Hostels and cheap hotels in Merida

Occupying the valley between the southern and northern sierras is the city of Merida, the capital of Merida State. At an altitude of 1,640m, it is the highest state capital of the country. Mérida was founded in 1558 by an explorer sent from present-day Columbia (then Nueva Granada), and remained under Colombian rule until 1777. It was this city that christened Simon Bolívar El Libertador, and erected the first monument in his honor. Today, Mérida is Venezuela’s most popular destination for backpackers and tourists, and has plenty of hotels and restaurants. It is a lively, cultural place, with a large university and numerous architectural monuments that illustrate the city’s rich colonial past. Merida is also a good base for organizing excursions into the mountains. Hostels in Merida