Caracas Travel Guide

When it comes to culture, art and recreation, Caracas is the place to be. Always full of life and with new things to discover each day, visitors to this Caribbean capital will never be bored.

Art

Owing to the city's cosmopolitan character, the Caracas art scene is fascinating and worthwhile. Every day you can find some sort of cultural activity and, particularly at the weekend, Caracas' talented artists show off their creativity, to the many Caraqueños and travelers who are out and about. There are always a number of cultural centers with something on. Some of the places where you can get a good idea of what Venezuelan art has to offer are Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño; the Galería de Arte Nacional (GAN); Ateneo de Caracas, and Museo de Arte Colonial Quinta Anauco.

Museums

The museums of Caracas are distinguished by their beauty and magnificence, not only in architecture, but also the art exhibited inside. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas Sofía Imber (Maccsi), in Parque Central (El), is one example of such excellence. Another is the Fundación Museo de Bellas Artes, and there is the Children's Museum, which not only children, but also parents can enjoy. Remember, there is also the Museo de Ciencias Naturales, the Museo Audiovisual, the Museo del Teclado (El) and the Museo Bolivariano. All together, Caracas has a total of around 50 art galleries and museums, and whatever your field of interest, you will find something to your liking.

Theater

When it comes to theaters there also is a great variety to choose from. One of the most famous theater groups is Sala Rajatablas, which stages its plays at the Ateneo de Caracas (El). Other theaters well worth a visit are the Teatro Nacional, the Fundación Celarg, Teatro Municipal (El), the Teatro Tilingo and the Teatro Palacios. At the end of April the Festival Internacional de Teatro is held. It takes place every two years and offers theater from around the world.

Music

The best places to enjoy classical, Latin, jazz and Venezuelan music are the Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño, the Centro de Cultura Corp Banca and the Aula Magna Concert Hall Performances. Every month each presents a recital from symphonic orchestras and guests from abroad.

Nightclubs

The best nightclubs are to the east of the city. Flanagan's Pub, in the Paseo Las Mercedes, is the place to go for salsa, meringue and pop. Primer Piso in Las Mercedes offers live salsa shows on "Latin Thursdays" and on Friday and Saturday, meringue, African rhythms and techno. However, this is not the only place where you will find salsa and meringue because it is played at most of the discos and nightclubs, such as Latinos.

Cinema

Caracas has more than 40 cinemas. The most recommended are, of course, in the east of the city. For lovers of the alternative circuit there are a good number of art cinemas, for example, at the Ateneo de Caracas (El) and the Galería de Arte Nacional (GAN).2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 104