Explore Casco Viejo, Panama City’s historic district and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Commissioned by Antonio Fernández de Córdoba in 1673, Casco Viejo was built after the destruction of Panama City in 1671 at the hands of infamous pirate captain, Henry Morgan. Today, the district is home to not only the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, but also numerous other historic landmarks including the National Theatre of Panama, the Church of San Jose, and the Old Panama Cathedral.

Take a bike ride along the Calzada de Amador, also known as the Amador Causeway. Built in 1913 with rocks and soil left from the construction of the Panama Canal, the Amador Causeway links Panama City with four islands: Naos, Perico, Culebra and Flamenco. The Amador Causeway is also home to one of Panama’s best museums, the Biomuseum. Dedicated to Panama’s spectacular biodiversity, the museum features eight exhibits exploring the country’s geology, natural history, and more.

Visit The Panama Canal, a 48-mile-wide ship canal that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific. Opening for the first time on August 15, 1913 after taking some 10 years to complete, The Panama Canal played a large, important role in assisting world trade and making the United States a world leader and power. The canal enabled ships to pass through the America’s without having to brave the long trip around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America. Visit the Canal Museum nearby the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo for more details about this historic innovation in engineering. Photos, site plans, and interesting artifacts from the construction are all on display.