Plaza Santa Ana is the place in the historic part of Panama City you will definitely want to visit. Originally, back in the 19th century, it was called Arrabal and was located outside the walls of the city which was alternatively used for hosting bullfights or markets. Later, in the 1890s, the place was redesigned into a park. A lot of greenery with plenty of benches, surrounding this plaza, make it a very attractive spot. Adding to its appeal is the present here beautiful church of Santa Ana.

Plaza Santa Ana is a buzzing commercial place, extremely lively and busy with frequent onlookers, shoppers, and line of stores. The surroundings of Plaza Santa Ana is unlike any other place of Casco Viejo. The park is always busy with people who come either to relax or to play or meet up with friends. Basically, they visit this amazing place to have a good time. Here, you will will find many hotels providing accommodation and a whole lot of eateries offering an array of food. In every corner one would find all types of shops catering to all needs, be it fruits, mobile phones, grains, toys or even medicines. Also in this area, at the side of the park, is the restaurant called Café Coca Cola. This is a very famous joint amongst the locals and tourists, mainly for its breakfast. Come here to unwind and enjoy the experience!

One of the most magnificent places to visit in Panama City is the Iglesia San Jose, located at Avenida A, near Plaza Herrera, Casco Viejo. The main attraction of this church is the seventeenth century Baroque style Golden Altar, Altar de Oro. The altar was originally located in a temple by the similar name, San Jose. After the pirates had burned down the Old Panama city, the altar was relocated to the new place and entirely renovated in 1915. Carved in mahogany, the altar is covered in golden leaf.

There is an interesting story behind the altar which says that when Henry Morgan, the infamous pirate, attacked Panama Viejo, the priest of the church concealed the golden altar by coloring it black. This was done in order to save this valuable object from being looted by the pirate gang. It also seems that the priest had told Henry Morgan that the altar had been stolen by another pirate and even managed to convince Henry to give a handsome donation to replace the supposedly stolen golden artifact.

When you go to the city of Casco Viejo, you must visit the Church of Iglesia San Jose, to admire the magnificent golden altar.

Museo del Canal Interoceanico de Panama is considered to be the best museum in Panama City, housed in a beautiful antique edifice. Long ago, this building accommodated the Gran Hotel and then the headquarters of French Canal. For every visitor to the city this is the place obligatory to stop at. The museum narrates the entire story of Panama isthmus from the times pre-Columbian to the arrival of the Spanish, followed by that of the French and then the Americans, with the highlights of canal construction efforts, until the present. Here, you can get a complete knowledge of isthmus as a world trade center.

The museum displays information presented in both English and Spanish. You also have the choice of guides who can give you bilingual tours. Interesting information and items, such as historic documents, multimedia and interactive exhibits, mock-household exhibits featuring day-to-day life throughout the canal history, as well as a complete floor of century-old stamps and coins including the prominent Nicaraguan stamp illustrating the erupting volcano which was delivered to the U.S. senators in order to prevent them from opting to construct the canal in that country, are on display. If you are a history lover, this place is a definite must visit for you and for those curious about the Panama Canal history.

Plaza Mayor, also known as Cathedral Plaza because Catedral Metropolitana Casco Antiguo is located in it, is Panama City’s most important plaza. The plaza also houses administrative buildings, shops and restaurants.

If you are keen on visiting an awesomely beautiful palace, you should definitely think of the Palacio de las Garzas in Panama City. This official presidential residence was originally constructed by the Spanish in the 17th century and is a spectacular example of Spanish colonial architecture. Initially and for a fair amount of time, this pristine white building, decorated in true Moorish style, was used as a customs house.

You can see the spacious inner courtyard along with the airy lobby designed in a way to emulate Andalusian style. Ornately decorated fountains adorn the courtyard. However, it is not the white color or the décor that earn the building its sobriquet, but the white African herons that are found strolling freely in the palace. The herons were brought here after the completion of the final renovations that were carried out under the then president, Belisario Porras. Rumors have it that during the visit of the US president Richard Nixon in 1977, the palace was sprayed with disinfectant that caused the death of all herons there. The latter were said to be replaced overnight. The palace lies in the center of the tourist ‘must visit’ area. Though an entry to the palace is restricted, you can easily liaise with a friendly guard and take a quick peek and maybe click a few snaps too.

This park is named after one of the most important figures in Latin American history, Simón Bolívar. This charming park is very popular among locals and tourists. It contains a beautiful monument to Simón Bolívar.

Teatro Nacional de Panamá, or the National Theater of Panama, is located on Avenida B, just down from Plaza Bolivar. It opened in 1908 and was constructed on the site that originally housed an 18th century monastery, designed by Italian architect Genaro Ruggieri. Throughout its history, the building has seen good and bad days during which, at some point, it served as a house for movies and a popular watering hole for the elite crowd.
The theater has endured a profound restoration undertaken in two phases: first in the 1970s and the second, more recently, in the early 2000s, upon which it finally reopened in 2004. Adorned with glittering glass chandeliers, gold painted balconies and exquisite ceiling murals, the interiors of the building are truly posh. Busts of famous writers are placed upfront. The theater is a major cultural hub that hosts cultural events like plays, operas and ballets.
The ceiling frescoes have been painted by a prominent Panamanian artist, Roberto Lewis, and depict Panamanian history in the form of Greek mythology. You can learn the theater schedule from the local papers and go for an opera show whenever you get the opportunity, whilst in the city. This is really the best way to check out the building. The theater is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and the entry costs less than a dollar.

Two blocks away from the Plaza lies Museo de Arte Religioso Colonial (the Museum of Colonial Religious Art). The building is housed in the restored from ruins remarkable Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo (Church and Convent of Santo Domingo) that was built in 1673. The original structure was ravaged by fire in 1737 and 1756 along with much of Panama City.
Today, you can see a beautiful building with columns and bricks paired inlaid facades. The prominent, flat 15-meter long Arco Chato is a famous arch that used to form the choir base in the original building and is still in place. During the long debate in the US congress over the proposed location of the then nascent canal across the American continent, the Arco Chato is said to have tipped the scales in Panama’s favor since its survival was taken as the proof that that the area was not in an earthquake zone. It is most unfortunate that arc collapsed in 2003. You can visit the museum from Tuesday to Saturday between 08.30 and 16.30 and the entry fee is a mere US$ 0.75. The museum collection includes colonial-era religious artifacts dating back to the 16th century. If you have a penchant for museums or want to explore religious art, this would be a good place to visit.

If you are thinking of visiting a historical place then do evaluate the option of visiting Plaza de Francia which is situated at the southern point of the city and showcases statues and large stone tablets narrating the story of French role in the construction of the Panama Canal. The plaza is dedicated to the memory of the approximately 22,000 workers hailed from France, Martinique and Guadeloupe, who passed away whilst attempting to build the canal. The majority of them died of diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. You will also see the monument which was built in remembrance of the Cuban doctor Mr. Carlos J. Finlay, who found out how the mosquitoes transmitted yellow fever. His excellent work and dedication gave the people of Panama a breather and led to the eradication of the disease in the city.

If you ever visit the Plaza, on the one side you will see the restored dungeons nine of which were used by the Spaniards and subsequently by the Colombians. Even though nowadays some of them house restaurants and upscale art galleries, the original stonework of the dungeons is still in place. A visit to Plaza de Francia will definitely enrich your experience from Panama City.