Port
Fuerte Amador, Panama
Activity Level
Strenuous
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$74.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 3¼ Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Board air-conditioned transportation to explore first by coach with a trip across the isthmus highway, then on foot.
View the ruins of Old Panama City from the motorcoach. This site was founded in 1519 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias de Ávila. It was a stopover point on one of the most important trade routes in the history of the American continent, leading to the fairs of Nombre de Dios and Portobelo, where most of the gold and silver that Spain took from the Americas passed through. Pirate Sir Henry Morgan destroyed the city, setting a devastating fire in 1671. It is still in ruins today and has become known as Panama Viejo, or Old Panama.
Two years later, the new Panama City was built on a peninsula five miles away from the original settlement. The location was chosen based on its utility in protecting its inhabitants from future pirate attacks.
Within the new city, you will find Casco Antiguo. This is the colonial part of the town, and it displays a mix of architectural styles that reflect the country's cultural diversity. Caribbean, Republican, Art Deco, French and Colonial influences are seen here. Most of Panama City's main monuments are in Casco Antiguo. During your walking tour, you will see the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Theatre, among other buildings.
Continue to your final destination, Las Bóvedas -- the sea wall of the Spanish Fort on the point of the peninsula. The site takes its name from the dungeons embedded in the wall, which today house an art gallery and a restaurant. A stroll along the top of the border provides a unique view of Panama City across the bay.
Survey Panama City, from old to new, from your transportation back to the ship.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes.