Los Teques, Venezuela

Capital City

With a population of 332,725, Los Teques is no sleepy backwater. The capital of Miranda state is firmly part of the greater Caracas metro area, but that means dealing with all the headaches of a major Venezuelan city - bureaucratic tangles, traffic congestion, and a climate that's pleasant but can fluctuate wildly. Alexander von Humboldt himself dismissed it as a "miserable village" back in 1800, and while it has grown substantially since then, the grit and grind of daily life remains. Still, the city does have its advantages, including a metro system that connects it to the wider Caracas network. For those seeking an urban Venezuelan experience without the full intensity of the capital, Los Teques could be worth a look.