Things to do in Caracas

Best time to visit Caracas

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• December to April

  Dry season and the best window: clear Avila views, little rain.

• May to October

  Rainy season: afternoon downpours, hazier views, muddier trails.

• December and January

  Coolest nights; bring a jacket for El Hatillo's hills.

What's on

• Carnaval February/March

  Street parties; the city empties as residents travel, book drivers early.

• Semana Santa Holy Week

  Processions, especially in El Hatillo; many businesses close.

• Hallaca season December

  Christmas food season with gaitas music; the culinary reason to visit in December.

Best things to do in Caracas

• Teleferico Warairarepano

  $$

  Cable car up El Avila with city views and the restored Humboldt Hotel on top.

• El Hatillo

  Free

  Colonial pueblo streets with artisan shops and the city's easiest dinner evenings.

• Parque Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda

  Free

  Big eastern park with lake, zoo, planetarium and the classic Avila postcard view.

• Casa Natal del Libertador Simon Bolivar

  $

  Bolivar's 17th-century birthplace museum beside Plaza Bolivar.

• Galeria de Arte Nacional

  Free

  National collection of Venezuelan art in the calmest downtown cultural stop.

• Hacienda La Trinidad Parque Cultural

  $

  Former coffee hacienda turned cultural center with concerts and food fairs.

• Centro de Arte Los Galpones

  Free

  Galleries and workshops among trees in Los Chorros, best on Sundays.

• Teatro Teresa Carreno

  $$

  One of South America's largest theaters, for opera, ballet and concerts.

Best restaurants in Caracas

• Maute Grill

  $$$

  Steakhouse for traditional Venezuelan cuts and a proper pabellon criollo.

• La Cita

  $$$

  Long-running Spanish kitchen for pulpo a la gallega and fabada.

• Mokambo

  $$

  Busy Latin restaurant, known for shrimp chupe and pasta plates.

• El Budare de la Castellana

  $

  Fast, cheap arepas off the budare, reina pepiada or pelua.

• Salon Canton

  $$

  Las Mercedes Cantonese fixture with dim sum plates and fast service.

• La Casa del Llano

  $$

  Llanos cooking: arepa llanera and pabellon criollo, hearty and cheap.

• Arepa Factory

  $

  Modern arepera for a fast filled-arepa lunch between sights.

• El Tinajero de los Helechos

  $$

  Venezuelan grill in El Hatillo, made for the pueblo dinner evening.

Best bars in Caracas

• Bar Caracas

  $$$

  The Tamanaco's cocktail bar, the civilized nightcap above Las Mercedes.

Best coffee in Caracas

• Arabica

  $

  Specialty coffee stop in the Andres Bello business area.

Outdoor things to do in Caracas

• Sabas Nieves

  Free

  The classic El Avila trailhead, a steep morning climb with widening city views.

• Galipan

  $

  Small mountain town past the cable car summit with simple restaurants and horse rides.

• Pico Oriental

  Free

  Serious guided full-day Avila peak from Sabas Nieves for experienced hikers.

• Colonia Tovar

  $$

  German-heritage mountain town day trip for sausages, beer and strawberry desserts.

• Hacienda Santa Teresa

  $$

  Rum distillery tours and tastings, a full day out in Aragua.

Best hotels in Caracas

• Hotel Tamanaco Caracas

  $$$$

  The city's landmark hotel on the bluff above Las Mercedes since the 1950s.

• Hotel Paseo Las Mercedes

  $$

  Straightforward business hotel across from the Tamanaco.

• Hotel Continental Altamira

  $$

  Renovated Altamira base on Av. San Juan Bosco near Plaza Francia.

• Altamira Village Hotel & Suites

  $$$

  Boutique suites with gardens, built for longer Altamira stays.

• Renaissance Caracas La Castellana Hotel

  $$$

  Full-service business-district hotel in La Castellana.

• Lidotel Caracas

  $$

  Reliable business hotel pick for Caracas work trips.

Is Caracas expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Teatro Teresa Carreno: weeks ahead
• Pico Oriental: a few days ahead
• Hacienda Santa Teresa: a few days ahead
• Maute Grill: a few days ahead
• El Tinajero de los Helechos: a few days ahead
• Hotel Tamanaco Caracas: weeks ahead

• Teleferico tickets are bought at the station; foreign-visitor pricing applies, bring cash dollars.
• Maute Grill and weekend El Hatillo dinners: reserve days ahead.
• Teatro Teresa Carreno: book when the season is announced.
• Hacienda Santa Teresa tours: book ahead; walk-ins are not guaranteed.

Is Caracas safe?

• Caracas is under a Do Not Travel advisory for violent crime including kidnapping and armed robbery. Save this trip for a calmer time.
• Daylight sightseeing only in the center; trusted driver door to door at night.
• No visible phone or jewelry on the street; no street ATMs.
• Nothing in the barrios without a local you trust completely.
• Emergency number: 911.

Caracas travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Street money changers: pay in dollars directly or change at the hotel to avoid counterfeit and short-change games.
• Break US$100 bills at the hotel; small shops and taxis struggle with them.
• Tourist menus around Plaza Bolivar are overpriced and mediocre; eat in Las Mercedes or La Candelaria.
• Ticket or parking helpers at the Teleferico: walk past to the official window.

Getting around Caracas: public transport and more

• A trusted private driver is the default: hotel-arranged or recommended remisse, fare agreed in dollars before you get in.
• The Metro is cheap but visitors generally avoid it after dark; pickpocketing is the main risk.
• Maiquetia airport to Las Mercedes runs 30 to 60 minutes; allow double the quoted time for a flight.
• Do not self-drive at night; roadblocks, poor lighting and aggressive traffic make it a bad trade.
• Walking is fine in daylight and early evening within Las Mercedes, Altamira and El Hatillo's core.

Who Caracas suits