Panama City
Besides being a central hub for tours throughout the country, Panama’s capital is a modern city edged by the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean that’s a fascinating destination in itself. One of its most alluring attractions is Casco Viejo, the cobblestoned historic centre with its bougainvillaea-draped plazas with bars and cafes, colonial-era landmarks such as the neoclassical Palacio Presidencial and beautifully restored colonial mansions, cathedrals, and other historic buildings, many of which have been transformed to their original glory. From the Miraflores Locks, one can watch the ships that travel the canal along the vital shipping route that links the Pacific and Atlantic.