Plaza Colon

Carúpano is a city of 174,000 people (2018) in the State of Sucre (Venezuela). Carúpano is considered the gateway to the Paria Peninsula and its main commercial and financial center.

Understand

Carúpano has some interesting historical standouts. For one, it is said that somewhere in the vicinity of the present city is the only place where Christopher Columbus set foot on the South American continent. Additionally, Carúpano was the (unfortunate) recipient of King Ferdinand VII's wrath when he dispatched a flotilla here in 1815 to quell the outbursts coming from South American colonies (over Spanish rule). Just prior to this, Simon Bolivar had issued an emancipation proclamation in Carúpano for the sprouting new country.

The municipality was also the origin of another rebellion, but this one against Venezuela's own government, in 1962, in an incident known as El Carúpanazo.

In 1997, Carúpano was rocked by the Cariaco earthquake, with a moment magnitude of 6.9. Its epicenter was near Cariaco, and at least 81 people were killed and over 500 were injured.

Get in

Carúpano is the gateway to the Paria Peninsula (the eastern half of the bifurcated peninsula sticking out from the mainland). But, as its airport doesn't have commercial operations, driving is about the only option for transport.

See

• 1 La Casa del Cable, Callejon Sta Rosa, ☏ +58 294 3331662. Pays respect to where one end of the first submarine cable between Europe and America arrived in the late 19th century from Marseille, France. Also here is the Historical Museum of Carupano, with exhibits about its heritage. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Plaza Santa Rosa (next to the historical museum). This is an ornate town square centered in front of the Catedral Santa Rosa de Lima, a Romanesque style church that was built in 1742, and has since been restored. (updated Sep 2020)
• 3 El Boquete. A peninsula on a peninsula, and a great place to watch sunrises and sunsets. (updated Sep 2020)

Do

Playa Uvero. Edo. Sucre

• 1 Playa Copey. An inviting beach, lots of palms and fairly gentle surf. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Playa Los Uveros. (updated Sep 2020)

There are more beaches on the east side of Carupano as well, such as:

• 3 Playa Los Cocos. Just disregard the cemetery behind you if that bothers you. (updated Sep 2020)
• 4 Posada Playa Pui Puy. (updated Sep 2020)
• 5 Playa de Sipara (Cipara). (updated Sep 2020)

Eat

• 1 Tiago Fast Food, ☏ +58 294 3321024. W-Su 11:30-22:00. Here you can enjoy a nice plate of spaghetti and shrimp, lobster, ice cream floats, and all sorts of other yummy things. (updated Sep 2020)

Sleep

• 1 Posada Escollera, ☏ +58 294 3316636. Low-key place along the sleepy beach. (updated Sep 2020)
• 2 Hotel Eurocaribe International, ☏ +58 294 3313911. Hotel tower with pool, wifi, restaurant/bar, rooms with sea views. (updated Sep 2020)

Go next

Try checking out the Paria Peninsula for secluded beaches and as an embarkation point to Trinidad, if that's where your travels take you. If heading back to the mainland you may wish to stop and soak for a while at:

• 1 Las Aguas de Moisés. Springs with natural and artificial pools, waterfalls, fish, caves, mud baths, restaurants, posadas, Moses and Pharaoh statues, etc. (updated Sep 2020)