Panama City Tour: Full Day

After being picked up at your city hotel, ride through the sites of the modern Capital City on your way to the Colonial City or "Casco Antiguo", built in 1673. Drive through the stretched streets, plazas and public parks, including France Plaza, Las Bovedas, San Jose Church, with its wonderful gold altar, the Flat Arch, and Cathedral Church. Also check out the french inspired area, lead by Ferdinand de Lesseps, that initiated the project of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal Inter-Oceanic Museum is located here, as well as the Palacio de las Garzas, the Panama President's official office. You will ride to the enchanted Balboa area, which is a residential area of the former Panama Canal Zone, now reverted to Panama. Admire the Panama Canal Administration Building on a hill and then head to Miraflores Locks where we will have the chance to see the vessels while transiting the Locks. This includes a visit to the new Visitors Center to see canal related items and to watch the Panama Canal Commission audiovisual presentation. Finally we will take you to the Amador Causeway, a man-made connection of three islands, with a strong tourist development and from where you will have a breathtaking view of the city and have time to purchase everything from handicrafts to electronics in Duty Free stores. After lunch, we will view the magnificent "Biodiversity Museum" being the only building by the prestigious Frank Gehry in Latin America. Finally, we will visit the ruins of Old Panama City, which were destroyed by pirate Henry Morgan in 1671 and prompted the movement of the city to the better naturally protected area of the Casco Antiguo. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. The order of the visits might be altered to see larger vessels in the Canal.