El Hatillo

A beautifully preserved colonial town in the green south-eastern hills of Caracas, and one of the few places to glimpse what old Venezuela looked like. Around the classic Plaza Bolívar and its whitewashed church, cobbled streets are lined with brightly painted colonial houses — tall shuttered windows, wooden doors, red-tile roofs — now home to artisan shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants. A national heritage site and a lovely, relaxed place for a wander, some crafts shopping and a long lunch away from the city bustle.