City guide
48 hours in Ciudad Bolívar
· 6 min read
A weekend well spent: the historic quarter on day one, the river and kinetic art on day two.
Two days are enough to get to know Ciudad Bolívar properly. This is how we suggest splitting them to guests who stay a weekend.
Day 1 — The historic quarter
Early morning. Start with the Historic Quadrangle: the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, the Governors' House, the Royal Intendancy House and the Congress of Angostura House, where Bolívar opened the Congress on 15 February 1819. Go early; by midday the sun is fierce.
Mid-morning. Walk to the House of Twelve Windows and the Ciudad Bolívar Museum, set in the house where the *Correo del Orinoco* was printed.
Afternoon. Climb to El Zamuro Fort or the Angostura Lookout for a view over the city and the river.
Evening. A quiet dinner. If you would rather not go back out, order room service.
Day 2 — The river and the art
Morning. The Paseo Orinoco, the city's historic riverfront, facing La Piedra del Medio — the islet Humboldt named the *Orinocometer*, because the water level against the rock marks the river's rise. Here the Orinoco narrows to around 800 metres, which is why the city was called Angostura for eighty years.
Mid-morning. The Jesús Soto Museum of Modern Art, opened in 1973 and the first museum in the world devoted to kinetic art. Designed by Carlos Raúl Villanueva, it carries the name of the Ciudad Bolívar–born artist Jesús Rafael Soto.
Afternoon. The Angostura Bridge, the first bridge built across the Orinoco, running almost 1,700 metres. Or give the afternoon to the Botanical Garden or the Casa Museo de San Isidro, where Bolívar wrote his Address to the Congress of Angostura.
If you have a spare day
Ciudad Bolívar is the gateway to Canaima National Park and Angel Falls, with tourist flights from Tomás de Heres Airport in the centre of the city. It takes a full day and should be booked in advance.
When to come
Temperatures stay between 23 °C and 37 °C all year. Light clothing, sunscreen and water. If your visit coincides with the Feria del Orinoco, held since 1971, you will find the city at its best.
Opening hours for museums and historic sites change. Ask at the front desk before setting out.
