A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Caracas

Life in Caracas

Caracas is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. The city is a melting pot of many cultures, including Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Italian, among others, and has around five and a half million inhabitants, many of them descended from other cultures.

Culture and Leisure

Caracas is the cultural center of Venezuela, with lots of restaurants, bars, cafes, theaters, museums, galleries and shopping malls. The large expatriate community has led to a melting pot of cultures which can be seen not only through the wide array of cuisines, but also through art and architecture in the city. Caracas also has a passion for sports, with association football and baseball both popular. Expatriates living in Caracas can be spectators for the Tiburones de la Guaira or Leones del Caracas baseball teams at the Central University of Venezuela Stadium, or visit the Olympic or Brigido Iriarte Stadiums to watch association football matches featuring any of the city’s five teams.

Education in Caracas

There are a number of universities in Caracas, meaning there is typically work for academic expats living in Caracas. Among these institutions is the Central University of Venezuela, which was founded in 1721 and made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The Simon Bolivar University is also well known as the University for Excellence, and offers courses in sciences and technology. Expatriates moving to Caracas with children will find a number of international schools to choose from, including the British School of Caracas, which uses the English National Curriculum; the Colegio Internacional de Caracas, which offers education from pre-nursery to high school; and the International Christian School, which is part of the Network of International Christian Schools.

Transportation in Caracas

Expatriates living and working in Caracas will find it easy to navigate the city using the metro system. Operating since the early 1980s, the Caracas Metro has four lines, over 45 stations and is still being constructed. In addition to the metro, there is a metrobus system on which metro tickets can be used. Most of the population moves around the city by bus, and there is a traditional bus system consisting of large, medium-sized and minibuses which operates, as well as metrobus. There is a plan to reduce traffic within the city, which prevents cars with certain number plates entering the city center at specific times. The Instituto de Ferrocariles del Estado (IFE), or State Railways Institution, has its headquarters in Caracas and there are train services to and from the Tuy Valley cities of Charallave and Cua, enabling expats working in Caracas to live outside and commute. The Los Teques Metro also enables residents in Los Teques to connect to the Caracas metro.