Panama City has a number of places to visit and have an unforgettable experience. However, there are three must-see places when a Visitor does not have much time to visit: The Panama Canal, the Amador Causeway and Casco Antiguo. The latter can be said to be the second most visited place in the country after the Canal. It is a work of art in full renovation where you can enjoy museums, historical places, hotels of all ranges, haute cuisine restaurants, night bars, and sale of handicrafts.
The pandemic alienated many Visitors, both local and foreign, but with the opening of all sectors of the economy and the elimination of the curfew, it is important to resume its importance as a tourist place.
Historical Center
Casco Antiguo preserves the narrowness of its brick streets and its colonial buildings, which lead to its four plazas: La Independencia, Herrera, Francia and Bolivar. All this mixed with the daily life of its inhabitants, which give this sector a unique personality, like no other Historic Quarter in Latin America.
Cultural Renaissance
One of the most valuable architectural infrastructures of the Republican heritage is the National Theater, known as the house of Panamanian culture that was reopened in 2019, after several years of restoration. The civil and sceno-technical works achieved the pictorial restoration within this impressive building, as well as the integral management of the property under a sustainability concept.
Religious Tourism
Although this type of tourism has not yet been directly promoted, it can be said that empirically it is carried out by many Visitors, both local and foreign. And it is that this sector has the largest concentration of Catholic churches in Panama. Whether you are a believer or not, they are interesting places to visit since are witnesses of much of the colonial history. Several churches have been restored for some time already including the Cathedral of Panama, which was blessed by Father Francisco during WYD 2018. Likewise, the church of San Francisco, San Jose, Nuestra Señora de la Merced and San Felipe Neri are important places to know in depth the history of Panama.
Museums Circuit
At Casco Antiguo is where the largest number of museums in the whole country are located. It is an excellent way to learn about the history of Panama and deepen the cultural side of the Capital City. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of museums with different themes.
Mola Museum (MUMO): Conceived as a space to appreciate the molas as cultural works of art, which transcend their utilitarian function, as part of the traditional dress of Guna women, and become pieces of contemplation, reflection and admiration.
Interoceanic Canal Museum: The building, built in 1874, has eleven exhibition rooms that have an audio guide system, which tells the story of one of the greatest engineering feats of all time.
Museum of History: Exhibits documents and pieces from the colonial, departmental and republican period.
Museo de Antaño (Old Times Museum): Here you have the opportunity to interact with the culture and entertainment of the Latin American history of the 30s.
Colonial Religious Art Museum: Presents a variety of pieces almost all made by the hands of talented artisans from Ecuador, Peru and Spain, who made use of their skills with gold and wood materials.
Looking to the Future
At Casco Antiguo there are always many things happening. Before the pandemic, Casco received more than one million visitors annually (estimated figures). The greatest strength of this sector is that tourists return to see the places that before had no opportunity and discover the new spaces that it continues to create for the public and as a legacy of its impressive history. For this sector, returning to its previous level will take little time.
