panama canal cruises casco antiguo panama city, panama
The historic district of Casco Antiguo is Panama City's most popular tourist destination and would be my first choice if visiting the city.
With its picturesque buildings, upscale bars & restaurants, expansive balconies, churches, ruins, boutiques, souvenir stores, and museums, there is plenty to see and do in such a small place. Street vendors, primarily of indigenous descent, congregate on street corners where they sell paintings, molas, handbags, headbands, etc.
Casco Antiguo – a view of the Metropolitan Cathedral from Independence Square, renovated just before Pope Francis visited Panama in 2019 to Celebrate World Youth Day.
For quite some time, Casco Antiguo has been experiencing a renewal. Many government and old, Spanish-style architectural buildings, like this one, have been restored and have beautifully maintained exteriors. The same is true of private residences and commercial buildings. The restoration process is ongoing, so expect to see some construction during your visit, e.g., scaffolding, etc.
The streets are lined with red brick and laid out like any other city — in a grid. They are narrow, but you should find walking around fun and easy. Some of the streets, I must admit, do not look overly inviting, but don't let that scare you because the area is extremely safe. The district has a resident police department, and they do an admirable job of maintaining a proper order.
Buses are not permitted to enter the historic district, so your visit will consist entirely of a walking tour. Bordering Casco Antiguo is a small, picturesque park called Plaza Centenario, and it is here where your excursion will begin. The tour bus will drop you off at the park's entrance, which resides along the main entrance road, and from there, it's a short walk.
After exiting the bus, you'll have to climb a single flight of stairs to enter the park. You'll then proceed along a scenic tree-lined brick pathway often lined with indigenous people selling molas, hats, and other handmade crafts, though I doubt your guides will allow you to shop. At the far end of the pathway is a second flight of stairs, which you'll also need to climb. And once you reach the top, it's just a matter of crossing the street. From the curb to the entrance of Casco, it should take at most a few minutes.
Casco Antiguo – Looking at Casco from the bus stop, you'll need to walk through this arched walkway. If you look to the left, you see yellow and blue buildings, which form the perimeter of Casco Antiguo.
Casco Antiguo – A close-up view of the same yellow and blue buildings on Casco's periphery.
Casco Antiguo – A view of the same path — looking back towards the bus stop — from the top of the second flight of stairs that borders Casco.
Casco Antiguo is known for its beautiful balconies, so keep an eye out for them. They are ubiquitous and come in different styles, sizes, and colors, some adorned with tropical plants and decorative railings.
And while not as commonplace as balconies, some of the doors, even those old and decaying, can be intriguing and worth photographing. Most reside on street level, but a few on the second and third floors also make for interesting subjects.
Upon entering Casco Antiguo, your guided tour will likely proceed along Casco's primary entrance route, which begins at Herrera Park and passes Saint Joseph's Church (Golden Altar) and Society of Jesus Ruins (Compañia de Jesús). I say likely because it's impossible to say what route your guide will take because itineraries vary from ship to ship. In addition, some excursions visit the Panama Canal Museum, and others do not. It depends on the length and particulars of your itinerary and tour operator. I recommend you consult with your cruise line to obtain a detailed description of all that your excursion includes.
Irrespective of the route you follow, among the many meaningful structures in Casco, you are most likely to see the following during your tour:
Adjacent to Independence Square and across from Metropolitan Cathedral, the Panama Canal Museum resides in a three-story building dating back to 1874 that once served as the headquarters for the French and US companies engaged in the canal's construction. Despite its age, the building has been meticulously preserved, inside and out.
The museum is limited to the building's second and third floors, offering visitors an outstanding exhibit of Panama's historic role in acting as an inter-oceanic route from pre-historic times to the realization of the Panama Canal, and the presentation is top-notch. It focuses on everything relating to the railroad and canal, leaving no stone unturned, apart from the recent expansion effort between 2007-2016.
If your time permits, I recommend visiting the Panama Canal Museum. It contains a wealth of information you won't find anywhere else.
Staff with whom I spoke said some tours include a visit and others do not. You will need to consult with your cruise line.
Casco Antiguo – A view of the Panama Canal Museum from in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
After passing the reception desk, you'll enter into a quaint atrium. Positioned in the center and on the floor is a large lens/lamp, once part of a lighthouse on Isla Grande, designed by Gustave Eiffel and built in 1893. To the back and on the right is a staircase leading to the museum's entrance on the second floor. Upon reaching the top, turn left, and off to the right, enter through the sliding door.
It begins with a brief introduction to Panama's pre-Colombian era (you'll find more in-depth coverage of this period at the Panama Viejo Museum), followed by a peek into how the Isthmus of Panama arose from the seabed, united two continents and divided an ocean, and changed the world's biodiversity forever. (I recommend visiting the Biodiversity Museum on the Amador Causeway for a closer examination of the isthmuses' formation, its early inhabitants, and the vast array of animal life that once existed and endured.)
Among the many topics covered in detail, here are just a few:
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Throughout the museum, you'll encounter an array of physical artifacts, meticulously maintained and most often housed behind glass cabinets. They include, but are not limited to:
Most exhibits display descriptive text in Spanish and English, and a select few are interactive. In a few instances, the English version is abridged but concise and more than adequate. There are a few instances, most often relating to newspaper and magazine publications and articles, when English descriptions are absent. They are, however, the exception.
In summary, the Panama Canal is one of the world's most important architectural accomplishments, and the museum does a fabulous job detailing every aspect of its development. I can not recommend it enough; it is well worth a visit.
Casco Antiguo is, without question, the best place to find a variety of reasonably priced souvenirs.
Most stores sell the same products, though a few specialize in select items (I have a large map depicting all the souvenir stores on the Shopping page). Generally speaking, the larger the store, the greater the variety. In addition to the stores, indigenous people sell handicrafts on the streets.
If it's a Panama Hat you're after, this is the place! You'll also find an assortment of t-shirts, bags, keychains, magnets, hammocks, coffee cups, drinking glasses, paintings, assorted clothing, etc. Local indigenous crafts include colorful Molas and headbands hand-sewn by indigenous women of Guna Yala ethnicity, intricately woven plates and bowls by Embera Indians, wristbands, earrings, ponchos, and hammocks from Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala. It's all here!
But anytime you visit a place like Casco Antiguo, with so many attractions, souvenir stores, and eateries, the guides are under tremendous pressure to keep everyone together; there are so many places one could get lost. If everyone were left to wander, they could leave someone — or several people — behind. So, despite the sheer number of stores, you need to prepare for the possibility that you will not be permitted to enter them. It depends on the specifics of your tour. In addition, cruise lines may have pre-arranged agreements/associations with select stores. Shopping is big business, and stores in Casco don't pay commissions, providing little incentive for them to encourage people to shop there.
For your walking tour of Casco Antiguo, I recommend a wide-angle zoom (15-60mm) and a telephoto (70-200mm). The streets are relatively narrow, and several historical sites, like the Ruins of Arco Chato and Compañia de Jesús, reside on tight corners. For those, a 15-20mm lens is necessary. Otherwise, you will fail to capture it all. For picturesque public parks, buildings, and most other monuments, a 25-60mm lens should suffice. A telephoto lens will come in handy when photographing balconies. They come in different shapes and sizes, with many adorned with tropical plants and decorative railings. So make sure to look up because there are plenty worth photographing. And don't forget about the doors! Perhaps not as commonplace as balconies, some doors are beautiful. Even those that are old and decaying can be interesting and worth photographing.
Camera support is not necessary.