CARACAS - VENEZUELA'S CAPITAL

CARACAS: In this one-day tour, take some time to visit some of the following historic sites:

Catedral Metropolitana de Caracas: Over 300 pounds of gold leaf were used to gild the main altar at this late 17th-century cathedral, which also houses the private Bolivar family chapel. Set on the eastern side of Plaza Bolívar, Caracas' cathedral started life in the mid-16th century as a mere mud-walled chapel. Built between 1665 and 1713, the present incarnation is packed with dazzling gilded altars and elaborate side chapels. The wide five-nave interior, supported on 32 columns, was largely remodeled in the late 19th century.

Casa Natal de Bolívar: The house where Simón Bolívar was born on July 24, 1783. The house has been reconstructed and turned into a museum. Exhibits include period weapons, banners and uniforms. Much of the original colonial interior has been replaced by monumental paintings of battle scenes, but more personal relics can be seen in the nearby Museo Bolivariano.

Bolívar Family's Summer House: Located in the far southern section of the historic center, this was the Bolívar Family's Summer House, where Simón Bolívar spent much of his youth. Restored to its original appearance and stuffed with period furniture, the house is today a museum dedicated to El Libertador.

Panteon Nacional: The remains of celebrated Venezuelans, including Simon Bolivar, are housed inside this building, whose walls and ceilings display the most famous Venezuelan independence battle scenes.

Plaza de Altamira: Impressive fountains grace the entrance to the Altamira subway station, which is located in this popular square of Caracas.

Paseo de Los Proceres: Popular with roller bladers, bikers, joggers and people watchers, this complex of monuments to Venezuelaʼs national heroes includes a lengthy avenue lined with lush trees, gardens and artwork integrated into the landscape.

Capilla de Santa Rosa de Lima: Historical site where congress declared Venezuela's independence in 1811 (though it was another 10 years before this became a reality). The chapel has been restored with the decoration and furniture of the time.

Casa Amarilla: The 17th-century balconied mansion called the Yellow House, on the western side of Plaza Bolívar, originally an infamous royal prison. Wholly revamped and painted lemon yellow (hence its name) after independence, the building was converted into a presidential residence. Today it's the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and can't be visited, but have a good look through the archway and note the well-preserved colonial appearance of its exterior.

El Capitol National: As part of his mad dash toward modernization in the 1870s, Guzmán Blanco commissioned an ambitious, neoclassical seat of congress, the National Capitol, to occupy the entire block just southwest of Plaza Bolívar. The two-building complex was erected on the site of a convent, whose occupants were promptly expelled by the dictator and their convent razed. Today you see two neoclassical style buildings, the Legislative Palace and the Federal Palace, which house Venezuela's National Congress, now called the National Assembly.

Plaza Bolívar: A leafy square considered the nucleus of the old town. It's always alive with huddled groups of caraqueños engaged in conversation and children feeding freshly popped corn to the black squirrels in the trees, while vendors hawk lemonade and cepilladas (shaved ices) on the sidelines, the whole scene shaded by African tulip trees and jacarandas. Golden cherubs gather round the fountains at each corner of the square. Four statues of women, one at each corner of this plaza named for Simon Bolivar, represent the four original republics of the Gran Colombia: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Teatro Municipal: A striking example of General Guzmán Blanco's Euro-influenced architectural ambitions, the Municipal Theater opened its doors in 1881 with the presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore by the Fortunato Corvaia Italian opera company. Its sumptuous, domed interior with three tiers of balconies echoes the grandiose European opera houses of the era. After a period of deterioration, it was reinaugurated in 1998, resuming its role as a showcase for operas and plays, as well as concerts by the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas.

Torre Oeste: Parque Central is not, as you might expect, a green area, but rather a concrete complex of five high-rise residential slabs of somewhat apocalyptic appearance, crowned by two 54-story octagonal towers, the tallest in the country. You can ascend the Torre Oeste to the 49th floor for phenomenal views toward the north and west.

Museum of Contemporary Art: Occupying the eastern end of the Parque Central complex, the Museum of Contemporary Art is by far the best in the country, if not the continent. In a dozen halls on five levels, you'll find big, bold and sometimes shocking works by many prominent Venezuelan artists, including Jesús Soto, famous for his kinetic pieces. You will also find the work of Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, and Kandinsky.

La Estancia: A renovated 220-year-old coffee hacienda, La Estancia houses a fine museum with works by Venezuelan artists and displays on the plantation's history, as well as a graphic arts library. Property of the Simón Bolívar family until 1895, it is now owned by Petróleos de Venezuela Sociedad Anónima (PDVSA), the national oil company. Continuous guided tours of the installations are offered (English docents available), and concerts are staged in the patio on weekends.

Sources: Venezuela Tuya, Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor

Total Breakfast (B); Lunch (L); Dinner (D)
B=0/ L=1/ D= 0