In our continuing quest to find all the tourist things to do in Panamà City, we decided to head to what is arguably the most popular place to visit in the City (after the Canal, of course), Casco Viejo.

After Panama Viejo was destroyed, Casco Viejo (or Casco Antiguo, as it’s sometimes called) was built a few years later. Many of the buildings are standing today, and the whole neighbourhood is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a very walkable area of town – indeed, even though there is vehicular traffic allowed through most of it, I would still recommend you plan on traversing the area on foot. It’s filled with trendy boutiques, hotels, and restaurants, all of which are filled to the brim with atmosphere since, well, you’re in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site! You can feel the history just being in the area. The President lives here, and the National Theater is also located in the area.

The one downside to this is that for restaurants and hotels in Casco Viejo, the pricing is definitely American level. And pricy American level, at that. It’s a popular place for Airbnbs and there are many ex-pats who live there (though, again, pricy).

We’re lucky that we live a $5 Uber ride away, so it’s pretty accessible no matter where you live in the City. I suspect we’ll be going back somewhat frequently. The whole area is a photographer’s dream.

This is a good example of a block you’ll see in Casco Viejo – one building completed restored and finished, and the one two doors down…..not so much. Renovations are quite expensive in this area, as there are many regulations for the materials and construction techniques used.

Still, there are opportunities available to buy, if you’re so inclined. I didn’t check, but I’m pretty sure we can’t afford it.

Wonderful pictures can be had just about everywhere you look.

It’s not just me who loves the photography here – it’s no uncommon to see formal photoshoots happening – or sometimes, two at once!

At the end of one of the streets there’s a very nice view of the city. You’ll notice there are many locks on there – each one has a couple’s name written on it. I wasn’t aware this was thing in Casco Viejo, but based on the number of locks, apparently it is.

Of course, a enterprising local vendor (literally a few steps away) is happy to fill the need for those couples who want to add to the collection.

It was a hot day, so we ducked into one of our favourite places to cool down and a snack – La Pulperia. We had been to the San Francisco location, but never the original. It did not disappoint!

I tried to get a picture of the inside, but there were too many people in the way! It’s a tiny place but has just as much charm as so many other places in Casco Viejo. One plus to La Pulperia is that it’s one of the more reasonably priced places in Casco Viejo.

We spent hours in Casco Viejo, and even though it’s a small area, we still didn’t see everything. One day we’ll have to go back and take an official walking tour. For example, there’s a street that’s famous for having hats hanging over the street, and we didn’t find it! So until we do, this image will have to do.