuelan patriotism, visit the Carabobo Battlefield, 32km southwest of Valencia. This is the site of the great battle…

  • Museo Trapiche de los Clavo

    Venezuela

    The Museo Trapiche de los Clavo occupies the walled-in compound of a 19th-century hacienda. The core of the museum is the original trapiche (sugarcane…

  • Casa Piar

    Venezuela

    On the northern side of the plaza is the Casa Piar, where General Manuel Piar was kept prisoner in October 1817 before being positioned against the…

  • Complejo Turistico El Morro

    Venezuela

    This large, modern waterfront complex is one of the most ambitious urban projects ever to be carried out in the country - a 20th century Venezuelan Venice…

  • Museo de Bellas Artes

    Caracas

    The Museum of Fine Arts is a beautiful museum with lots of breathing room housed in two buildings, a functional modern six-story building and a graceful…

  • La Estancia

    Caracas

    This renovated fragment of a 220-year-old coffee hacienda houses a fine museum with rotating works by Venezuelan artists. Property of the Simón Bolívar…

  • Museo Arquidiocesano

    Venezuela

    Next to the cathedral, the Museo Arquidiocesano features a fine collection of religious art. Note the Ave María bell cast in AD 909, thought to be the…

  • Río Caroní Airplane

    Venezuela

    If you’re passing through the city’s airport, don’t miss the Río Caroní airplane, conveniently parked in front of the terminal building. This is the part…

  • Panteón de Gómez

    Venezuela

    In typical dictator style, once Gómez had taken a firm grip of Venezuela, he set about building himself a grandiose mausoleum. Finished in 1919, this…

  • Casa Natal de Bolívar

    Caracas

    Bolívar’s funeral took place just two blocks from the house where, on July 24, 1783, he was born. The interior of Bolívar’s birthplace has been…

  • Paseo Colón

    Venezuela

    The lively waterfront boulevard, Paseo Colón, is the place for a late afternoon or evening promenade. This seafront and beach area comes to life when a…

  • Madrizquí

    Venezuela

    The nearest island to Gran Roque, Madrizquí is only about 1km (0.6mi) to the southeast. It was the favorite island of affluent caraqueños (people from…

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