Maracay, Venezuela
The Garden City of Venezuela
What to do in Maracay?
- Museums
- Cuisine
- Beaches
- Tourism
- Leisure and shows
Did you know that Maracay is known as the cradle of Venezuelan aviation? And that Maracay is a benchmark in the plastic arts of Venezuela? Discover these facts and much more in the city’s museums including the Maracay Aeronautical Museum, the Mario Abreu Museum of Contemporary Art and the Maracay Museum of Anthropology and History.
True to Venezuelan cuisine, Maracay is known for using bread, beef, cereals and vegetables in its dishes. We find culinary delights such as arepas, pabellón criollo (beans and rice), sancocho (meat and vegetable stew) and casabe (cassava flatbread). Delicious!
But it’s not just all greenery in Garden City. In the north of the state of Aragua, in the Henri Pittier National Park, you can enjoy beautiful tropical beaches with fine sand and the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, where you can enjoy countless water activities such as diving and snorkeling.
We recommend the beaches of Cepe Choroni, Playa Grande, Playa de Cuyagua, Playa Chuao and the Bay of Cata to make the most of your days of sun and sand on the Aragua coast.
Maracay is a city that invites you to stroll through streets surrounded by nature and with living history around every corner, in places such as the Plaza Bolívar, to get to know its cultural centres, such as the Teatro Opera de Maracay, and to visit the Los Aviadores Park, a green space where you can enjoy nature and aviation. Let yourself be enchanted by the Garden City.
A must-see is Maracay Cathedral, a temple built in the 18th century, which has undergone numerous modifications to arrive at the colonial style we see today.
The Teatro de La Ópera de Maracay is a cultural benchmark not only in Venezuela, but around the world. Built on the model of the Paris Opera House, and with more than 50 years of history under its seats, every day you can enjoy national and international theatrical performances and dance shows that will leave you speechless.
Living nature
Maracay boasts a unique geographical diversity throughout the territory, with steep coasts to the north, the Cordillera de la Costa running through the centre and the plains of Lake Valencia to the south. The city itself is located in a valley, which in turn is formed by four valleys: Guey, Tapatapa, Onoto and Tucupido.
An infinity of animal species, including cunaguaros and birds, have made their home in the Henri Pittier National Park, the oldest national park in Venezuela, with cloud forests and natural paths that lead to a coastal area with beaches and bays. It is the perfect place for ecotourism and hiking enthusiasts.
