Caracas is the capital and largest city of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range (Cordillera de la Costa). The valley's temperatures are spring-like. Terrain suitable for building on lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft above sea level. The valley is close to the Caribbean Sea, separated from the coast by a steep 7400 ft high mountain range, Cerro Avila; to the south there are more hills and mountains.
Caracas, has been a city with great cultural aspirations throughout the course of its history. Institutions such as the old Atheneum bear witness to this awareness. The National library holds a great amount of volumes, and affords abundant bibliographic information for the student of the discovery and independence of Venezuela. The museum of Colonial Art has on show an interesting exhibition of Venezuelan art from the periods previous to its independence with fountains, furniture, colonial courtyards etc. Caracas has a rich gastronomical heritage due to the influence of immigrants, leading to a wide choice of regional and international cuisine.