Caracas, the capital of Venezuela is a large, vibrant, and energetic city. It has more than 4 million inhabitants. It is the political and economic center of the country. Caracas is located under the Avila, a mountain that reaches 2600 meters (7800 ft.), where the Humboldt Hotel is located, which you can reach by cable car, giving Caracas, one of its main tourist activities.

Caracas is also a cultural center. The museum of modern art, is one of the most important in south America and you can appreciate high quality works. Every year Caracas hosts an international Theater Festival, where groups from all over the world meet.

Caracas is known for the quality of its restaurants as well as its modern and luxurious shopping centers. Among the most popular tourist purchases are gold jewels and shoes, a direct result of the Italian immigration in the fifties and its contribution to the Caracas market.

Caracas, located close to the Coast (La Guaira Port), at an altitude of 800 meters (2400 feet), has a tropical climate. A combination of earthquakes as well as a rush towards modernization that followed in the wake of the oil rush eliminated much of the city's colonial architecture, however, there are still some pockets that reveal the past.

Museums, art galleries and parks are some of the many attractions in Caracas. The museum of modern art, is one of the most notable museums in South America

There are many cultural events that Caracas is well known for; Every year Caracas hosts an international Theater Festival, where groups from all over the world meet.

Another famous Latin event that is known to be celebrated in Caracas is Carnival. Carnival is celebrated the second Tuesday and Wednesday of February. One of the main reasons Carnival is so important in Venezuela is because Carnival is the holiday that comes before Holy Week. By tradition, it is the season just before Lent, celebrated by merrymaking, processions, dancing, and feasting. During Carnival week masked balls, processions of decorated floats through the streets, costume parades, and feasting generally mark the celebration.

For those wanting all the luxuries of a modern city with all the traditions of an old world country, Caracas would be a wonderful place to visit and study Spanish.