Casco Viejo Tour: Small-Group Panama City Exploration with Local Flavor

10 Ratings

Panamá

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Experience the real Panama City with a small-group tour of Casco Viejo. Discover local flavor, social-economic issues, and insider tips for a memorable adventure.

Duration: 4 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Casco Viejo - When most people get to Panama City they end up in Casco Viejo (normally a bit jet lagged) and walk around aimlessly thinking that Panama is more expensive than Switzerland. Throughout the tour I will be giving old history, advise on safety in different areas, best food stands, social history, tips on visiting the city, etc. This…

What's Included

Snacks
Tea and coffee

Additional Information

This is a highly personalized experience for a maximum of six participants, guiding them through three historical neighborhoods: Casco Viejo (Old Town), Santa Ana, and El Chorrillo, with a special emphasis on Santa Ana. Throughout the tour, the operator will share historical insights, safety advice for various areas, recommendations for the best food…

Location

Plaza V Centenario

Meet in the center of the plaza by the waterfront.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.6

(10 Ratings)

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Bt2007

May 2, 2025

Great exploration of lesser known parts of the city - I absolutely loved this unique walking tour through some of the local neighborhoods of Panama City. We visited places and met people I never would have otherwise. Each stop was memorable, and Jon’s knowledge of the area was impressive. I appreciated all the tips on where to shop/eat/drink. If you’re looking for something less touristy, this is just the thing.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Wkathym

Apr 19, 2025

Casco Viejo and Surrounding Areas - A balanced view of the areas in and around Casco Viejo with a very knowledgeable guide, Jon. Off the beaten path, and we learned a lot about the history of the area. The coffee, pastries and chocolate samples were great. Great for coffee lovers.

Review provided by Viator

L4578jdgracea

Jan 8, 2025

An Enjoyable Tour of Casco Viejo & neighbourhoods - I had a wonderful tour around Casco Viejo and the surrounding neighbourhoods! Jon was a great guide, sharing lots of knowledge and history of the places with me. He also brought me to local places that made the best fried chicken, smoothies, and pastries & baked goods. It was such a good experience to walk the markets and the back ways of certain places where most locals would go on daily basis. I loved seeing the different parts of Panama - witnessing the glimpses into the real daily lives of Panamanians in this day tour! Thank you Jon for your time & generosity in sharing your experiences of living in Panama along with these beautiful people with me! All the best mi amigo!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

215rasheedah

Jan 5, 2025

Explore - What a great experience. I was solo on this tour and was able to have direct time to get to know Jonathan. The tour was thoughtfully guided with attention to every detail. Jonathan was knowledgeable and displayed a great passion for the city of Panama. I recommend this tour if you want to explore the area of Casa Vejo with hidden gems along the way.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Denise_d

Dec 10, 2024

Ok’d & new blend - Jon provided very local perspective of older neighborhoods, from upscale to very poor. His flare for sharing his personal haunts eith history provided a broad understanding of different residents. Had tasting oops along with local shopping. A good use of time snd money versus high priced shore excursions. Our taxi from port was $20.

Review provided by Viator

K8127yzluisa1234

Mar 29, 2024

Half-Day Casco Viejo the Real City Guided with a Local Touch Tour - Had an amazing and tour with Jon, he took to me places of Panama city i would have not explored on my own. We got some great local food and souvenirs on the way to :)

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Barbara_a

Mar 13, 2024

Local Vibe - Jon was great in taking us to neighbourhoods we would not have seen if it wasn’t for him. We wanted an exposure to the local culture and eateries and he certainly met our expectations. His enthusiasm and “treats” make this a a “must do” if your goal is to experience the local vibe.

Review provided by Viator

Oriane692

Sep 20, 2023

Great tour! - We went all around Panama City and got to try a lot of great food in local restaurants and markets. I strongly recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Robert_w

Apr 28, 2023

A must - Jonathan was very informative. Took us to some great places where we sampled food. I’m glad we took this tour giro. It helped us

Review provided by Viator

Kim_k

Apr 3, 2025

Don’t do it. Really! It’s very bad. - Don’t waste your time or money on this tour. Jon is an American who has lived in Panama for 3.5 years. He may have some knowledge of Panamanian history and culture, but it’s minimal, AND he talks in fragmented sentences and with disjointed logic. Truly, of seven of us (from 92 to 13 years of age) no one could understand what in the hell he was talking about. He also disparaged the government and other institutions, which seemed off-color for a guest in the country — though I suppose he has the right to do so. He took us to a coffee shop and ordered two cups of coffee and one pastry to share or “taste” between the 8 of us. But it was nothing special or unique. He poured us some juice that he had bought along the way. My son’s juice had a fly wing in it. OK, we’re in a third world country, and I had adjusted my expectations accordingly, but I’ll take my juice sans wings. Then, Jon wanted to finish whatever we didn’t eat — like it was his only meal. The chocolate tasting was fine, and he bought us a chocolate bar, but meh. Who cares? And, for what it’s worth, my son’s two years of high school Spanish was almost as good as Jon’s, which is to say, terrible. We stopped to tour after that because he took us to the slums of the area, where the roads — and what little sidewalks there were — were filled with craters and dog feces and trash. Certainly, do not take this tour if you are not able to walk on rough terrain. He showed us no beautiful buildings or UNESCO Heritage sites — just poverty gardens and squatter houses, where he lectured us on “poor people are not criminals.” I will say one nice thing about Jon: I had accidentally cancelled this tour. When I realized my mistake, I called him, and he graciously met us late and in good spirits. I just wish I would have actually canceled it because it was awful. Save your money and walk around and explore. It’s a beautiful place filled with beautiful people and cultures. Just stay away from this NEARLY FRAUDULENT tour guide.

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $35

up to 8 guests

1 - Adult