The old town of Panama City, Casco Viejo, is, of course, old. But it’s not the original site of Panama City. The older old town, Panamá Viejo, is located a few kilometers away. It was founded in 1519 as Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Panamá, making Panama City the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast.
There are several interesting churches in Casco Viejo, the historic center of Panama City. Some of them are still in service while others are completely ruined.
Panama City’s old town, Casco Viejo, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built after the sack of the original site of Panama City by legendary pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. It features many important historic sites, a few museums, and some churches.
A good place to start exploring the small peninsula that is occupied by Casco Viejo is at Plaza de Francia. It sits at the very end of Casco Viejo.
Recinto del Pensamiento is one of the best attractions in Manizales. It’s a peaceful nature park with a very relaxed and easy guided walk that can be done by people of all ages.
Los Yarumos Ecopark (Ecoparque Los Yarumos) is a nature and recreational park near the city center of Manizales. Admission was free when we visited and there were great views of the city, but the rest of the park was kind of a waste of time. The easiest way to get there is by taxi.
The most important building in Manizales is the Manizales Cathedral (Catedral de Manizales). It’s located on Plaza de Bolívar.
Manizales, a university city in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia, isn’t very touristy but does have a few sites of interest, including a few nature parks just outside of the city.
Caicedonia is a town located in the department of Valle del Cauca. It sits only 45 minutes from Armenia.
Alcalá is a small town located in the department of Valle del Cauca.