I’ve been reading some opinions on Caracas. Since I was born there, I hope you can find my opinion a little bit helpful. You have to analyse Caracas by traveling and experiencing the city. You'll find a very hidden beauty.
When you arrive to Simon Bolivar Airport and take the highway to Caracas, you’ll see an enormous belt of shanty towns (poor districts). At first, it seems to be shocking and depressing. Once in the city, you discover that Caracas is located in a wonderful place: the skirts of Avila Mountain, a beautiful national park that separates Caracas from Caribbean Sea. A sunny day, at dusk , you’ll find delightful the green and blue shades of the mountain.
It is essential for you to take the cableway that leads to the top of the mountain (Humboldt Station 9000 ft. above sea level) . Now, watch the landscape: on one hand, a panoramic view of the city, on the other hand, the Caribbean Sea. You might want climbing the mountain to discover the Old Rock-Road of the Spaniards and the abandoned forts built in the 17th century. Fascinating. You should visit Parque Del Este (a national park in the East Zone) to appreciate a very beautiful landscape of Avila Mountain from the city.
Density of population is high. The city is built on little hills (rich and poor together in some places) making difficult to reach an address because of lack of an adequate signal system. You’ll be impressed on how this could become a city of 5 million people in that kind of narrow valley.
Be prepared for cultural diversity: European immigration of 50’s (Italian, Spanish and Portuguese) along with Chinese and Lebanese immigrants gives a great cosmopolitan touch to this large city. There is a wide offer of upscale restaurants and dishes from the typical arepa (a Venezuelan corn-grilled cake) to excellent Japanese, Spanish, Lebanese or Italian gastronomy. It is very useful to walk around La Castellana, Los Palos Grandes (La Cuadra Gastronomica) or Las Mercedes to enjoy with their restaurants. Besides, Las Mercedes offer a lot of entertainment and night life.
West Zone of the city is very UNSAFE and you are warned to not walking alone or without a Venezuelan friend around this zone, because of Chavez (our president) and his fans called “Circulos Bolivarianos”. They use to be dangerous people and streets use to be very dirty and occupied by horrible street vendors. Most of them are not Venezuelans!!. Despite of this, you should take a tour with specialized tourist guiders in order to visit some very important sightseeings of West Zone. They have a remarkable historical value and it is worth to seeing them (Bolivar Square, National Assembly, Cathedral, San Francisco Church, Santa Capilla, Bolivar House, all of them plenty of artworks inside). Be Careful.
In contrast, East Zone of the city is safer and enjoyable. People are extremely warm. Although you could notice that they are afraid of strangers, because of criminality, if you talk with them, you’ll see its kindness. Traffic usually is terrible. We count on modern highways, but the number of vehicles overpass normal capacity of the streets.
Avoid use of jewels and rings. Hide your money and camera in a safe place. AVOID METRO SYSTEM. It is unsafe because of crime. TAXIS are good solution to go somewhere.
The Museums Zone (Gallery of National Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Sofía Imber MACCSI, Teresa Carreño Theather) in Downtown, is worth seeing. MACCSI has a collection of Picasso, Miró, Botero and very valuable impresionist artworks !!
You should visit El Hatillo, in the outskirts of Caracas. It is a colonial and charming town, in which you can find a wide variety of handicrafts and taste an exquisite dinner (eat a pizza !!). In fact, you might say that El Hatillo is inside Caracas Area but preserves his colonial architecture.
If you find a friend in Caracas with a car, please, ask him/her to drive to peripheral routes (Lagunita-Alto Hatillo-Los Naranjos) You’ll see beautiful views of the city lights from the top of the hills.
Don’t forget to go to dinner in a restaurant of Centro Comercial El Mirador (San Roman) or Los Naranjos Plaza. It will be quite remarkable to dinner Italian cuisine or sea food with candlelights, a cup of wine and great views of the city by night...a little bit expensive but pretty romantic.
Avoid taking a room in cheap hotels. Take a room in 4 or 5 stars hotels in East Zone of the city and you’ll be satisfied.
Weather is incredible. Caracas is also known as “eternal spring city” always between 68-85 F.
Hope you enjoy Caracas! Bye!
PS. Remember that crimes are everywhere and this is third world. What is interesting is knowing a new culture in an enjoyable enviroment...
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