Casco Viejo is the historic district of Panama City, Panama and is the perfect area to stay if you only have a short amount of time in the area before moving onto somewhere else; such as a Panama Canal cruise like we did.
Where to Stay:
The American Trade Hotel is a boutique luxury hotel in the heart of Casco Viejo making it the perfect hub to exploring Casco Viejo during your stay. With 8 different room types to choose from, there will be something for everybody and rooms start at $271 USD per night.
Amenities Include: Luggage Storage, Gym, Pool, Library, Indoor Patios, Pet Friendly, On-Site Restaurant, Lobby Bar, and Live Music. The concierge also organized private transportation for us from the hotel to the Colon cruise terminal an hour away.
What to Do:
Wear comfortable shows and just explore Casco Viejo by foot. The entirety of Casco Viejo was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 and there is something neat around every corner to be seen.
Hire a professional photographer (I found one I liked on AirBnB Experiences). We have done this twice during an international trip and I highly recommend it. Not only do you get great photos of you and your family, you also get to explore a little bit with a local to get some inside knowledge and recommendations on where to go.
Book a half day tour to monkey island. There are lots of tours to pick from, but we booked one on Viator and had a great experience. They even picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel.
Where to Eat:
Find a street vendor pushing a raspados cart (commonly found in tourist areas or near schools). Raspados are shaved ice treats with condensed milk and a flavoring syrup. A perfect addition to your leisurely stroll during a hot day.
Finca Del Mar – Cajun and Creole. The ambiance is great. Kids are allowed. Food and drinks were delicious. Customer service was top notch. And, it is right by the water.
Super Gourmet – Central American and Latin. This place was recommended to us by our photographer and it was definitely a little hole in the wall place for breakfast and lunch and it wasn’t touristy. We were the only people out of place. The staff were very helpful, even with a language barrier, too. I used my Google Translate to write out that I was sorry my Spanish was not good, but appreciated her time and understanding. She appreciated that. The empanadas here are absolutely delicious and cannot be missed!
Marzola – Argentinian Steakhouse. We had walked by this place originally and Mark shot it down as too gimmicky. But, then our photographer also recommended it so we figured we would give it a try. The ambiance is very eclectic and fun and we thought the food was really good. I think the best thing to do would be to try it yourself.
Honorable Mention – While we were exploring by foot there was a small hut that was selling drinks inside whole coconuts. I didn’t stop and grab one at the moment, but we did go back once we had time and they were closed… They looked amazing! So, I am going to link them here – Maisa – and you can give them a visit.
Wanderland Jess 