What to see in Venezuela: 10 must-sees
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Discover what to see in Venezuela: 10 must-see destinations, from Angel Falls to Margarita Island. Predominantly city and natural heritage; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
City(3)
Stroll through Caracas in the shadow of El Ávila, the mountain that separates the city from the sea and guides the people of Caracas. Ride the Maripérez Cable Car for views of the valleys from above, visit the National Pantheon where Simón Bolívar rests, and walk the colonial streets of El Hatillo. In Chacao and Las Mercedes you'll find cafés, bookstores, and street markets that reveal everyday life in the Venezuelan capital.
Discover Mérida, the university city nestled in the Chama valley and surrounded by the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Ride the world's longest cable car, which climbs from the city up to Pico Espejo at 4,765 meters, and take in the páramo highlands from its cabins. Browse the main market, where Andean cheeses, trout, and strawberries are sold, and stroll through Bolívar Plaza in front of the cathedral. Its streets blend colonial houses, student cafés, and the tradition of artisanal ice cream.
Admire the half-timbered wooden houses and red-tiled roofs that German settlers, having arrived from the Black Forest, raised in these mountains of Aragua in 1843. Browse the craft market where strawberries, peaches, and homemade jams are sold, try the craft beer and German-style sausages at the inns around Bolívar Plaza, and visit the Church of San Martín de Tours, whose design recalls the rural Bavarian temples surrounded by pines and mist.
Natural Heritage(2)
Hike the trails to the Angel Falls viewpoint in Bolívar state, where water plunges 979 meters from Auyán-tepui in a constant roar you hear before you see it. Arrive by light aircraft from Canaima and fly over the rock wall that feeds the world's tallest waterfall. Walk among moriche palm groves and humid rainforest, spot toucans, macaws, and orchids beside sandstone formations, and boat up the Churún River to the base of the falls during the rainy season, when the flow is at its fullest.
Immerse yourself in Canaima National Park, in Bolívar state, where tepuis rise above the jungle and water cascades down falls like Angel Falls, the tallest on the planet at nearly a thousand meters. Sail a curiara down the Carrao River, walk among the vegetation, and spot toucans, tapirs, and orchids in their habitat. Declared a Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO, this Pemón territory is best explored with local guides who know every trail and every lagoon.
Beach(2)
Explore Margarita Island, Venezuela's largest, in Nueva Esparta state. Wander its fine-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, ideal for swimming and snorkeling among colorful fish. Go windsurfing at Playa El Yaque, famous for its steady winds, or walk the coastal dunes at sunset. Stroll along the shore in the sea breeze, visit fishing villages, and try fresh fish at the oceanfront restaurants. The island's Caribbean lifestyle invites you to stay.
Descend the road through Henri Pittier National Park, among cloud-covered mountains, until you reach this stretch of the Aragua coast. Walk the white sands of Playa Grande, backed by coconut palms and beach shacks serving fried fish with tostones. Swim in its crystal-clear waters, snorkel near the rocks, or take a boat to Cepe and Chuao, nearby bays accessible only by sea. Watch the town's fishermen arrive in their peñero boats at sunset and wander the colonial streets of Choroní, founded in 1616, with its church and colorful houses.
National Park(2)
Explore Los Roques, the Federal Dependencies national park made up of more than 300 cays surrounding a vast turquoise lagoon. Sail among white sandbanks where you'll find only fishermen's guesthouses and seagull feeding grounds, snorkel over coral reefs with green turtles and lobsters, and watch the flamingos and pelicans that nest in the mangroves. From Gran Roque, boats depart for cays such as Francisquí and Crasquí, ideal for swimming among fish and hermit crabs.
Visit Henri Pittier National Park, the oldest in Venezuela, and hike its trails between cloud forest and the beaches of the Aragua coast. Spot some of the more than 500 bird species recorded at the Portachuelo migratory pass, one of the most important bird routes in the Caribbean, and drive down the road that crosses the mountains to bays like Cata and Choroní, all just a few hours from Caracas.
Natural(1)
Take a peek at La Orchila, an island in the Venezuelan Federal Dependencies some 180 kilometers northeast of Caracas, where coral reefs and turquoise waters surround nearly deserted beaches. Walk its trails through xerophytic scrubland, watch sea turtles coming ashore to nest in the sand, and spot seabirds nesting on the cliffs. Access is restricted due to a military presence, so check on permits before planning a boat trip from La Guaira.
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