Casco Viejo Panama – The Four Tulips

The restaurant scene in Casco Antiguo, Panama represents some of the best and most innovative cuisine in the entire country. From prefix shee-shee menus to simple outdoor cafes, there’s something for just about everyone behind these walls.

Where else in Panama can you sit beneath centuries-old stone walls or next to historically preserved monuments? Where can you go out for a night of theater and sour sangria by the sea? The emerging restaurant scene in Casco Antiguo, while already firmly established, is making great strides in the nation’s culinary market.

Old Town is not for everyone. Pre-construction condominiums in the city and sprawling beach resorts on the Pacific coast are for the masses. If you’re looking for an everyday vacation, the kind of place that could exist on almost any tropical shoreline, then this may not be the place for you.

But think of the picturesque squares of Europe. Think beautifully aged balconies and drooping bougainvillea. Think of Cuba, think of Cartagena, think of New Orleans (minus the crazy girls).

Casco Antiguo might just be the most exclusive corner of Panama: a neighborhood that has hardly any midway travel features left in its tank. This is a place for romantic travelers and investors for whom the glitter of all-inclusive resorts and the glitter of lofts are anything but extraordinary.

Hop on a double-decker tour bus if you want. Eat at tourist restaurants and shop at tourist malls – the same places you’ve vacationed year after year. However, those who find their way to the Old Town are the ones who won’t forget.