Airport
Simon Bolivar International Airport
IATA Code: CCSLocation: The airport is situated 12 miles (19km) north of Caracas.
Time: Local time is GMT ?4.
Contacts: Tel: +58 (0)212 303 1526.
Transfer to the city: A public bus services the city centre every 30 minutes and Corporacion Anfitriones de Venezuela taxis are available outside the baggage reclaim area, tickets for the taxi must be bought at the yellow desk that is available in both arrival halls.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Hertz, Avis and Budget and are available from both the international and domestic terminal.
Facilities: Facilities include banks, ATMs and Bureaux de Change. Restaurants, bars and a variety of shops are also available in both terminals. The duty-free shop is located in the International Departures Terminal. A business centre has fax, email and international phone facilities and postal services are also available. Travel agents and tourist information services can also be found in the terminal buildings.
Parking: There is parking available near both terminals for an hourly rate of VEB 1.40.
Departure tax: There is a government exit tax of Bs 37,632 and an airport tax of Bs 94,080 for all international flights.
Website: www.aeropuerto-maiquetia.com.ve
Visit worldtravels.com for the full guide to Caracas. Build a complete Caracas travel guide and email to your clients - sign up for a trial subscription of World Travels Pro.
Caracas
Caracas, capital of Venezuela, hosts the country's international airport and is therefore the gateway for visitors. This immense metropolis, home to nearly five million people, is situated in the north of the country, between the sea and the foot of the Avila Mountain.
It began as a Spanish colonial settlement, founded by Diego de Losada more than 400 years ago, its growth burgeoning since the 1970s oil boom. Today the sprawling, untidy city throbs with life, the landscape dominated by high-rise office and apartment buildings, threaded through with knots of motorways and junctions, all against the impressive backdrop of the lush, green mountain.
All sorts of races, cultures and creeds throng the streets of the concrete jungle, which contain gourmet restaurants, bustling shopping precincts, museums, concert halls, fine art galleries and the massive Bellas Artes cultural centre. There is plenty to see, from the 19th century neo-Gothic Santa Capilla church, the birthplace of Simon Bolivar, to the palace of Joaquin Crespo, and the Sofia Imber Museum of Contemporary Art (with works by Matisse, Picasso and Chagall as well as Venezuelan artists).
Those who need a break from the relentless urban energy can slip away for a hike on the nearby mountain slopes, or take a day trip to the surprising Bavarian-inspired town of La Colonia Tovar.
