Casco Viejo

In Panama City's historic center, hip rooftop bars and stylish restaurants dot lush plazas, historical cathedrals, and grand colonial structures, making it one of the country's primary centers of attraction. Visitors to Panama City are naturally drawn to historic Casco Viejo, which was founded in 1673 by the Spanish two years after the first colony, Panama Viejo, was sacked by Welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan.

The region provides upscale boutique accommodations, casual cafés and fine dining, strewn among ancient churches and renovated houses, as well as a rising trendy nightlife scene, and is home to most of the capital's historical landmarks. The only other notable relics from the conquest era are the ruins of Panama Viejo, the first European city to be constructed on the Pacific coast of the Americas, located 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of the city center. The Iglesia de la Merced, the Plaza de Catedral, and the Palacio Presidencial are among the sights to see in Casco Viejo, which are best explored on foot.

Location: Panama