I spent a couple of days in Panama City before heading out to the islands and mountaints. Upon my arrival, the first day was devoted to the Panama Canal and surrounding area, and once I returned from exploring Panama and just before heading out of Panama City I had the morning to stroll around the lovely Casco Viejo area – the old quarter. Most of Panama City is rather uninspiring, but this area dating back to 17th century features gorgeous colonial architecture, and has in 1997 being designated a world heritage UNESCO site. And for a good reason. Many of the backpackers and visitors to Panama City stay in the area, and it is definitely very tourist friendly, with lots of restaurants, shops, coffee shop, bars and pubs, to provide sufficient entertainment. From the docks you can have grand views of the impressive Panama City skyline and the ocean. Lots of other small attractions spread throughout the area, of which I visited the interesting canal museum and the Panama history museum, to gain a bit of perspective about what Panama is about. Other than that, I simply spent a few hours strolling around, visiting the markets, walking into cathedrals, and lounging in local eateries.
What’s to see? Let’s take a walk …
Location:
If you’re visiting Panama City, then this is probably as good as it gets when it comes to seeing colonial history, visiting museums and findings great restaurants. Perhaps plan for half a day here.