how
To Get There
Venezuela’s international airport, Simon Bolívar, and the national airport, Maiquetía, are both located in the coastal city of La Guaira. The city is only 17 miles from Caracas but the taxi ride can take up to 45 minutes and cost approximately $30. Venezuela requires a visa for business and charges a departure tax of $37.
To Get Around
Caracas’s main business and financial center spans from the neighborhoods of El Silencio to Chacao. Taxis, recommended for getting around, are relatively inexpensive.
where
To Stay
JW Marriott Hotel Caracas (Av. Venezuela and Calle Mohedano, Tel: 5821-2957-2222) is probably the city’s best hotel for international travelers in terms of service.
Radisson Plaza Eurobuilding Caracas (Final Calle La Guairita, Chuao, Tel: 902-1111),
located on the east side of town and in the heart of the financial and business district, is also a top-notch hotel that locals say has superseded some of Caracas’s more established hotels.
To Eat
Le Petit Bistro de Jacques (Avenida San Felipe 24, La Castellana, Tel: 263-8695) offers distinctive French cuisine where taste is more important than presentation. Another French restaurant renowned for its chef, service and superb quality is Le Gourmet in the Tamanaco Inter-Continental.
Chez Wong & Grill (Plaza La Castellana, Edif. IASA, La Castellana, Tel: 266-5015) serves excellent Japanese cuisine and is known for adding creative twists to all its dishes.
To Drink
Lobby Bar at the JW Marriott is a good choice and San Sebastian Bar (Av. Venezuela in El Rosal) is a good spot to relax and listen to live jazz music.
To Unwind
Teatro Teresa Carreño offers cultural alternatives through its theaters and art museums, among which are the Contemprary Art Muesum, the National Art Gallery and the Natural Sciences Museum (Final Paseo Colón, Tel: 574-9122 or 574-9333).
For an outdoor alternative, Caracas has several parks such as the Parque del Este, as well as botanical gardens and zoos that make a welcome break from the city’s traffic and crowds. However, for a real escape from the heaving capital, explore El Ávila National Park by cable car. For more information, call Central de Comunicaciones del Campamento Pajaritos at 261-5107 or Centro Recreativo los Venados at 800-84847.
For a day trip off the coast, the archipelago of Los Roques is probably the best-known of Venezuela’s Caribbean islands. Situated 170 kilometers north of Caracas, Los Roques is an atoll of reef islands, tidal islets and reefs surrounding the Laguna Central, and is one of the country’s most beautiful sights. Get there by plane or charter boat. There are daily flights to Los Roques from Margarita and Maiquetía. Call Línea Turística Aereotuy in Caracas (Tel: 7616211/ 2272, www.tuy.com).
what
To Buy
A visit to Venezuela is a good chance to buy quality-crafted hamacas, or hammocks. We also recommend taking home pottery from the upper Orinoco River area. A good place to buy high-quality gifts in Caracas is Sotavento (Calle California at Jalisco).
Interesting 18-carat gold jewelry designs can be found at the Minicentro Paris (Esquina Las Monjas, Local Nº 6, in front of the National Congress).
2003/2004 National Holidays
May 1, Labor Day
June 24, Battle of Independence
July 5, Independence Day
July 24, Birthday of Liberator Simón Bolívar
October 12, Columbus Day
December 25, Christmas Day
January 1, New Year’s Day
2003 Bank Holidays
March 19, June 2, June 16, August 18,
December 8