Women-Friendly Travel in Caracas
The Caracas women-friendly travel guide places explicit women-friendly and family confidence signals first, while keeping uncertain details visible for review.
Caracas
Mercado de la Hoyoda
Address: Avenue Fuerzas Armadas, Centro district Phone: 212 576 8147 Timings: open daily 8am to 8pm A sprawling open-air market, the Hoyoda offers, at very reasonable prices, all that you could hope to find in the most glamorous of malls around Caracas – or quite authentic copies, anyway! The market consists of hundreds of kiosks that sell anything from clothes and artificial jewelry to eatables, drinkables, and store-ables. A fine collection of cheap local artwork in the form of vintage paintings, photo frames, and hand-crafted sculptures make for delightful souvenirs. The market is very popular amongst locals and tourists alike, who might as well venture in and out of it as they go around exploring the city. A number of cafés and restaurants dotted along the market’s periphery offer refreshing breaks from shopping sprees. Parking is available on the street, provided you manage to arrive early! Word of caution – be very mindful of your valuables, as pickpockets just lurk around street markets like this one where people inevitably keep bumping into one another.
Caracas
Mercado de la Pulgas
Address: parking lot of the UCV baseball stadium, Parque Central district Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 8am to 8pm A large open-air flea market, specializing in new and used clothes, shoes, handbags, bed sheets, curtains, and other fabrics for use around the house. A domestic, family-like environment, with most customers from the local neighborhoods around town. Head here if you urgently need a pair of cheap clothes or footwear, not for some exciting high-paced shopping action. Or, you could come down here to watch Caraqueños go about the most mundane of chores while you enjoy an arepa or coffee from an adjoining stall.
Caracas
Mercado de Chacao
Address: in front of the Municipal Hall in the Chacao district Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 8am to 8pm
Caracas
Mercado Guacaipuro
Address: Guacaipuro neighborhood, across from the Colegio San Francisco de Sales, Parque Central district Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 8am to 8pm These are both small local flea markets, ideal for picking up everyday groceries, fresh vegetables, and traditional crafts. If you have a bit of idle time on your hands, you might want to just stroll along the series of stalls till you find a visually pleasing handicraft, like a rug, basket, or a wooden Indian mask. The markets also offer great bargains on clothing bought in bulk, which is usually what Caraqueños do at flea markets.
Caracas
Mercado Chino de el Bosque
Address: Avenue Santa Maria, south of El Avila Country Club Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 8am to 8pm Located right next to Chef Chino Restaurant in a predominantly Chinese neighborhood, this small market offers fresh vegetables and spices that are usually bought by the Chinese community and restaurant owners nearby, but are also on sale for anyone else who would be interested in throwing together a Chinese-looking concoction themselves. You can find a lot of new edible stuff, mostly organic, but also baked, fried, and stewed, that you will not find anywhere else around Caracas.
Caracas
Galleria Dimaca
Address: Avenida Andres Bello, Los Palos Grandes Phone: 212 285 1863 Timings: Tuesdays to Saturdays 9am to1230pm, 230pm to 630pm, Sundays 11am to 2pm What started off as a simple photo-frame business has now achieved the status of an artist’s first choice of inexpensive gallery/marketing space. The Galleria Dimaca today displays various forms of art work from aspiring as well as established Venezuelan craftsmen and painters. Venezuelan artwork is especially known for its vibrant colors and its exotic fusion of indigenous and international themes. Paintings, photographs, sculptures in gold and bronze, and wooden items for home décor are the primary highlights you can pick up here. Admission is free, and the pieces are quite reasonably priced.
Caracas
Casa Curuba
Address: Avenida Andres Bello, Los Palos Grandes Phone: 212 283 1857 Timings: Mondays to Fridays 10am to 1pm, 3pm to 7pm, Saturdays 10am to 7pm Vintage furniture? Home décor? Trivial collectibles? All wooden, all hand carved, polished to shine, and smelling of fragrances right out of the rain forest, Casa Curuba offers souvenirs in the form of useless pieces of furniture, masks, figurines, utensils, and just about anything that the creative minds of Venezuelan artists can come up with. A visit is highly recommended.
Caracas
Hannsi
Address: Calle Bolívar 12, El Hatillo district Phone: 212 963 5577 Timings: Mondays to Thursdays 10am to 7pm, Fridays to Sundays 10am to 8pm Splurge on a fine collection of local jewelry, hammocks, ornamental objects engraved out of wood, baskets woven using indigenous thatch patterns, ceramics painted in bright traditional colors, lamps and chandeliers, musical instruments, and a sizeable collection of local cigars.
Caracas
Artesanía Altamira
Address: Avenue Ávila, Altamira district Phone: 212 266 4727 Timings: open daily 8am to 6pm A bit expensive, but sells quality. Traditional Indian masks, figurines, and woven basketwork. Also present are bits of local jewelry, and some beautifully carved pieces of furniture.
Caracas
Kidsmania
Address: Avenue Libertador, Chacao district Phone: 212 263 7574 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 9pm, Sundays 12noon to 8pm Situated inside El Sambil, this store offers everything for children from the ages of 0 to 100! Toys, games that are educational, games that are little more than a sheer waste of time, cartoon characters, coloring books, children’s literature, action figures, and what-not. A fully-stocked inventory on the latest in entertainment for kids.
Caracas
Make Waves
Address: El Sambil Mall, Avenue Libertador, Chacao district Phone: 212 263 7574 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 9pm, Sundays 12noon to 8pm The beach is not that far away from the main city, so you might want to check out on great surfing and paddling gear once you are in town. Make Waves is the perfect place to stock up on equipment and clothing for water sports for all water lovers, from the mere curious amateur to the extreme hardcore daredevil!
Caracas
Tecni-ciencia Libros
Address: Avenida Blandín, La Castellana district Phone: 212 959 5547 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 3am For the book lovers! With outlets at many major malls across Caracas, Tecni-ciencia has become a trusted name amongst students, intellectuals, and general bookworms all around town. With books on almost all technical subjects, as well as a broad variety of English and Spanish fiction, Tecni-ciencia makes for a very different, relaxing kind of shopping experience. You can also pick up maps, travel guides, and coffee table books from this store at quite reasonable prices. Books can even be ordered online after viewing their catalogue.
Caracas
Kakao
Address: Avenue Principal de las Mercedes Phone: 212 993 5583 Timings: Mondays to Sundays 9am to 9pm Located on the second floor of the Paseo shopping mall, Kakao is an excellent choice for local confectionery and baked eatables. Chocolate in all sizes and wrappings, from the usual milky and coconut flavors to exotic varieties of chocolate you never even knew existed. You can select one or two artistically crafted boxes from an assortment of packing types to finally hold your selection of chocolates, and then go about the store filling them with whatever catches your eye!
Caracas
Beco
Address: Centro Comercial Ciudad Tamanaco, Chuao, Chacao district Phone: 212 959 0314 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 9am to 7pm Into sports and fitness? Head to Beco inside the CCCT which contains a huge sports section, complete with exercise equipment, camping gear, a collection of bicycles, a variety of balls, from ping pong to cricket to volleyballs, complete sportswear including swimsuits, jump-suits, and gloves, and all kinds of protective padding.
Caracas
Edificio La Francia
Address: Plaza Bolivar, El Centro Phone: 212 507 8815 Timings: Mondays to Fridays 9am to5pm, Saturdays 9am to 230pm This multistory shopping mall specializes in jewelry and accessories at very reasonable prices. Over a hundred outlets and display centers that offer you authentic designer accessories in gold and silver, as well as beautiful gemstones and masterfully crafted diamonds. You can find anything from necklaces and earrings to bracelets, bangles and rings, to pins and brooches in all shapes and designs for all ages of men and women. The prices are usually very reasonable, and you can still be lucky enough to strike up a bargain! Note that even though the stores deal in thousands of VEF on each transaction, every outlet might not necessarily accept a credit card, so ask before purchasing.
Caracas
Museo Bolivariano
Address: south of Plaza Bolívar Timings: Tuesdays to Fridays 9pm to 430pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 4pm. Admission free A museum dedicated to the legendary independence hero Simon Bolivar. Situated in a renovated colonial style building, the Bolivar Museum contains exhibits with historic documents, formal dresses from Bolivar’s era, a collection of weapons used during the colonial wars, and a number of paintings from the political and personal life of Simon Bolivar.
Caracas
What to do with Children in Tow
Caracas loves children! Apart from the many family-oriented public parks, like the Parque del Este and the Parque Los Caobos, which offer countless hours of fun with the lush landscaping, the serene water bodies, the alluring all-year-round floral displays, and the regularly organized family activities, the city contains two large public zoos that are also a big hit with Caraqueño children.
Caracas
Plaza Bolívar
The main public square in Caracas, dedicated to the man whose relentless struggles bought the nation independence. The plaza is large open space used frequently by the citizens for public gatherings, political processions, open-air festivals and concerts, and as the starting point of numerous annual parades. The plaza contains impressive monuments, including statues of Bolivar, and is surrounded by government buildings and offices, all echoing with colonial architectural accents.
Caracas
La Casa Natal de Simon Bolívar
Address: between Esqs San Jacinto and Traposos Cathedral Phone: +28 212 541 2563 Timings: Tuesdays to Fridays 9am to 4pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 430pm. Admission free of charge This is the birthplace of El Liberator Simón Bolívar, the most highly esteemed national hero in Venezuela. It has been restored as a national museum with the utmost attention to detail. Constructed originally as a colonial style mansion in the 17th century but starting to undergo significant degradation over the years, the house has been completely restored and now functions as a permanent exhibition space that depicts scenes from the life of Bolívar and his family, including classic living room furniture, formal attires, banners and weaponry, and full-wall paintings.
Caracas
Calvario Hill
Address: Paseo El Calvario, Urbanización El Silencio, Caracas Timings: open daily 7am to 10pm Go for stroll though these lush gardens containing an enchanting chapel and a brilliant white stone arch, all of which were built to emulate the city of Paris. The park contains classical elements out of the gardens at Versailles, including delicate metalwork benches, gazebos, statues of eminent personalities, and fountains. Located on a hill overlooking the city, this is the ideal place to spend your last evening in the city as you sit back and take one last, lingering look at Caracas from above.
Caracas
Elliptic Hall
Constructed in 1872, and having serviced many administrative departments since, including the Federal Court, the Legislative Court, and currently acting as the Seat of Congress, the Capitol Building, also known as the Elliptic Hall, is a stunning whitewashed building with golden domes that today contains some of the most important legislative documents and manuscripts of the Republic of Venezuela. Although visitors are not allowed inside, they can observe the building for its traces of rich colonial legacy in the elements and embellishment techniques used. The building is an authentic architectural marvel from the regime of the Spanish monarchy.
Caracas
Casa Amarilla
Address: Centro, western edge of Plaza Bolívar Originally a prison cum sanitarium in the 17th century, Casa Amarilla is also known popularly as the Yellow House because of the shade of lemon yellow given to it after the country’s independence. Casa Amarilla is a treat to the eyes – or whatever you can catch of it today, as it is currently the Foreign Affairs office and visitors are generally not allowed inside. But get a glimpse of it as you pass the Plaza Bolívar, and you will see a very well-preserved example of a colonial manor with many small projecting balconies forming a rhythmic façade.
Caracas
Capilla de Santa Rosa de Lima
Address: west of Concejo Municipal, south of Plaza Bolívar This chapel marks the exact location where Venezuela was declared as an independent sovereign state in 1811 – although it took 10 more years for this goal to be achieved. However, the chapel has been held in high reverence ever since, and has recently been restored with classic décor and furniture from Venezuela’s cultural past. Great photo ops inside!
Caracas
Panteón Nacional
Address: north of Plaza Bolivar Timings: open daily (including holidays) Originally constructed as a majestic church, the National Pantheon was converted in 1874 to act as the last resting place for many of Venezuela’s prominent personalities, based on their outstanding achievements in fields of politics, warfare, social service, and education and science. The central, focal space within the pantheon is reserved for Simon Bolivar’s remains. The ceiling contains murals depicting scenes from Bolivar’s life. The body itself is contained within a sarcophagus of bronze housed within a polished marble niche, and the burial chamber reeks of immortal grandeur. More than a hundred other notable personalities are buried within the Pantheon, all the chambers designed with special attributes and elements that had significant symbolic meaning to the person buried within. Overall, the Pantheon is a genuine example of neo-colonial baroque style architecture, with pale pink paint, overly done columns, intricate arches, and grand cupola-topped towers.