Tourist Attractions & Monuments Panama

The ruins of the first city founded on the Pacific illustrate an eventful history, which ended tragically with its destruction in 1671 by the corsair Henry Morgan.

Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Panamá was founded on August 15, 1519 by Pedrarías Dávila, less than six years after the discovery of the South Sea by Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Its name comes either from the numerous trees named after it (which are still found in the site), or from the indigenous term meaning "abundance of fish" or "butterflies". The site, with its swamps, mangroves and lack of drinking water, was not the best place to settle or to protect the city. Nevertheless, the settlers of Santa María la Antigua de Darién left their Atlantic town to settle on this coast, soon to be renamed Pacific, in order to make it the starting port to find the route to the Orient and its spice islands. After a few years, Francisco Pizzaro discovered the riches of the Inca Empire and Panamá became a transit city for gold, silver, pearls and precious stones bound for Nombre de Dios (then Portobelo at the end of the 16th century) via the Camino Real (then the Camino de Cruces), to then cross the seas to Spain.

The city became a commercial, ecclesiastical and political center of first order in the colonial system. After an earthquake in 1621 and a serious fire in 1644, the worst was to come. The population was about 8,000 when Morgan, leading 1,200 men, attacked Panamá on January 28, 1671. They took the city by surprise after destroying the fort of San Lorenzo, going up the Río Chagres and then taking the Camino de Cruces. The poorly organized defense hardly resisted, but the powder magazine was blown up to prevent looting. Only the suburbs and the convents of La Merced and San José were spared. Morgan stayed for a month before leaving the city, which had been set on fire, taking with him the treasures and prisoners he could.

The survivors suffered famine and epidemics for two years, before the new city was built 8 km away. What was left of the buildings was taken away stone by stone to "Panamá La Nueva". Fortunately, Panamá La Vieja, overtaken by the modern city in the 1950s, was preserved and declared a historical monument by the Panamanian government in 1976 and included in the Unesco World Heritage List in 2003.

Information about excursions, contact with guides or bike rental.

From the 1950s onwards, many Emberá and Wounaan families from Darién and Colombia fled the conflict zones to settle in communities on the banks of the Chagres. The creation of the national park in 1985 protected the increasingly threatened flora and fauna, but also transformed the lives of the Amerindians living along the river. Emberá and Wounaan have had to abandon their traditional livelihoods, based on fishing, hunting and slash-and-burn farming, to comply with the park's environmental constraints, which prohibit or severely restrict these activities.

In order to continue living in their villages and not be forced to migrate to the outskirts of Panamá, communities organized themselves in the late 1990s to receive tourists. Today, the communities of Parará Purú, Emberá Purú and Emberá Drúa, among others, make their living almost exclusively from welcoming tourists. On the program: transfer by pirogue, welcome dance, botanical trails, swimming, traditional meal and handicraft sales... You're sure to fall for it, so take plenty of cash in small denominations.

But don't expect to be the only tourists. Virtually all agencies offer this "tour" by the day, and some tourists also go on their own after booking online. It's always possible to extend the experience by staying overnight (something groups rarely do). You'll then have plenty of time to exchange ideas and discover the culture of this endearing people. Accommodation is usually in a traditional, open-sided hut on stilts. Access is via a staircase carved out of a tree trunk. Mattresses and mosquito nets are provided.

If these communities are accustomed to receiving tourists, always ask permission before taking photos, and behave respectfully. Most Indians no longer live half-naked in their daily lives, but if they show you their traditional way of life, it's because they're honoring you in this way. It's the best way of preserving a culture that would otherwise probably be forgotten. Last but not least, you'll see that they take great pleasure in these occasions, and know how to share it!

In 2018, the Metropolitan Cathedral underwent major restoration work, the results of which are greatly appreciated by visitors and faithful alike. In January 2019, the cathedral hosted the World Youth Day celebrations, during which Pope Francis consecrated the cathedral's renovated altar. It is one of the largest religious buildings in Central America (63 by 33 meters). The very first stone was laid in 1688, but the cathedral was completely destroyed by fire in 1737 while still unfinished. Work resumed ten years later, and was completed in 1762 (the cathedral was consecrated in 1796). The facade, framed by two elegant neoclassical towers, is made of ashlar brought in from Panamá La Vieja, with a color palette ranging from ochre to black-grey, with dark green accents. The bell towers are inlaid with mother-of-pearl shells that glisten in the sunlight, enabling ships to spot the city from the open sea. It is said that a royal ring was cast into the mold of one of the bells, giving it a very special sound... To the right, an underground passageway, now closed, linked the cathedral to the ocean and to several churches and convents. Inside, you can admire the original wooden ceiling, beautiful stained-glass windows and the neoclassical semi-circular altar.

The former colonial Place d'Armes was redeveloped in 1922 as a tribute to the unsuccessful French attempt to break through the isthmus. At the far end of the square, facing the sea, stands an obelisk atop which a proud Gallic cockerel looks out towards the canal and France! Its base is surrounded by busts of figures who played a major role in "el esfuerzo francés " ("the French effort", as the Panamanians refer to the French canal project): Ferdinand de Lesseps and engineers Armand Reclus, Lucien Napoléon Bonaparte-Wyse, Léon Boyer and Panamanian Pedro Sosa (when Panama still belonged to Colombia). Behind them, in a semi-circular gallery with arcades, is the story of the canal told by Octavio Méndez Pereira. A plaque also pays tribute to Cuban physician Carlos Juan Finlay, who identified the mosquito responsible for transmitting yellow fever and advocated mosquito population control as an effective way of combating the disease. Just before the staircase is the place where Victoriano Lorenzo, the indigenous hero of the Thousand Days War, was shot in 1903, and the French Embassy, which has the privilege of being housed in a handsome early ^20th-century house. Next door, the ^18th-century Las Bóvedas ("the vaults") were once used as prison cells. Sculptures depict old trades, one of them María Ossa de Amador, who made the first Panamanian flag.

The visitor center offers a bird's-eye view of the Miraflores locks, through which ships of all kinds transit, from sailing boats to gigantic container ships. If you go in the middle of the afternoon, you'll be sure to catch a glimpse from the terrace of the large ships that left in the morning from the Atlantic entrance, with the first transits through the locks starting at around 1.40pm. To avoid disappointment, you should know that if you go in the morning, you'll have no chance of seeing a ship, as they only pass through until 6:30! The Miraflores set of locks is the only one to offer a fully-fledged museographic space, with four rooms providing a better understanding of the technological innovations that made the canal possible; the role of the watershed; the operation of the waterway (documentaries, topographical model; dramatizations) and the place of the inter-oceanic shortcut in international maritime trade. Finally, an IMAX film with 3D glasses tells the story of the canal and its recent expansion. Actor Morgan Freeman was on hand to recount the epic story! A visit that complements that of the Interoceanic Canal Museum in Panama City's Casco Viejo.

To get there by public transport, the easiest way is to take a bus from the Albrook terminal along route C810, leaving you opposite the entrance to the visitors' center.

This long jetty of 6 km, which joins the islands of Naos, Perico and Flamenco to the mainland at the entrance of the canal, was built with the earth and rocks excavated from the Gaillard channel (1.25 billion cubic meters). The pier is intended to protect the entrance of the channel from sediments displaced by the currents. Originally, it also had a defensive function in case of an attack on the canal (Isla Flamenco hosted an American military base).

Long before the construction of the pier, during the colonial period, Perico Island welcomed ships from South America in its deep water port. Men, goods, gold and silver were unloaded and taken to the city in small boats. Today, it is the cruise ships that stop here.

The Causeway has been a tourist and leisure destination for Panamanian families since its retrocession to Panama in the late 1990s. There are many restaurants and shopping malls, more popular on the Brisas de Amador side than on the Flamenco marina where the local jet set meets. Panamanians love to walk around and have a drink while admiring the Bridge of the Americas, the canal or the lights of the city. It's very crowded on weekends but quieter during the week. The Biodiversity Museum by architect Franck Gehry marks the entrance to the Causeway, but also the long bicycle path that welcomes runners, rollerbladers and bicycles, which can be rented on site.

This church still retains its original Baroque façade, built in 1680 from stones salvaged from the former Panamá La Vieja church of the same name. Two massive towers crowned by a dome surround it. Declared a historic monument in 1956, the church has undergone various phases of renovation and now houses a museum with a wealth of religious objects and historical artefacts. The well at the entrance dates back 200 years and bears witness to the ancient underground water reserves that once supplied the town.

The decision, in 1984, to convert this area into a national park, not only allowed a brake on the deforestation process that ravaged it, but also finally culminated in the concession of property titles for the 85 producers who worked on the flanks of Cerro Hoya. It is by walking in this park that we really assess the extent of ecological disaster with a landscape that has become almost apocalyptic in some places; a striking contrast with the lush tropical vegetation now preserved.

Cerro Hoya Park is located on horseback on the provinces of Veraguas and Los Santos. Its area is 32 557 ha (3 814 at sea). It is from Playa Cambutal and Cobachón that its access is the least complicated. Unfortunately, as always when it comes to finding an isolated and difficult site for access, the maritime crossing that leads to it is likely to cost you a lot of money and not to be completely compliant with safety standards. There is also no infrastructure in the park that can receive tourists.

The only way to explore this park safely is to contact ANAM staff at Las Tablas or Tonosí.

From September to November-December, you will have the chance to observe sea turtles, and between July and October-November, whales come to reproduce... Dolphins are also present all year round! Playa El Toro, 3 km east of Pedasi, is accessible by foot (30-40 minutes) or by cab. Say hello to Arturo Cabeza, known as "El Mentao" or "El Chaman" if he is still around. This local figure cleans and tries to preserve the beach to avoid the same fate as La Garita, next door, where a large complex with villas has been built. La Garita offers a nice walk all the same while going away towards the south, one can see turtles there in season.

El Bajadero is a little further north. For La Arenal, from where you can take a boat to Isla Iguana, take the road that passes in front of the tourist office (CEFATI) for 3 km. There is also a small beach restaurant. Surfing and kite surfing are practiced there.

This beach, located between Red Frog and Playa Larga, is also very little frequented although it is accessible on foot and by sea in good weather. It is named after Polo, who decided more than 40 years ago to escape from civilization and settle here. Today, he is considered both a marginal and a living legend, and he contributes to the welcoming of this remote beach. He cooks very well and sells beers but it is not possible to sleep there anymore. Ask about the security conditions if you go there on foot.

Built between 1671 and 1677, the church of San José is famous for its altarpiece covered with gold leaf (Altar de Oro). Legend has it that it was saved from the sacking of Panamá La Vieja by the famous pirate Henry Morgan, thanks to the ingenuity of the monks who hid it by covering it with a mixture of lead carbonate or ceruse... In reality, specialists say that it dates from the 18th century and that the gilding work was completed in 1915. Its baroque details make it one of the most beautiful religious works of the colonial period.

The square was created after the fire of 1756. In its center, several statues pay homage to Simón Bolívar, hero of the independence of the American colonies. They were erected on the occasion of the centennial of the Pan-American Congress of 1826, organized by El Libertador in an attempt to form a confederation of peoples freed from Spain and thus consolidate independence. The square is quiet and offers beautiful views of the facade of the old brick-colored Colombia Hotel built in 1937, the neoclassical church and some houses dating from 1880.

A company whose fleet travels all over the world, a practical formula to visit the main attractions of the capital. A red double-decker bus, inspired by the famous London buses, with an audio guide in 3 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese). You can get on and off at any station you want (" Hop On - Hop Off "). The tourist route has 11 stations: Balboa Plaza, Parque Urracá, Mi Pueblito, Albrook Mall, Miraflores (locks), Biomuseo, Punta Culebra, Isla Flamenco, Sabores del Chorrillo, Casco Antiguo and Multicentro.

The equestrian statue of General Tomás Herrera, the valiant leader of a separatist movement that lasted several months in 1840, is the work of French sculptor Auguste Denis. Created after the fire of 1781, the plaza hosted numerous bullfights until 1928. To the west, the Mano de Tigre (Tiger 's Hand) is the main remnant of the imposing wall that protected the city until 1856. One remembers the Casa Boyacá, "Casa Barco", a picturesque wooden house shaped like a boat keel that housed 40 families and burned down in 2018.

Built in 1874-1875 by an Alsatian hotelier by the name of Georges Loew, the "Grand Hotel" was bought by the Universal Inter-Oceanic Canal Company in 1881, to become the headquarters of its administration. The United States acquired it in 1904 when it bought out the shares of the new canal company. In 1910, it was ceded to the Panamanian government, which converted it into a central post office. Restored in 1997, it now houses the Canal Museum. This elegant three-story building is a fine example of the French style with its mansards, balconies and arcades. It houses the most beautiful museum in the capital, both for its cultural content and its architecture. The history of the Isthmus is traced from pre-Columbian times to the present day. The emphasis is on the geostrategic importance of this land where goods from all over the world passed through, even before the construction of the canal. One can easily spend a good two hours to appreciate the maps, illustrations and films that explain the past and present stakes of the inter-oceanic route, the past relations between the United States and Panama, or the room devoted to the history of the building itself. There is also a space that shows the daily life of the workers, from no less than 97 different countries, who dug and shaped the canal with great dedication. This museum does not duplicate the Miraflores Locks Museum, they are complementary.

Panama is one of the few capitals of the continent to have a real tropical forest in its heart. One goes there as much for the fauna as for the impressive sight on the city. This protected park of 232 ha is the green lung of Panama. It is the first part of a biological corridor between the south and the north of the isthmus, which guarantees the animals the possibility to pass from the forests of the Pacific to those of the Atlantic. The forest of the Metropolitan Natural Park continues through the national parks Camino de Cruces, Soberanía and the protected area of Fort San Lorenzo.

The park has two entrances 700 m apart. At the visitor center, the main entrance, you will find a description of the walks to be done, a small bookstore specialized on the fauna and flora of the country and some amenities. From here the trails Los Momótides (900 m, 45 minutes), Los Caobos (900 m, 1 hour) and El Roble (700 m, 30 minutes) start. The other entrance is at the guard's hut, from where La Cienaguita (1.1 km, 1 hour) and Mono Tití (1.1 km, 1 hour) start. All the trails are marked and connected to each other. The main loop takes less than 2 hours to complete. There are 227 species of birds, 46 of which are migratory and are present here during the North American winter. From the viewpoint at 135 meters above sea level, the view extends over the canal, the forests as far as the eye can see, the Cerro Ancón and the plantations of skyscrapers. Sloths and mono-titles are watching you from the canopy! To see them too, visit the park early in the morning!

A place of conservation and education to discover the fabulous world of snakes. Of the 154 species found in Panama, only about 15 can be dangerous. The snakes are presented in vivariums, but there are also turtles, iguanas or caimans rescued from animal traffickers. They are cared for before being released if possible. Information in Spanish or English by Mario, the founder of the center, a fascinating biologist.

The hilly path, often wet and slippery, crosses thick vegetation through the hills. After the long walk, you will be rewarded for your efforts by a generous and wild nature! Nonis, palms and coconut trees and other trees line this beautiful beach but with dangerous currents. Be careful, for security reasons, it is advised to take this road in group, without valuable stuff and without returning too late. Without being too alarming, it is best to inquire about the situation at the police station (tel. 757 5797).