Print
Email
Bookmark & shareOrientation
Caracas sprawls for 20km (12.5mi) along a long and narrow coastal valley, bordered to the north by the verdant and refreshingly unpopulated Parque Nacional El Ávila. To the south, it's quite a different story, with modern suburbs and precariously poised shantytowns stacked along steep hillsides. Downtown Caracas stretches for around 8km (5mi) from El Silencio to Chacao. Accommodation and eateries can be found in the historic quarter, and in the lively neighborhood of Sabana Grande. Museums, theaters and cinemas are clustered around Parque Central, on the eastern edge of the historic quarter. Restaurants and hotels of the swish variety, and the majority of the city's nightlife, can be found to the south and east of the center in Altamira, El Rosal and Las Mercedes.
A curiosity of Caracas is the center's street address system. It's not the streets that bear names here, but the esquinas (street corners); therefore, addresses are given 'corner to corner.' So if an address is 'Piñango a Conde,' the place is between these two street corners. If a place is situated on a corner, just the corner will be named (eg Esq Conde). However, note that a few major thoroughfares, such as Avs México and Universidad, supersede this rule.
Authorities have given numbers and cardinal-point designations to the streets (Este, Oeste, Norte and Sur), but locals continue to stick with the esquinas. Outside the colonial center, the conventional system is used, though street numbers are still rare.
Getting There
The city's major airport for both international and domestic flights is the Simón Bolívar airport in Maiquetía, 26km (16mi) from the city center (www.aeropuerto-maiqueta.com.ve). Carriers from the UK, France, Netherlands and the USA arrive and depart from here. Domestic flights head to cities such as Porlamar, Maracaibo and Puerto Ordaz. Road routes to Caracas enter the country at Maicao and Cúcuta on Colombia's northeastern border, and at Santa Elena de Uairén in the north of Brazil. Long-distance buses to destinations in Venezuela's west and southwest leave from Terminal La Bandera, 3km (5mi) south of the city center. Terminal de Oriente, on the eastern outskirts of town, heading towards Barcelona, will take you to other long-distance destinations in South America.
Getting Around
Getting around central Caracas means catching the city's pride and joy: the metro. It's safe, fast, well organized, clean and almost unimaginably cheap - it serves most major city attractions and tourist facilities. Line 1 is the longest and most used of the three lines, running east-west along the city's axis; Line 2 heads southwest from the center (Capitolio/El Silencio) out to the zoo; and Line 3 runs from Plaza Venezuela south to El Valle. Some suburbs are linked to metro stations by Metrobús. The metro operates from around to , and you will rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for a train.
Caracas' bus system isn't bad either, covering all suburbs within the metropolitan area, and major neighboring localities. The city center is served by carritos , small buses that cost half the metro fare, possibly because they're often stuck in awful traffic jams. Taxis are affordable - a smart and efficient choice for going out at night and for getting around metro-less areas.
Advertisement
Book Your Trip
Travel insurance. Be covered by our recommended partner.
Compare & book flights from 100's of domestic & international airlines.
Hotels & Hostels
Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›
Lonely Planet Newsletters
Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›
Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
