3 Best Sights in Merida and the Andes, Venezuela

With five beautiful lakes and several waterfalls, this section of Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada is the ideal area in which to get to know the páramo. The well-designed and informative displays at the visitor center introduce you to the flora and fauna of the region. Travel on foot or horseback along the clearly marked scenic trails to Pico Mucuñuque, which soar to 13,800 feet. While you're enjoying the mountain air, remember that there isn't much of it. Keep your pace slow and take time to smell the frailejones (daisy-like flowers). Mucubají is 2 km (1 mi) from Apartaderos on the road to Barinas.

The Museo Arqueológico has the region's finest collection of figurines, ceramics, and tools from the pre-Hispanic cultures that once dominated this part of the Andes.

The Museo de Arte Colonial houses a rich collection of religious art from the 16th to 19th centuries and also showcases rotating exhibitions with plenty of local flavor. Though the space is small, it's utterly worth the small entry fee to enjoy the sun-splashed space and to soak up some rays in the open-air courtyard.