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Casco Viejo
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is one of the most beautiful areas of Panama. Also known as Casco Antiguo or San Felipe, Casco Viejo was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. It is a different part of Panama City, which is good as a walking tour. Visitors can easily roam around the narrow brick streets, visit old churches, enjoy clicking photographs of the huge wrought iron balconies with bougainvilleas hanging down, sip a coffee from a roadside café, etc.
Tourist can explore Casco Viejo with an experienced guide who will not only be able to give you detailed information about the place but also help you find your way through the confusing streets. There are many areas of interest. One can discover places like Plaza de Francia, Plaza Bolívar, the area around the Palacio de las Garzas, and the Arco Chato, also called the Flat Arch. One should visit these historic monuments and museums on week days as most of the government houses and offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Though Sunday is a good day to walk through the city and visit the churches.
In the heart of the city is the Plaza de la Independencia, where Panama declared its independence from Colombia in 1903. It took more than 100 years to build the beautiful cathedral here, which has well decorated stain glass windows. The importance of the Catedral de Nuestra Seńora de la Asunción in is that the bones of saint, Santa Aurelio are maintained in a reliquary behind a painting of Jesus in the front of the church. There are many museums namely The Museo del Canal Interoceánico, which is dedicated to the history of the Panama canal and the The Museo de la Historia de Panama containing artifacts from the Panama history which can be of high interest to the visitors. Another museum worth a quick visit is Museo de Arte Religioso Colonial, a small museum with religious artifacts from early Spanish times.
A visit to Casco Viejo is incomplete without exploring the Plaza de Francia (French Plaza) which has great historic value and was among the first parts of Casco Viejo to be renovated in 1982. The area housed a fort until the beginning of the 20th century, and the bóvedas (vaults) in the seawall were used as storehouses, barracks, offices, and jails. Now tourists can find the Restaurante Las Bóvedas the most attractive eating place offering French cuisine. Vacationers in Casco Viejo can spend their evenings strolling at Plaza Bolívar. This plaza was named after Simón Bolívar, a legendary figure who is considered the father of Latin America’s independence from Spain. Overlooking the Panama bay is the Palacio de las Garzas (Palace of the Herons) the presidential palace which has restricted entry. is a complete package deal for visitors with its ancient architectural buildings and the freshly renovated buildings with restaurants and nightlife.
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