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Panama, Panama, Panama
Greetings from Panama! My name is Marina Ehrman and I have been a professional tour guide and promoter for Panama Tourism and Travel Company since 2005. I love what I do and am proud to share what my country has to offer. It is filled with endless leisure and commercial attractions, friendly happy people who open their doors to all visitors. Panama is a country of incomparable natural beauty with a variety of tourist attractions, beautiful beaches in the Pacific and Caribbean. The tropical climate year round with its diversified flora, fauna and indigenous groups make it one of the most important of Ecotourism in Latin America. I invite you to know our country’s history, culture and also enjoy the cuisine, folklore and traditions that only a place in the world can provide………Panama! Contact me and I’ll organize your visit and will be happy to welcome you in Panama. For more information on Panama, follow my Facebook page and my blog. Visit www.panamatourismtravel.com

Tourism Attractions: Cocle Province

Cocle Province is one of Panama’s central provinces, and is located on Panama’s southern coast, near the provinces of Panama, Colon, Veraguas and Herrera. It is about 1 ½ hours by car from Panama City. Cocle is primarily an agricultural area, but is fast developing into a popular tourist destination. Cocle provides produce to much of the country of Panama, and is most famous for the production of tomatoes and sugar. The capital of Cocle is Penonome, which is located on the Chiriqui river in central Cocle.

Anton Valley

One area worth visiting is Anton Valley , a beautiful and exotic valley which has become a popular tourist attraction. It is the only place in the country where you can find the square trees, and is one of the best places to find the famous golden frogs. Here you can also go hiking, rappelling, bird watching, horseback riding, or bicycling. There is also the Nispero zoo and a botanical garden. Another feature of this area is the local market, which is held on the weekends and is known as one of the best in the country.
Cocle encompasses many sites of archeological importance, with significant artifacts being recovered from burial sites and ruins throughout the region. Two important sites are the El Cano archeological site, and Sitio Conte, which was the location of the first major find. Cocle artisans were known for their pottery, featuring colorful bird, animal and human decorations.

Tourist Attractions

Parks and museums located in the province of Cocle include the Museum of the History and Traditions of Penonome, The Archeological Park of El Cano, The Museum of Salt and Sugar, The Museum of Anton Valley and El Cope National Park




Tourism Attractions : Panama City

Panama Province is located on the Pacific side of Panama, bordering on the provinces of Darien, San Blas, Colon and Cocle. The capital of this province is Panama City, which is also the capital of the country of Panama. The province has a long coastline, which includes the beaches of Playa Gorgona, Playa Coronado, Playa San Carlos and Punta Chame Beach. The islands off the coast of Panama province include Isla Toboga and Isla Contadora.
 

Tourist Attractions:

 
 
Panamá La Vieja : What is known today as Panama Viejo, the old city of Panama, was the first city established by the shores of the Pacific Ocean, by Governor Pedro Arias Davila in 1519. This city was constantly visited by galleons coming from Peru, loaded with gold and silver, and other treasures en route to Spain. As a result of the attack by the English corsair, Sir Henry Morgan, occurred in 1671, the city was looted and set on fire, leaving instead of the Pearl of the Pacific, the ruins visible today. Among the ruins still visible that stand out are the convent of Saint Francis, the Company of Jesus, church of La Merced, Saint Joseph’s church, Saint John’s hospital, the royal houses, the slaughterhouse bridge, and the King’s bridge. Near the site, museums display objects from pre-Hispanic and colonial times, and scale models of the city back in the 18th century.
 
 
El Casco Antiguo: After the destruction of the first city as consequence of the attack by pirate Henry Morgan, a new city was founded in 1673 at the site today known as Casco Antiguo. A great deal of the wall that protected this coastal city from possible pirate attacks still stands, sheltering what UNESCO has designated as World Heritage Site. The streets and buildings in the old quarter served as backdrop for moments crucial to Panama’s birth as an independent republic, and witnessed the first footsteps as well the very last breaths of the nation’s forefathers. The Casco Antiguo is currently undergoing a strenuous restoration process in order to recover its original splendor. The cobblestone streets of this historical site guide its visitors through picturesque squares and opulent cathedrals to finally lead them to an invigorating cup of coffee or a robust glass of wine at any of its al fresco eateries.

 
 
Panama Canal : Considered the “Eight Wonder of the Modern World,” the Panama Canal counts with three sets of locks through which a yearly estimate of 14,000 ships transit between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. About 56,307 workers coming from the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean were needed to conclude this engineering feat, which today serves as bridge to a 5% of the world’s commerce. The Center in Miraflores counts with expositions about the functioning and history of the Canal, where visitors can learn about its locks system, pressure valves, tow ships, and other elements needed to guide ships safely between oceans.


Causeway : Built out of rocks dug out from the construction of the Panama Canal, the Causeway provides a breathtaking view from the Pacific entrance to the waterway and the Americas Bridge, which until the year 2005 was the only connection between the divided land masses. The Causeway provides fine dining and the chance to enjoy outdoor activities such as jogging, biking, rollerblading, or fishing, all with Panama City’s skyline as backdrop.
 
 
Afro-Antillean Museum : Since 1980, The Afroantillean Museum offered the possibility of learning about one of the most important facets of the construction of the Canal. The Museum has an exhibition hall that shows photographs of the arrival of the West Indian immigrants to Panama and their participation in the construction of the Transisthmian Railway and the Interoceanic Canal. Guided tours are offered in this hall and during the month of August, the museum organizes conferences and exhibitions alusive to the construction of the Canal.
 
 
Mi Pueblito : This attractive place is located at the bottom of the Ancon Hill, and offers the visitors beautiful gardens with ferns and flowers proper of the countryside. It is totally paved with river stones and natural flat stone, surrounded by street lamps and houses characteristic of the urban area of the towns. The representation of the rural area is located behind with a typical house made up of mud, straw and canvas with a creole clay roof and a mud floor. Behind the house you may see the furnace, the mud oven, the traditional "trapiche" (cane press) and range raised hens.
 
 
Museum of Religious Colonial Art : Located in the Old Quarter of Panama City, the Santo Domingo de Guzman old chapel was built in the third quarter of the 18th Century and was restored in 1974. The items exhibited in this museum belong to families and churches of Panama City and the countryside of Panama. Some of the pieces on display come from Spain while in others you may observe the South American art influence in the isthmus, either through the works, imported from Quito or Lima during the colonial times, and some others created by native or foreign artists based in Panama such as the silver chisseled and embossed processional cross, made in 1571 which belonged to the church of Veraguas.
 
 
Reina Torres de Arauz Anthropological Museum : The Reina Torres de Arauz Anthopological Museum displays a wide collection made up of more than 15,000 pieces of gold and pottery, lithic and ethnographic, preserved in great conditions, and counts with approximately 5,000 meters of covered areas and 3,500 of open spaces. This museum preserves Panama's history from pre-columbian times, since the Isthmus' first settlers, who lived more than 10,000 years ago, until the arrival of the Spanish explorers. The stucture counts with spacious storage areas, auditorium, amphitheaters, gardens, parking spaces, and six hectares of tropical rainforest located behind the building.
 
 
Panama's Carnival Panama City is no stranger to Momo’s festivities, when for four days, crowds head out to the streets looking for fun under the sun. During the day, cistern trucks cool down passersby with streams of fresh water while floats parade led by fantasy-clad queens. At night fall, stages located strategically around the city present local and international performers as a prelude to next day’s party.

Visit Guna Yala 5 Days / 4 Nights

Day : 1 - Panama City :

Upon arrival to Panama a representative from Panama Tourism & Travel will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your city hotel for your firs night in Panama.

Day : 2 -  Guna Yala Island :

In the early morning you will be transferred to the domestic airport, where you will take a short flight to the pristine Guna Yala Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Here you will stay in a secluded and quiet lodge, where you will enjoy the beautiful ocean view while balancing in a hammock.
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Overnight at Yandup Lodge in an Over-the-Water Bungalow, three daily meals included.

Day : 3 -  Guna Yala Tour Option :

  • Visit to the Achutupu, Mamitupu y Aligandí indigenous communities to observe their culture, lifestyles and traditions resides getting to know their local government style

  • Tour to the Cainora or Soskandup beaches both have white sand and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea.

  • Birds and wild flowers nature tours in the Guna Yala This tour includes a thorough exchange with nature, you will see a variety of birds from different regions who have immigrated to our country, many of them endangered. The flora in Kuna Yala is one of the most important attractions, there are lots of wildflowers and herbs of all kinds. Many of these plants are used today by the Kuna to cure various diseases
     
  • River tour
  • Tour to Achutupus Historic Guna Cementery to see how Gunas bury their loved ones

Day : 4 - Half Day Panama City Tour & Miraflores Locks:

In the morning you will be transferred to the Bocas Del Toro airport for your flight back to Panama City. There, your English speaking guide will pick you up and take you on a private tour to see the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Visitor Center

After the visit to the Canal you will continue with your guide to the Historical Casco Antiguo

Day : 5 - Departure :

After breakfast you will be transferred to the Tocumen Airport for your international flight back home.



Included
  • Meet & Greet at the Airport
  • 2 Nts at Hotel in the City in a Standard Room
  • 2 Nts at Yandup Lodge
  • 2 daily tours in Guna Yala
  • Half Day Panama City Tour & Miraflores Locks
  • Roundtrip flight to Guna Yala in economy class
  • Ground transfers on A/C motor coaches
  • All taxes and service charges
Not Included
  • Airport Departure Tax (US$ 20.00 per person )
  • Tourist Card (US$ 5.00 for certain nationalities)
  • Optional tours
  • Meals not mentioned
  • Beverages
  • All extras in the hotels
  • Voluntary tips & gratuities

Price $ 885.00 per person



Isla Grande

Visit www.panamatourismtravel.com for a full day tour in Isla Grande  

Palm trees and white-sand beaches form the backdrop to this lovely little island, just 15km offshore from Portobelo


A few hundred people of African descent live on Grande, most of whom eke out a living from fishing and coconuts – you’ll get a taste of both when you sample the fine island cuisine.

A popular getaway for Panama City folk fleeing the urban grind, Isla Grande is an ideal setting for snorkeling, scuba diving or simply soaking up the island’s relaxed vibe






Old Quarter




Old Quarter is second Tourist Destination in Panama!
In 1671, after the Pirate Henry Morgan attacked, looted and destroyed the Old City, Old Panama . Its residents and settlers, desperate for a safer and easier location to defend themselves against future seige, decided on what is now The Old Quarter.

This unique walled city, consisting of 16th & 17th Century Spanish Colonial Architecture, is a gem which was unknown to most of the outside world until 2003 when UNESCO named Old Quarter a World Heritage Site.

Achutupu’s historic Guna Cementery



A visit to Achutupu’s historic cemetery gives our guests a unique insight into Guna views of life and death.  It is up-river in an undulating,elevated mainland location at the edge of the rainforest (burial is impossible on the low lying coral reef occupied by Achutupu’s community). 

The funeral corteges arrive here by canoe, and then wind their way through dense growth until, finally, scattered palm roofs come into view between the trees, the open shelters over the graves.

In the Guna burial ritual the deceased is interred in a hammock suspended between two upright poles in a previously prepared  excavation.  The self- supported protective covering becomes a flat platform  upon which are placed floral decorations and personal items in homage to the loved one.

A flag mounted outside a particular tomb denotes that it houses the remains of a respected community leader.   .

You will leave the green tranquillity of this hallowed setting with many images to store in your memory












The Presidential Palace of Panama

Tour Suggest




The Herons' Palace is the governmental office and residence of the President of Panama. It receives its name because of herons roamming freely in the courtyard. The herons were first brought to the building in 1922 by former president Belisario Porras, at the suggestion of friend and famed Panamanian poet Ricardo Miro.

History


The building is located in the old quarter of Panama City, which was built after the first settlement was destroyed just prior and during the sacking by pirate Henry Morgan. It was built in 1673 and has undergone many changes through the years. Initially, it was used as a home for the Spanish governor, as a royal winery, as a warehouse, and as both customs and National Bank's headquarters.

The new presidential house replaced the old customs offices on January 19, 1885. The remodeling works included the addition of a new room for official events in the upper level, along with other rooms to be used by the president and his family members. A Colombian artist, Epifanio Garay, was in charged of painting the portraits of all presidents since 1855.

The current Palacio de las Garzas was officially inaugurated on August 3, 1923. However, it was not until 1938 that it was acquired totally when the National Bank moved to its new headquarters located at Central Avenue. This transaction was in process since 1936 through an exchange with the Panamanian State.

Extensive renovations to the building were done around 1922, under the supervision of architect Leonardo Villanueva-Meyer. Works included the Andalusian courtyard, the addition of a third floor and two towers.

An elevator was added in 1934 for a State visit by US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt so that he could access the chambers where he was to stay.


 

Rooms

The Salón Amarillo (Yellow Room) is the most important room, where most formal events are held. The Salón de los Tamarindos (Tamarind's Room) is the presidential dining room and receives its name from its murals, where the Panamanian painter Roberto Lewis inspired his ideas on Taboga Island and its famous tamarind trees. This work was asked in 1938 by Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, the president of that period. The Salón Morisco (Moorish Room) was added during the 1922 renovations by Villanueva-Meyer.







The National Theater



Built in a Neo-Classic style, Panama's National Theater was one of the first public buildings inaugurated after the birth of the Republic, in 1903.

The original building where the theatre was later on built was actually a monastery for nuns. They had a small theatre called Sarah Bernahrdt, as it is said that the artist was once brought to perform there during the time of the French Canal. But the National Theater, was built over the monastery and inaugurated on October 1, 1908 during the presidency of José Domingo de Obaldía. Its debut was grandiose, with the opera Aida presented by the Italian company Mario Lambardi.

The building was designed  by Italian architect, Genaro Ruggeri, one of the most prolific architects in Panama at the time . Roberto Lewis painted the ceiling frescoes, and Enrico Corrado did the chalk sculpture. 


With a capacity for 850 spectators, the theater features on its main ceiling and foyer, frescoes by Roberto Lewis, the most renowned Panamanian painter of the first half of the 20th century.
Ceiling of the National Theater - Panamá City



San Jose Church & Gold Altar

Tour Suggest




Famous Gold Altar of the Church of San Jose in Old Quarter is considered one of the greatest treasures of Panama. The church located on Avenida A near the corner of Calle 8 in the Old Quarter of Panama City. The famous "Gold Altar " was designed in the seventeenth century in Baroque style. Originally was located in the temple of the same name San Jose in Panama La Vieja, which pertained to religious Augustionos. In 1671 the English Privateer Henry Morgan attacked and sacked the this settlement. The Order of Augustines decided to move their church to the new town and in 1675 inaugurated a new monastery and church. The altar was completely renovated in 1915 by Mr Donderis.


Unfortunately I have to disappoint your hopes, but the altar is not realy gold. This massive baroque altar is carved in mahogany and covered in gold leaf. If you take a trip to Old Quarter , do not forget to visit the San Jose Church and admire the majestic beauty of the famous altar. 





One of the things you might want to see when you visit Panama is the famous golden altar of the Church of San Jose in Casco Viejo. The Church of San Jose is a small almost nondescript building on a narrow street in the San Felipe district of Panama City. Inside is the famous Golden Altar, which is made of carved wood and is covered in gold flake. Commonly known in Spanish as the "Altar de Oro" (Golden Altar), it was originally in a church in "Old Panama." When English pirate Henry Morgan attacked the city the jesuits painted the altar black to hide the gold. The pirates left it alone, thinking it was worthless. After Morgan sacked and burned "Old Panama" the Jesuit monks of the Order of St. Agustine moved the altar to the new church and its present location.




Legend






When Morgan and his men's approach the settlement the priest tried a desperate strategy to preserve the altar. He painted it completely black. When Morgan entered the church the priest was able to convince him that the alter before him was made of simple wood not gold. Morgan of course demanded what had happened to the "other altar." The priest told him that the famous altar had been stolen by another pirate. He even convinced Henry Morgan to donate some money to a fund to replace the altar. Morgan is supposed to have said to the priest, "I don't know why, but I think you are more of a pirate than I am."