Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar, formerly known as Angostura and St.
Thomas de Guyana, is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolívar State. It lies at the spot where the Orinoco River narrows to about 1 mile (1.6 km) in width, is the site of the first bridge across the river, and is a major riverport for the eastern regions of Venezuela.
Getting to Ciudad Bolívar
Tomás de Heres Airport. From Maiquetia/Caracas there are regular flights with Rutaca Airlines It's a long drive to Ciudad Bolivar but nonetheless the city is well-served by route 16 northeast to Anzoátegui and a fast highway to Puerto Ordaz and Ciudad Guayana. There are buses from several cities including Caracas, Maracay, and Barinas (15 hours). Most buses go through Caracas.
Worth seeing
A fairly decent colonial town center, worth a wander.
- 01Casa San Isidro
This is the house where Simon Bolivar stayed during the Congress of Angostura.
- 02Fortín El Zamuro
A small 18th century fort with good views over the town.
- 03Jesús Soto Modern Art Museum
Avenida Germania, Ciudad Bolivar (Between the old and new town centers),.
Where to eat
'El Fogon de La Madama: - Really nice soups, Guyanese dishes, local favorites, very special homemade hot sauces and salsas for sale and uniquely preserved all natural sundried dessert fruit sweets (sun dried papaya 'lechoza' is a favorite that is unsurpassed anywhere else).
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.