Panamá Viejo ruins

Climb the cathedral tower first. It is 30 metres of stone, reached by 115 steps in three stages with rest platforms, and from the top the skyline of modern Panama City rises across the water from the place it replaced. This was the original city, founded in 1519 as the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific, and it was abandoned after Henry Morgan's raid in 1671 (whether his men or the defenders blew up the powder stores is still argued). The city was rebuilt at what is now Casco Viejo, and the two are a joint UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ruins were left unrestored. A walk through them takes about an hour and a half: the cathedral on the old main square, the convents of La Concepción (with a huge 17th century cistern) and the Jesuits, the town hall and the old bridges. The Plaza Mayor museum, included in the ticket, has a model of the vanished city and covers its pre-Hispanic past too. There is a craft market at the site.

It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 to 5:30, with the ticket office closing at 4:30; guided tours must be booked by email. The paths are dirt and limestone, so wear proper shoes, and from April to December carry a rain jacket. The neighbourhood around the park has a poor reputation, so arrive and leave by taxi.