Ciudad Bolivar
A colonial town at the narrowest point of the Orinoco, with a painted riverside quarter and a stone marking the flood levels.
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Ciudad Bolívar stands where the Orinoco narrows to less than a kilometre, which is why the town was founded here in 1764 as Angostura, the narrows. It gave its name to the bitters invented here in 1824 and it was the base from which the independence campaigns of the 1810s were organised. The old quarter above the river keeps painted colonial houses around the Plaza Bolívar and the cathedral, and the Piedra del Medio in the river carries marks of historic flood levels.
What you actually see
- Plaza Bolivar - the colonial square with the cathedral and painted houses.
- The Paseo Orinoco - the riverside walk above the narrows.
- The Piedra del Medio - the rock in the river used to read flood levels.
- The Angostura connection - the town where the bitters were devised in 1824.
When to go
December to April is the dry season and the most comfortable. The river is highest between July and September. It is hot year round.
Honest expectations
The old quarter is small and parts are run down. Museum opening is unreliable. The town is mainly used as the departure point for flights to Canaima.
Nearby
Castillos de Guayana are east, and Canaima is south.
What to pack for Ciudad Bolivar
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.