When you look at a photo of Panama City, the first thing you’ll notice is a massive skyline– as impressive as Miami or any other cosmopolitan city. It may look good on a postcard, but it’s not exactly pleasant to be in. It’s loud, messy, and chaotic– with constant traffic and construction. A good place to live and do business, it’s far from pedestrian- or tourist-friendly.

Casco Viejo, while technically part of Panama City, feels like a different universe. In this charming colonial neighborhood, people walk around just for the sake of walking around. Most of Panama City’s best sightseeing, accommodations, restaurants, and nightlife are in Casco Viejo, and, more recently, a series of funky independent shops.

It’s the second biggest attraction in Panama (after the canal) for a reason, and it doesn’t take long to figure that reason out.