Author's tour "Panama City-Anton Valley-Fortress of San Lorenzo"

Breakfast in the hotel. Departure for an excursion to El Vaye de Anton - Anton Valley at 08.00 am. The "Anton Valley" received its name in honor of the stratovolcano "El Valle de Anton Caldera", which has a radius of 6 km and was formed about 1.1–1.3 million years ago. And several thousand years ago people settled here. Now the city of El Valle de Anton is located in this caldera. The capital of Panama and the province of Panama are two completely different worlds. Busy metropolitan life is the face of modern Panama. Traditional Panama is calm and quiet, cozy, leisurely and very welcoming. The city is located in a volcanic crater. There are no more than a dozen places on the planet where people would settle in the crater of a volcano. There is one like this in Panama. There is a unique climate here, very mild and comfortable, almost always spring. Throughout the year, the average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, and the nighttime average temperature is 20 degrees, with slight variations between summer and winter. There are many attractions in the El Vale de Anton valley: the Central Market (a more colorful place cannot be found), where they sell vegetables, fruits, souvenirs, flowers, including orchids. It is especially crowded and interesting here on Sunday, when residents of surrounding villages come with their goods. It is they who are engaged in the manufacture of ceramics, sculptures and dishes from local tree species, products from soapstone, which is rarely found anywhere on the planet; it is found in two places: India and Panama. Local sweets made from coconut and products made from semi-precious stones mined in the surrounding mountains are sold here. The population of the town is mainly descended from the indigenous Guaymi tribe. They lived in these places even before the arrival of European conquerors. A unique symbol of the valley is the “Sleeping Indian” mountain, named after a girl about whom the legend is passed down from generation to generation. At the market you can find a lot of souvenirs with images of this mountain. Another attraction is the Chorro del Macho waterfall, the largest in the area, the water falls from a height of 70 meters. There are canopy trails over the falls. Those who wish can go up to the first platform together with instructors and go down on the ropes. One of the 130-meter wide spans just passes over the waterfall, and right in the middle they will stop you to take a photo as a souvenir. The view from above of the cloudy rainforest is very breathtaking. Downstream there is a natural pool with running water where you can take a swim. In hot weather this is especially pleasant. Water temperature 26-28 degrees. During the tour you will also visit the private zoo and botanical garden "El Nispero". **Lunch is not included in the excursion. An on-site guide will give recommendations for restaurants. Canopy tour for an additional fee

At 08.00 in the morning we will depart for the Caribbean coast. Having moved to the right side of the canal, through the new bridge, opened on August 2, 2019, we will proceed to the San Lorenzo nature reserve, where at the very edge of the land, on a cliff, at an altitude of 25 meters above sea level, rises the majestic fortress of San Lorenzo, built by the Spaniards in 1596 year. It offers magnificent views of the Caribbean Sea and the mouth of the Chagres River. The Caribbean coast of Panama with beautiful wild beaches, islands, and bays preserves the history of the great conquests of the conquistadors and daring pirate attacks. The names of Francis Drake, Henry Morgan, Edward Vernon and other filibusters are inextricably linked with the fortresses of San Lorenzo and Portobelo. To protect his treasures from the attacks of sea robbers, the Spanish King Philip II ordered the construction of a number of fortresses on the Caribbean coast, most of which have survived to this day: San Lorenzo, San Jeronimo, Santiago de la Gloria, San Fernando and San Fernandin. In 1980, all the colonial buildings and fortresses of the 17th-18th centuries on the Caribbean coast of Panama were included by UNESCO in the list of cultural heritage of humanity. During this excursion we will also visit the new Agua Clara lock on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal. The Agua Clara Gateway is a new gateway that began operating on June 26, 2016. Large ships called PANAMAX or NEOPANAMAX pass through it from the Caribbean Sea. The operating principle is the same as the old locks: lowering or raising ships 26 meters above sea level. This gateway has three chambers. The visitor center is located on a cliff, which makes it very convenient to watch the movement of ships. Telescopes installed. And you can see Lake Gatun and you can see the ships that are standing in it and waiting for their turn to enter the canal. The Visitor Center shows a film about the construction of this lock. Inspection and return to Panama City by car. The journey takes about 2 hours. Arrival in Panama City. **Lunch is not included in the price. Based on the recommendation of the guide on site

Breakfast in the hotel. Departure for a sightseeing tour of Panama City at 08.00 am The city of Panama City, founded by conquistadors in the 16th century, was the first Spanish city and port on the Pacific coast. Today there are two cities in the country: Old Panama (Panama Viejo) and New Panama. In Old Panama there are continuous ruins of cathedrals from the early 17th century, monasteries, and bridges. New Panama is a beautiful modern city, a special part of which is the well-preserved Colonial part (Casco Antiguo), where there are many buildings from that era. This part of New Panama is declared a historical heritage of humanity and is under the protection of UNESCO. The 6-hour city tour includes a visit to the Panama Viejo Archaeological Park and museum. We will also visit ancient and modern parts of the city. We will visit the residential area of the canal - the former zone where the Americans lived who were engaged in the construction of the canal, and one of the most beautiful streets of the capital - Balboa Boulevard, stretching along the coast of the Gulf of Panama. Casco Antiguo is a colorful area of the city with narrow streets, squares and parks, where much of the history of the country has been preserved to this day, experiencing once again revival and reconstruction. We will visit the National Theater - one of the most expressive examples of neoclassicism in Panama. We will walk along Plaza de France, visit the Church of San Jose and learn about the history of the salvation of its unique Golden Altar, and we will be able to look at the wonderful composition about the birth of Christ, installed for Christmas 2017. On Bolivar Square stands a monument to the Liberator Simon Bolivar, a national hero of many countries in Central and South America. Next, our route goes to Cathedral Square, where the Cathedral stands, opened after restoration in 2019, the Panama Canal Museum and the Municipal Palace are located. Next we will proceed to Amador Spit - the most amazing area of Panama City, which was previously three separate islands in the ocean: Naos, Perico and Flamenco. Lunch is not included in the excursion. An on-site guide will give recommendations for restaurants. After the end of the excursion, transfer to the airport. Departure further along the route