Romantic city of Mérida

The city is located in the center of the Venezuelan Andes, in a wide plain in the valley of the Chama river, between the Sierra Nevada de Mérida to the southeast and the Sierra La Culata to the northwest. The old quarter of the city is on the alluvial plain known as Tatuy.

Mérida has four principal rivers, and various smaller streams in the less urbanized parts of the city—these have a significant water flow only in times of heavy precipitation. The most important river is the Chama, followed by the Albarregas, which cross the plain and divide it into two parts: the Banda Occidental (west bank) and the Banda Oriental (east bank). These two rivers run from one end of the city to the other. The other two principal rivers, the Mucujún and the Milla, flow into the Chama and Albarregas. In the lower part of the city is found the La Rosa lake, one of some 200 lakes in the state of Mérida.

As a city popular with students and tourists, Mérida enjoys a broad network of places open at night for entertainment of a public with varied tastes, composed principally of clubs and bars. There are also various cafés, restaurants, and movie theaters. Furthermore, a number of cultural and popular events constantly take place in these locations. Notable among these events are the concerts of the Symphonic Orchestra of Mérida, as well as concerts of local bands, performing rock and other musical styles. Many of the night-clubs and discos open till 5 AM or so, with a few of them open until the sun rises next morning. A common practice among the thousands of college students is grab breakfast after partying all night long, and then go to bed.