Casco Viejo, Panama City

Casco Viejo, the old quarter of Panama City, is a UNESCO gem of atmospheric charm, the historic heart rebuilt after the original city was sacked by pirates. Its narrow streets are lined with a beautiful, colourful jumble of restored Spanish colonial and French colonial buildings, leafy plazas, baroque churches and rooftop bars, blending faded grandeur with a lively, gentrified scene of cafes, boutiques and nightlife, all set on a peninsula gazing across the bay to the gleaming towers of the modern city.

History

The first Panama City, founded on 15 August 1519, lasted 152 years, until in January 1671 its governor, Juan Pérez de Guzmán, had it set on fire ahead of the attack and looting by the privateer Henry Morgan. In 1672 Antonio Fernández de Córdoba began a new city, founded on 21 January 1673 on a peninsula cut off by the sea and a system of walls, and it keeps the first institutions and buildings of modern Panama City. Three great fires in the 18th century damaged it and changed its plan, and its present form dates largely from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mixing neoclassical and Afro-Antillean buildings with the colonial ruins, which sets it apart from the almost wholly colonial old towns of Cartagena or Quito (Wikipedia, Casco Viejo, Panama).

What you'll find

• The colonial streets - the colourful restored old buildings and plazas.
• Plaza de la Independencia - the central square and cathedral.
• The rooftop bars - the terraces with skyline views.
• The skyline contrast - the old town against the modern towers across the bay.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the best weather; the old town is atmospheric in the cooler evenings, when its bars and restaurants come alive. The contrast of the historic quarter and the modern skyline is a highlight, especially at sunset.

Practical notes

Its gentrification has made it lively and attractive but also touristy and pricey in parts, while some edges of the district and the neighbouring areas still call for caution, so take advice on where to wander, especially at night. It is hot and humid. Its restored colonial charm, rooftop views and dining, though, make it the most enjoyable part of Panama City.

Nearby

The Panama Canal, the Amador Causeway and the modern city are close.

Key facts