Latin American City Breaks

Capital cities in Latin America offer visitors both historical and international atmosphere. Two of these cities are Caracas, Venezuela and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, is a stunning city with Mt. Avila standing between the city and the Caribbean Sea.

Caracas' climate is tropical in nature with little difference in temperatures between summer and winter. As the city is located in a valley above sea level, the climate is ideal. The temperature ranges from mid 60 F to low 80s F. The rainy season is from May through November.

Caracas is a sophisticated city famous for its cuisine. The restaurants and bars are influenced by many nations because of the immigrants who came to Venezuela after World War II. Caracas has retails centres and department stores, particularly in the malls. The popular districts are the San Ignacio Mall, Las Mercedes, and La Castellana.

Caracas has many attractions, ample for several days of sightseeing. It may be worth checking out some of the great deals and offers from american express india before you visit, as they could help you access memorable rewards and benefits.

La Plaza Bolivar, in the city centre has statues of Simon Bolivar and government buildings of colonial architecture. La Casa Natal de Simon Bolivar, the birthplace of Bolivar, is in the downtown area. Close by is the Museo Bolivariano which houses Bolivar's war artefacts. Parque del Este and Jardin Botanico are both gardens with displays of tropical plants.

The Avila Mountain, north of Caracas, is a popular spot for walking and the views of Caracas. The cable car, the Teleferico, transports visitors to the top of the mountain where visitors can view both Caracas and the Caribbean sea.

Caracas is accessible through the Simon Bolivar Airport at Maiquetia. Travellers can reach Caracas, approximately 25 km from the airport, by highway through the mountains. Many international airlines fly non-stop from many cities from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America.

San Jose, Costa Rica, is another capital with a cosmopolitan ambience. It is on a highland in the Central valley and is encircled by verdant scene of mountains. The city is the centre of a large part of the population and home to culture, hotels, markets, and museums.

The drive from San Jose's airport, the SJO, is approximately 20 minutes from the centre of town. Buses and shuttles run from the airport into the city centre.

As in many Latin American cities, which have a colonial history, many of the sites are historical. Among these are the Museo Oro Precolombino or Gold Museum, and Museo del Jade or Jade Museum. Museums that are more contemporary are Museo del Ninos- the children's museum and Museo de arte y diseno contemporaneous.

Visitors will find many attractions outside of San Jose, Included in these are coffee farms, butterfly farms, touring volcanoes such as Poas or Irazu, or rafting on the Rios Tropicales.

The cities of Caracas and San Jose are choice places to visit. They each have ideal climates, historical sites, and a mix of natural wonders and sophisticated shopping and dining.