Pushing Through the Heavy to Experience Joy: Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama

Pushing Through the Heavy to Experience Joy: Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama

My arrival to Panama City was heavy. I only booked a short stay (2 full days) in the city before flying back to the states to face reality, so I’m supposed to be enjoying its beauty and its culture and its people as quickly as possible, but on my first full day there, I spent hours indoors trying to pull myself together enough to just be present.

It’s one of the things we don’t talk about when we travel. The hard patches. Sometimes they happen because you’ve been traveling for too long and your body and soul miss the comfort of a familiar bed or a slow day with nothing to do. Sometimes, like this time, you hit a more existential wall. 

I’m very conscious of where I physically am in the world and that the country whose name is embossed on my Passport has and continues to do so much to destabilize the Latin American region. I’m also acutely aware of the atrocity that is the United States right now and yet I’m supposed to just enjoy this beautiful trip.

We can’t control the state of foreign affairs when we travel. We can’t plan for a global disaster in our tightly packed itinerary. We just have to deal. 

This is where travel goes from glamorous and exciting, to real and complex. I’m so grateful that this is my life, but at that moment I was also angry that I benefit at the expense of others around the world because of my identity. The cognitive dissonance in my brain where both truths exist was on overdrive (and continues to be) and it impacts my ability to function sometimes. 

I was glad I was solo traveling for that part of my time in Panama because I didn’t feel obligated to push through the emotions. Instead I sat with them for a couple of hours wallowing in my guilt and consternation. You get to have complicated feelings, regardless of where you are in the world. 

Then, I had to remind myself that experiencing joy is resistance too. 

So with that, I have a mini guide of the best parts of my trip! This should give you an idea of where to start enjoying your visit.

My Stay: 

I booked this adorable studio apartment in Casco Viejo with a view of the ocean and easy access to the bustle of the neighborhood. My stay was short so I wanted to be in a central location where I’d be able to walk to most things. I’ve been more interested in slow travel lately so I kept to this neighborhood most of my trip, with a few exceptions and it didn’t disappoint. As always, I began with an aimless walk around the neighborhood and found a yummy Peruvian place for lunch (Nazca 21) before heading back to my room to research options for the coming days.

Casco Viejo itself is very safe and VERY touristy. The bordering neighborhoods however are less so. El Chorrillo in particular came up when I’d speak to locals and they were very clear in their warnings not to go there. Don’t let that deter you from exploring other areas of the city! It just means that you’ll need to order an uber or book a tour. 

Amador, Punta Pacifica, Obarrio and Marbella are great options to explore and all on my list for my next visit.

Things to Do:

Speaking of tours, you can’t miss a tour of the Miraflores Locks! This is one of the viewpoints for the Panama Canal. I loved the tour I booked with Chris through Airbnb Experiences. He’s been doing this for over a decade and was so knowledgeable about the historical context which really enhanced the experience. Note that the entrance ticket to the Panama Canal viewing center is not included. You’ll need to purchase that separately through the center’s website, but your ticket includes a 1-hour documentary about the building of the canal which was mindblowing and really helpful context before watching the ships enter the canal.

The colonial history of Casco Viejo is visible in its architecture that’s protected by UNESCO. During my tour with Chris, we spent some time in Casco Viejo visiting key sites to learn the history of the city, but in case you opt to explore on your own, here are my 2 can’t-miss experiences:

• Museo de la Mola (small museum dedicated to an indigenous textile art form crafted by Guna people of the San Blas island region of Panama)
• Iglesia Nuestra Señora de La Merced (I’ve seen a lot of beautiful Catholic churches in my travels, so much that I don’t tour them anymore if I can avoid it, but this one is different. The use of wood carvings in place of gold is beautiful and different, but just as impactful.)

Here are my suggestions:

• Cielo Rooftop (This one was recommended to me by one of my drivers. It is technically outside of Casco Viejo, but easy to access from the Cinta Costera – also a recommendation. There’s more hustle and bustle here with ziplining and more restaurants on the same level. The food is perfectly fine but the view is truly the reason to go.)
• Lazotea (If I had had one more day, this is where I would have gone!)
• CasaCasco (The view from this rooftop overlooks Plaza Herrera in Casco Viejo and has the skyscraper skyline in the distance which was gorgeous at night. You can also order from 5 different restaurant menus so if you’ve got a group of picky eaters with you, this is your spot.)

Happy travels!