Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Panama City Turns 500
Panama has played a major role in shaping world history, including serving as a starting point for expeditions that conquered Peru’s Inca empire.
The city, which was founded in 1519 and is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast, was also an important stopover point on trade routes that traversed the American continent.
With all of these highlights in mind (and many more), Panama City will celebrate its 500th anniversary this summer hosting a range of unique cultural, educational, culinary and musical events.
The official birthday bash is scheduled to take place on August 15. But starting as early as this month, Panamanians and tourists alike can celebrate the past and present of the now cosmopolitan Central American capital city via a variety of events designed to pay tribute to its history.
Source: Travel Pulse
A Design Lover’s Guide to Panama City.
In August 2019, Panama City will celebrate its 500th anniversary—the city has a long and storied history, from its founding by the Spanish to its 1671 sacking by pirate Sir Henry Morgan to its declaration of independence from Colombia in 1903.
Today, Panama City is one of the wealthiest cities in Latin America—partially due to the more than $2 billion earned by the Canal each year—and it’s seen phenomenal growth in the last several decades. While Panama is particularly popular with American expats (one of the country’s allures is that the currency is the U.S. dollar), international tourists outside of the U.S. are more frequently visiting the capital city, which is a blossoming cultural hub. From a Frank Gehry–designed museum to highly lauded restaurants and luxury hotels, here are the best things to do and places to stay in Panama City.
Source: Architectural Digest
Panama Canal postpones sixth draft restriction to June 19.
The Panama Canal Authority announced over the weekend a further postponement on the introduction of tighter draft restrictions on vessels until June 19.
The ACP said recent rainfall in the Panama Canal watershed eased water levels in the Gatun Lakes, allowing for continued transit at the current maximum draft restriction of 44 feet (13.41 meters).
The impending draft restriction — the sixth for 2019 — will limit the maximum allowable draft to 43 feet (13.11 meters) in the Neopanamax Locks.
Source: SP Global
A Cultural Tour of Panama’s Capital
Whether you’re in Panama City to visit or live here full-time, getting to know the place requires more than just the typical daily routine. Sure, you’ll have a great time no matter what’s on your schedule, but if you really want to connect with Panama City on a deeper level, you’ll have to get to know its culture.
El Chorillo:
Take a tour of one of Panama’s most iconic, if not controversial neighborhoods, El Chorillo. El Chorillo is a densely populated urban neighborhood at the southern corner of Panama City. It runs alongside Casco Viejo (the historic old city), and stretches from the bay to the base of Ancon Hill. Locals will tell you to be careful walking around here, so we recommend taking a tour. Local in PTY is a great option for this, and they take you on a cultural journey getting to meet locals, hear stories of the past, eat traditional street food, and even volunteer with kids.
