La Colonia Tovar is a small town in Venezuela's Aragua state. It is unique for its remarkable German heritage and beautiful mountainside setting. The majority of its residents are descendants of Germans and have a Northern European appearance. The town and surrounding mountainous countryside have a superficial resemblance to Southern Germany.

History and Culture
Being founded in 1843 by German settlers, the city remained isolated from the rest of the country for decades, a factor that permitted the inhabitants to keep their culture and traditions.

Around and closeby
The approach to La Colonia Tovar from La Victoria is much more scenic than the road from Caracas and El Junquito. Paragliding is practised on the hills around here.

Sightseeing
The church here is worth a visit, an odd looking, black and white, L-shaped building. It has two naves so that men and women are separated.

Getting there
A bus from Caracas to El Junquito takes about an hour or more depending on traffic, winding along a congested road that passes through some of Caracas' less pleasant suburbs. In El Junquito you will have to change buses to go to La Colonia Tovar, which takes about another hour passing through generally unremarkable countryside.

Getting around
Most of La Colonia Tovar is reachable on foot. Parking is limited, so it's advisable to park on arrival and then wander the streets freely. Some restaurants and hotels, however, are on the edge of the town and you may prefer to drive to these, especially in the cold of evening.