Caracas, Capital city in northern Venezuela
Caracas extends across a valley floor at 920 meters (3018 feet) elevation with mountains forming a natural border and the Guaire River cutting through built-up zones. Office towers and residential blocks of varying heights spread outward while informal housing covers steep slopes reaching toward the peaks.
Spanish captain Diego de Losada established the settlement on July 25, 1567 after defeating local communities and claiming the valley. The town became the capital of Venezuela Province during the 18th century before serving as the base for Simón Bolívar's campaign against Spanish rule.
Families gather at Bellas Artes Park alongside street vendors and musicians who perform local rhythms like joropo and salsa as the evening progresses. In Los Palos Grandes, vendors press fresh sugarcane juice and fry empanadas while locals sit on plastic chairs outside shops watching the neighborhood come alive.
The Metro connects different districts through underground lines with Metrobus routes extending to outer neighborhoods. Use the system for longer trips across town and expect heavy traffic on streets during morning and late afternoon.
Coffee farms still operate on the slopes of El Ávila National Park, preserving a tradition that began centuries ago within city boundaries. The mountain acts as a natural climate wall separating the valley from the warmer coastal strip just a short distance to the north.
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