Is Venus a better place to colonize than Mars?

In some respects, that would also have advantages over the Terra-forming/colonization of Mars.

Venus’ gravity is very similar to Earth’s, in comparison to that of Mars, and the planet is also 30–50% closer to ours. It gets much more sunlight and heat than Mars, as well as having a thick atmosphere from which it is technically possible to extract oxygen.

Compared to Mars, however, it is much hotter, has very large atmospheric pressures and a much slower rotation around its axis.

So if Venus’ greenhouse effect were less pronounced than now, and it rotated faster on its axis, it could almost be considered Earth’s twin and a much more suitable option than Mars.

Indeed, it is on Venus that some of the closest conditions to Earth in the solar system can currently be found. At 50 kilometers from the surface, the atmospheric pressure is equal to Earth’s, the gravity is only slightly less, and the temperature is ‘only’ 70 degrees Celsius.

In these conditions, humans would only need special clothing to protect them from the heat, and breathing devices. A lot of equipment, but still less than a spacesuit. It is also technically possible to establish outposts in this region of the planet, which I also discuss here.