There was a time, not very long ago, when most people avoided the Casco Antiguo.
Panama’s oldest surviving downtown—the first settlement was abandoned after pirate attacks centuries ago—had, like many neighborhoods, gone downhill, gotten ugly and even became dangerous. But today, the Casco (as it’s frequently called by locals and in-the-know visitors) has become a hot spot for Panama City’s hip and stylish younger set. If you’re looking for Millennial and Gen Y travel trends in Panama, this is one of the best places to find it.
So what’s attracting these newcomers? A range of public and private investment has brought new life to the Casco Antiguo. Streets have been redone and once-abandoned buildings have been spruced up and reopened as decidedly cool restaurants, bars and hotels.
Among the most celebrated examples of the neighborhood’s renaissance is the 50-room American Trade Hotel, which opened in 2013 as the Latin American debut of Atelier Ace, from the creative team behind U.S.-based Ace Hotels.
Housed in a former department store building that was later abandoned and used by gangs, the property today is one of the most attractive places to hang out in the neighborhood, with a jazz club and restaurant on-site. For meeting planners, the American Trade offers the 5,210-square-foot American Trade Hall, an adjacent building that was originally a branch of the National City Bank of New York, financier of the Panama Canal.
Other hotels in the neighborhood are smaller but equally attractive, including Las Clementinas, set in a 1930s apartment building, and the Canal House, which served as the luxurious digs for Daniel Craig during the filming of the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.
Francisco Marquez, a 30-year-old expert on the Casco Antiguo who’s worked in various cultural institutions, has witnessed the evolution of the area.
“The local government and the office of the Casco Antiguo, which is responsible for the administration and conversation of the patrimony of the neighborhood, work to regulate and control the businesses that are developing here, so it’s as organized as possible,” he says.
But it’s not the regulation that attracts the younger generations; it’s the style and the activities.
“Today, there are restaurants with a variety of delights for every taste, as well as bars with famous after-work specials and two-for-one offers, which are a way to attract customers after they get out of work, to enjoy the fresh breeze and bohemian ambience of the Casco,” Marquez says. “The Casco is a cultural hub, where there is still a lot of work that must be done, but it’s becoming more interesting with each newly restored building.
Part of the appeal for younger adults is likely the variety of price points available in the neighborhood. Even today, it maintains interesting contrasts, Marquez notes.
“In the neighborhood one can find fondas—restaurants with traditional cuisine—with $3.50 dishes, and also [restaurants with] $7 to $15 lunches,” he says.
Nightlife is an important part of the social scene for many Millennials, and the Casco offers lots of options for that, too. Night owls can enjoy cocktails at places like Tantalo, a hotel and restaurant with a scenic rooftop bar, or a pricier night out at Danilo’s, the jazz club at the American Trade Hotel.
“The bars are all close to each other, so it’s easy to go bar-hopping, making your own bar route, while being secure thanks to the special police in the area, as well as the tourist police,” Marquez says.
