WHAT THE F*#K IS CASCO PLAYS HOME TO 9 OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND IS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE CASCO VIEJO WAS FOUNDED IN 1673 OFFICIAL NUMBER OF HOUSES TODAY: IN 1671, PANAMA VIEJO WAS RANSACKED BY THE PIRATE APPROXIMATELY INITIAL NUMBER OF HOUSES BACK IN 1673: (WAY BEFORE THE RUM WAS EVER INVENTED) HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN CASCO VIEJO ARE DIVIDED INTO 4 800 (INCLUDING SANTA ANA) 300 PRESERVATION CATEGORIES, WHICH RANGE IN STRICTNESS 3 CASCO HAS MAIN ARTERIES: AVENIDA CENTRAL AVENIDA A AVENIDA B INTERSECTED BY NUMBERED CROSS-STREETS CASCO VIEJO IS MADE UP OF 7 CENTRAL PLAZAS: PLAZA HERRERA, PLAZA BOLIVAR, PLAZA SANTA ANA, PLAZA DE FRANCIA, PLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL, PASEO ESTEBAN HUERTAS, PLAZA ARANGO CASCO VIEJO'S 2 OLDEST EXISTING LUXURY ACCOMMODATIONS ARE CANAL HOUSE & LOS CUATRO TULIPANES NUMBER OF CHURCHES: CASCO VIEJO IS HOME TO PANAMA CITY'S 3 MAIN THEATERS: TEATRO NATIONAL, TEATRO ANITA VILLALAZ & TEATRO AMADOR (A RESTORED CONCERT HALL) -CALLE 10 Y AVENIDA CENTRAL- CASCO VIEJO IS THE #2 TOURIST DESTINATION IN PANAMA BEHIND THE PANAMA CANAL. CASCO VIEJO IS THE FOODIE'S CHOICE IN PANAMA CITY BECAUSE IT OFFERS 26 RESTAURANTS FAMILY HOTELS: 2 (AND GROWING) LOCATED WITHIN ABOUT 6 BLOCKS MAGNOLIA INN & CASA SUCRE NUMBER OF HIGH END HOTELS RIGHT NOW: 4 LAS CLEMENTINAS, CANAL HOUSE, TANTALO, CASA DEL HORNO CASCO VIEJO IS THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD IN PANAMA TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, TRAVEL+LEISURE, CONDE NAST, GQ, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, & THE WALLSTREET JOURNAL ALL IN THE SAME YEAR NUMBER OF HOSTELS: LUNAʼS CASTLE · PANAMERICANA HOSPEDAJE CASCO VIEJO · HOTEL CASCO ANTIGUO · WHITE LION (AKA WHYTE) LION IT PLAYED THE ROLE OF LA PAZ, BOLIVIA IN JAMES BOND QUANTUM OF SOLACE IN 2009. AND WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT EDITION PHOTO SHOOT IN 2012 ONE-OF-A-KIND: CASCO VIEJO POSSESSES THE ONLY REMAINING BEACHES IN PANAMA CITY AND IT IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN PANAMA THAT NEVER FLOODS. THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF POLICE MEN YOU WILL SEE IN CASCO VIEJO: CASCO VIEJO HAS STATISTICALLY THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN ALL OF PANAMA CITY. GREEN (POLICE) BLUE OR BROWN BLACK WITH MACHINE GUNS (TOURIST POLICE WITH ARMBAND) (PRESIDENTIAL GUARDS) 1. ISLAND HOPPING IN SAN BLAS: HOME OF THE INDIGENOUS KUNA INDIANS AND 360 ISLANDS THE SIZE OF FOOTBALL FIELDS (TRAVEL TIME: 2.5 HOURS) 3. GETTING TRIBAL ON THE CHAGRES: 2. HIKING IN EL VALLE: ASCEND THE LEGENDARY INDIA DORMIDA THEN VISIT THERMAL HOT SPRINGS (TRAVEL TIME: 1.5 HOURS) VISIT THE EMBERA INDIANS AND EXPERIENCE LIFE AS IT WAS HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO (TRAVEL TIME: 1.5 HOURS) 4. TREASURE HUNTING IN PORTOBELO: SNORKELING, ZIP LINES, AND ICE-COLD COCONUT WATER ON THE BEACH (TRAVEL TIME: 2 HOURS)