The twin steeples of the Basilica glow in the light of the setting sun.
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We’ve explored old towns all over the world and Casco Viejo, the historic old town of Panama City, quickly became a favorite. From colonial architecture to local culture and so much fascinating history, it’s packed with personality in a compact, easy-to-explore area.

We spent a whole week staying right in the heart of Casco Viejo. What a delight to simply wander through the cobblestone streets and alleys – it felt like we were staying in a small European village!

Almost every tour in Panama City will include a stop in Casco Viejo. But we think it’s worth way more time than a couple of hours. Come along and explore this delightful UNESCO World Heritage Site with us through photos.

Google Map image of the town of Casco Viejo or San Felipe as it is also known.
The old town is also called San Felipe or Casco Antiguo on some of the signs and maps.
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Churches & Historic Sites of Casco Viejo

We took a fantastic free walking tour and learned so much about the history, and the vital role that Panama plays in connecting North and South America. If you get Giovani as your guide, you are in for a treat!

With it’s long history, the old town is full of historic churches, both elegant and crumbling, and other sites worth visiting. Here are a few that I captured photos of.

Two bright white steeples bracket a brown stone building, known as Basílica de la Catedral Metropolitana Santa Maria, or the Basilica of Santa Maria.
Basílica de la Catedral Metropolitana Santa Maria
A pale yellow church with white trim and brown wooden doors glows in the light of the setting sun.
San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church
A historic abandoned church made of stone and brick has no roof and no windows.
La Iglesia Compañía de Jesús
The Convent of Santo Domingo is also an ancient stone structure without a roof or windows.
Convento de Santo Domingo
The Church of Mercy is illuminated at night, showcasing it's two white bell towers on either side of the brown church entrance.
Iglesia de la Merced
The pink and white and gray Museum of Panamanian History has two white pillars on either side of the entrance.
Museum of Panamanian History

Quaint European Influence of Casco Viejo

Walking the streets and alleyways of Casco Viejo felt very much like wandering through a small European Village, complete with cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks. I love the beautiful and intricate wrought iron railings on the balconies, the white and pastel colored buildings, and the flowers that were blooming everywhere.

Note that the quaint area is only about 8 blocks long and 12 blocks wide. Outside that area, you see where the Panamanian people live and that’s a whole lot grittier.

Three story white building with black wrought iron railings, arched doorways and potted flowers give a distinctly European feel to Casco Viejo Panama
Red Cobblestone streets are lined with European style buildings - some with square doorways, some with arched doorways. All with wrought iron railings on the balconies.
Pastel yellow, blue and pink buildings line the cobblestoned streets of Casco Viejo.
This upscale hotel features arched doorways and windows, and beautifully intricate wrought iron balcony railings.
Blue, yellow and bright orange buildings with white accents line the cobblestone streets
Here the wrought iron balcony railings are painted maroon instead of black. A potted green fern plant hangs from each balcony.
THis grand white building is taller than the surrounding buildings and features a mix of white stone railings and black wrought iron railings.
A blue and black bicycle is decorated with colorful flowers and a green wire basket.

Views from Our Airbnb in the Heart of Casco Viejo

Even from the balcony of our Airbnb, we had beautiful views of historic church remnants and European Influences.

Views of an ancient stone and brick church building that no longer has windows or a roof. As seen from our Airbnb balcony.
The French Bistro restaurant and hotel as seen from our Airbnb balcony
Views of a green building with stores on the street level and homes on the second and third levels.
Our condo in Casco Viejo had wooden floors, a couch on the left, kitchen counters and a television on the right, with the doors to the balcony straight ahead.
Our condo for the week!

Skylines & Sunsets at Casco Viejo

Located on the water, Casco Viejo offered numerous opportunities to view both the skyline of the city and the sunsets. Being out at sunset gave the whole city a beautiful warm glow. From French Square, you can also see the skyline of the more modern Panama City in the distance.

The white buildings of Casco Viejo as seen from French Point. Note that the tide is low, leaving the bay floor exposed.
Casco Viejo Skyline from French Square
The Skyline of the old town featuring lots of white buildings with lots of windows. The blue water of the bay is in the foreground.
The Casco Viejo skyline from across the bay
The twin steeples of the Basilica glow in the light of the setting sun.
Casco Viejo Skyline from a rooftop bar
The skyline of Panama City offers hundreds of modern skyscrapers with tons of glass windows.
Panama City Skyline
The sky glows yellow and orange as the sun sets over the water of the bay.
Sunset over the Bay

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Diablico Sucio – The Dance of the Dirty Devil

We happened to be in Panama in early March, on the days leading up to Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, the start of Lenten season for Christians.

We noticed all these characters, dressed in red and black with masks, roaming the streets. Some were solo, some were in pairs and some were in small groups.

A bold black and red character in a costume that appears to be sparking evil flames. This is the Diablico Sucio - the dirty devil, walking the streets of Casco Viejo.
Two red and black costumed characters face each other on the street in Casco Viejo, appearing to share menacing looks.

I asked our Airbnb host what they signified and she said: “They are the Diablico Sucio. The dance of the dirty devil is considered one of the oldest traditions or representations in the celebration of Corpus.”

She said the sightings would increase until Fat Tuesday and then be over on Ash Wednesday.

I googled it further and learned: “The Diablico Sucio is a traditional Panamanian mask and dance that is celebrated during the Feast of Corpus Christi.” You can read more about the tradition and the history here.

A statue figure of red and black stands on the sidewalk in Casco Viejo, demonstrating the concept of Diablico Sucio, otherwise known as the Devil.

Other interesting sites in Casco Viejo

A few other interesting observations we saw in and around the old town:

Many foreign cities have a street with balloons or umbrellas suspended overhead. Casco Viejo has a “Hat Street”, paying homage to the popular Panama Hat style. There were tons of hat stores – at least one per block. A good quality Panama Hat could set you back $65-75 USD.

Tourists walk along the cobblestone street, admiring the hundreds of hats suspended on wires above their heads. This is Casco Viejo's version of Hat Street.
A closer up photo of the hats hanging suspended from wires in an area called "Hat Street" in Casco Viejo

A bride in a glittery white and gold ball gown stands in a park doing a photo shoot while her assistant arranges her enormous train on her dress

In a park near French Square, we observed this bride doing a photo shoot. It was in the middle of the afternoon and there was no groom in sight. We have observed lots of solo brides doing photo shoots in places around the world. I’m not sure what’s behind that custom?

At one of the many Catholic churches we visited in Casco Viejo, this one had a tribute built to Saint Eduvigis, the patron saint for the homeless and down-trodden. Members of the community bring small milk-carton houses and leave them near her space at the church, hoping that her prayers will get them a home to live in.

A statue of a blue-draped Saint Eduvigis stands in an alcove of a church interior.
Saint Eduvigis
An assortment of colorful houses made of out of cardboard and wood are piled on a shelf beneath the shrine to Saint Eduvigis.
Small houses left below the statue of Saint Eduvigis

If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you know I love photographing birds. Along the waterfront near French Square, we found several birds wading in the water or resting on the rocks.

A long-necked heron walks through the water, hunting for fish. His pink legs, the bright blue top of his bill and the white plume on the back of his head indicate that he is in breeding plumage
Tri-colored Heron – in full breeding plumage!
Two Whimbrel birds perch on the rocks with their long-curved pink bills.
Whimbrel
The dark Neotropic Cormorant sits perched on the rocks with his yellow bill that has a definite hook on the end of it.
Neotropic Cormorant
The chunky gray, white and black birds huddle near each other on the rocks. They are called the Semipalmated Plover.
Semipalmated Plover

Conclusion: Is Casco Viejo Worth Visiting?

Absolutely! Whether you decide to stay there, or just visit, for sure put Casco Viejo on your Panama Itinerary for at least a day or two.

We had so much fun wandering and exploring the historic old town. We took our time and just enjoyed a slower pace of exploration, down the streets and alleyways. And it was easy to add on some day trips to nearby places like the Panama Canal, Panama City and Metropolitan Park.

Casco Viejo FAQs

Do I need a car in Casco Viejo?

You absolutely do NOT need a rental car in this area. It’s a super walkable city – we spent tons of time walking through the neighborhoods to reach restaurants and shops. And frankly, there are very few places to park in the heart of the city except for a few pay-by-the-hour lots.

When we went to the Panama Canal and the Metropolitan Natural Park, we took an Uber. And there are tons of taxis hanging out in the public squares in Casco Viejo.

The larger Panama City metropolitan area is known for it’s extensive and inexpensive public transit system of trains, buses and the Metro. We did not get a chance to experience it, but you could certainly get to other parts of the city without needing a car. Use the Rome2Rio app to figure out your transit options.

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How many days should I spend in Casco Viejo?

Honestly, most people who visit Panama City spend just a half day in the old town. Almost every single guided tour of Panama City is made up of a half-day at the Panama Canal and a half-day walking tour of Casco Viejo.

We chose to stay there for a whole week because we prefer quaint over modern glass and concrete that the skyscrapers of modern Panama City have to offer. If you are in the area of Panama City for a few days, I definitely recommend either staying in Casco Viejo, or if you stay in the big city, then plan to spend a whole day in the Old Town – part walking tour, part wandering around on your own.

Is it safe in Casco Viejo?

During the day, we felt very safe walking around in the old town of Casco Viejo. We didn’t give much thought to wandering down alleys or various streets, as long as we stayed in the quaint old town area where all the people were. But when we got to the outskirts of it, it did feel “edgier” and there were far less street lights.

We also felt mostly safe in the evenings, but were a little more cautious and wary, paying more attention to the people we were passing or those coming from the other direction.

A blond armed military officer stands on a street corner, watching over the area.

There is a very strong police and military presence in the city. On many corners of the old town, there are law enforcement officers, quietly standing watch.

My sense was they were there mostly to be a deterrent to anyone with a criminal intent. I tried to smile at some of them when we walked past, but most maintained a pretty stoic face.

Of course, common sense is always required – don’t flash large amounts of money, don’t set your phone down, don’t hang your purse on the back of a chair or leave your backpack unattended, etc. Be smart and be safe!

What else is there to do in the Panama City Area?

First up is the Panama Canal – you simply must go check it out while you’re in the area! At the Miraflores Visitor Center, they have a huge viewing area where you can sit and watch the ships passing through the locks, and they have an excellent and informative 45 minute IMAX movie, narrated by Morgan Freeman.

An enormous gray ship approaches the Panama Canal, being pulled by small tractors who roll along the shoreline of the canal.

Plan to spend 2-3 hours there. Every guided tour of Panama City includes a visit to the Canal, or you can Uber/taxi there on your own (which is what we did).

A lump of grayish brown hair hangs from a tree. It is a two-toed sloth.

If you’re seeking birds, wildlife or hiking, close by is Metropolitan Natural Park or Ancon Hill. We spent several hours hiking and bird-watching one morning at the Metropolitan Park. We even found a sloth there! And some of our traveling friends said they saw tons of toucans and parrots at Ancon Hill.


Our walking tour guide recommended visiting the BioMuseo, a very colorful and oddly shaped Smithsonian-affiliated museum designed by Frank Gehry, famous American architect. It covers the history of Panama as a country, the biodiversity of the ecosystems and the people of Panama. Note it’s limited hours, found on the website.

The Amador Causeway connects Panama City to three nearby islands in the Pacific. It offers hiking, biking and dining with views of the water. Closer to the city, Avenida Balboa offers exceptional dining and shopping with views of the Pacific Ocean.

More Info on Panama

Here are some more posts about Panama, including some that I’m still working on. If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.

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