Things to see and do Central Coast

The large beach itself is not the most exciting one. On the other hand, small nice restaurants will prepare a good grilled fish. Moreover, a very nice 4 km walk (irregular and folkloric bus for lazy, but self-stop works well) through lush vegetation leads you into the village. We advise you to walk walk to the village: 40 minutes in the middle of the cacaotiers and the banana trees. A day excursion is very recommended.

You can visit the factory (old and modern parts) of the famous rum and even taste it at the exit of the barrel. Completely renovated, located in an old hacienda founded in 1896. We even have a video projection.

Having said that, the visit is also under the age of 12. Guignol, ice cream, clown, little train and orchestra to programme. The Santa Teresa initiative was welcomed to nine at the small railway station Consejo in 1996. It is the only station remaining from the Gran Ferrocaril de Venezuela Caracas-Valencia (176 km in 16 hours!), inaugurated on 1 February 1894. Crossing 86 tunnels and 212 bridges, this train transported 194 232 people during its first year of operation… Show audiovisual "La Ron del Ron", translated!

A walk to Yapascua is required. After a good walk of 2 hours (preferably in the morning due to heat), you will meet a virgin beach embracing a dream lagoon.

Avoid weekends: it is rather unpleasant to stand up and rush to embark. However, in week the island belongs to you. For diving, the site is interesting with a few sunken épaves of corals to explore. They are not very deep and even lovers of snorkeling can enjoy it (see below for more details).

There are plenty of good beaches, including Huequito, Rincón del Pirata, Bahia de Patanemo and Quizandal. Beware, avoid the beaches of the west, renowned for their insecurity. They belong to San Esteban National Park.

It recalls the memory of the 10 American officers executed by royalist during the failure of the Miranda landing on 21 July 1806. As can be seen, the American flag included only 16 stars…

The monument, with New Moorish style, hosts the body of this dictator, an admirer so convinced of Libertador that he died, like him, on 17 December, but a century and some later.

He rests with his family. Man distinguished himself by his despotism and power without sharing, imprisoning and methodically torturing all opponents. Some see him as one of the bloodiest Dictators in Latin America. The arc of triumph is quite grandiose, probably because he ordered himself the construction of the book dedicated to his own person in 1919, almost sixteen years before his death.

Located east of Chuao, you can also reach Cepe from Puerto Maya. Probably the most beautiful beach, but also the most expensive to go to Lancha from Puerto Colombia.

A small desert beach with a lagoon formed by a coral wall. The water is calmer and you can swim there peacefully, especially when you are alone.

Good for children. There is a small bamboo veranda to soak up the sun, but take your sunscreen. The boats departing from Puerto Colombia ask about 300 Bs. F, to several things!

From Puerto Colombia to Maracay, take the first road to the right after a bridge towards Hacienda El Portete (15 or 20 minutes from Puerto Colombia); extend it and continue to the graveyard, then take the (picturesque) trail on the left. Follow for half an hour (mounted, then descent on the creek). Don't forget to take supplies because the beach is deserted. If you continue on the road that runs along the coast for about 1 hour, you arrive at AROA beach, even more quiet than the previous one, where the river of the same name flows.

Investi's staff have been in place for some time with a tourist route in the park of Las Cocuizas to spread the flora and show the petroglyphs after a walk accessible to all 45 minutes. For a special permit request or any kind of information, visit the regional direction of Inparques.

The largest Arenas in Latin America, after Mexico City, host fabulous bullfighting (for lovers of course!), in March and November in particular. It dates from about 1930.

Aratur also has a yacht to tour the Caribbean: day out on the beaches of Henri Pittier National Park, La. It is also possible to schedule trips with them, for example to the Roques. Prices are quite competitive. Example: visit of Mochima and Margarita from 2 300 Bs. F per person every three days understood; for the combination Los Roques-Margarita, count from 5 400 Bs. F.

This beautiful house owes its name to one of its owners (in 1839), Colonel Celis. In June 1821, the house improvised in hospital to treat the wounded in the battlefield of Carabobo. Today, it is one of the most representative museums of the colonial era. There is also a small collection of religious art as well as rooms dedicated to local artists: painter Antonio Herrera Toro and sculptor Andrés Pérez Mujica.

During the visit of the Bolívar family, the guide outlines a history of the Libertador family. Simón de Bolívar Ibarque (1532-1612) was born in Bolívar (the Basque word designating the mill of the mill) in the province of Vizcaya. He came to the service of the King in 1557 in Santo Domingo, where he married Doña Ana Hernández de Castro. In 1559, his son Simón said El Pozo. In 1589, Philippe II appointed him as Attorney General in Venezuela, where he was assigned close to 65 000 m ² of land. His first house was more south of the property. So we owe the current hacienda to Simón El Pozo; originally it had a straw roof.

In 1702, Lieutenant-General Don Juan de Bolívar y Villegas built the first refinery on its land, which - in the passage - reduces the manual work of the Indians. In 1750, the mill works through the water of Aragua and the Bolívar family employs more than 120 people.

In 1786, on the death of Colonel Don Juan Vicente Bolívar y Ponte, Libertador's father, copper mines, the hacienda and houses in Caracas returned to his older brother. Upon his death at sea, off the coast of Bermuda, Simón will administer the hacienda and other family property. Some historians say that the Libertador was born in the family hacienda. His birth extract indicates that he was born in Caracas, but no one knows whether it was the city or state of Caracas which was then part of San Matéo.

Simón spends much of his youth in this cocoa and cane hacienda, with his tutor. He then goes to Caracas. He will return only to his wedding in August 1802 with Maria Teresa Rodriguez of Toro.

The love story will not last long, since his fresh wife dies 8 months later from yellow fever.

Property is confiscated during the war (as of 1814). Finally, in 1827, Bolívar ordered rehabilitation of the roof burned during the explosion… (see «Museum of Military History»). It will shortly be bought by the Gumersindo family and then by Gómez in 1924, which will make it a museum.

That said, if the story is interesting, the visit should not give you an indelible memory. Two museums are now in the hacienda:

The smallest park in Venezuela (43 ha only) bears the name of the famous geographer Augustín Codazzi and houses samanes trees as well as specimens of the vegetation of the valley. We can go on a picnic.

It is the mausoleum of the first Venezuelan saint. The nuns were beatified by John Paul II in 1995. Dead on 2 April 1967, his home house is in the village of Choroni. One can offer a moment of contemplation in front of his body, which, like that of Sainte Thérèse at Lisieux, remained intact.

Located in a well-preserved area, the museum has a blue balcony in 1790. It traces the history of the city and offers a wide panorama of pre-Columbian crafts. Also, colonial weapons and even a room dedicated to Bolívar (who commanded the port in 1812). At present, the Puerto Cabello Artists'association takes part in the House Lifting.

The beach is large and, when the weather is bad, the waves are quite aggressive. On the edge of the river coming to embrace the sea, fishermen sell the loot of the day in the afternoon.

A photogenic beach of half a kilometre bordered by coconut trees with beautiful waves (dangerous yet, as the local rescuers will not fail to notice if you're bodysurfez with too much enthusiasm). The mountains in the background carry you to Réunion. So much to say that the beach is very high, perhaps even too much, if you refer to the waste left on the beach. Just next door, several seafood restaurants compete fiercely, but are well organised: order several Polar, and you will be given a cooler. Many abound, but watch your business. Information: during the holy week, it is overcrowded (and it is a euphemism!). The local authorities set up a beautiful walk with a breakthrough and a few light lights to enlighten the site at night. The restaurants just opposite must rub their hands; all they have to do is improve their kitchen and clean the furnaces… The freshness of the food is questionable.

Overlooking the hacienda, the strategically located house allows to monitor the Maracay valley.

It was here that the Spanish established their headquarters in the war of Independence. On March 18, 1814, Captain Antonio Ricaute (statufié at the entrance, under Gómez, in 1911) will enter the powder reserve to detonate her. The officer will perish - and a thousand royalist soldiers - and will go to posterity for his act of bravery.

In the reconstituted house, the small museum of military history exhibits original pieces (time weapons, uniforms, letters, furniture). The gunners will note the presence of cannons, recovered from a boat in Puerto Cabello.