THE TEN TOP THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN PANAMA CITY 1.CITY TOURS VISIT THE THREE PANAMA CITIES: THE RUINS OF THE 16TH CENTURY ORIGINAL CITY, CASCO VIEJO, THE COLONIAL CITY AND THE MODERN SKYSCRAPER CITY. 2.THE PANAMA CANAL A MEGA ATTRACTION--ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. YOU CAN GET TO THE CANAL IN JUST 30 MINUTES FROM YOUR DOWNTOWN HOTEL. THE PLACE TO GO SEE IT IS CALLED MIRAFLORES LOCKS WHERE THERE IS A VIEWING DECK AND THE MIRAFLORES VISITOR CENTER, A STATE-OF-THE-ART MUSEUM WITH INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS OF THE CANAL'S HISTORY, PEOPLE AND ECOSYSTEM. ADMISSION IS $10 WHICH GIVES YOU ACCESS TO A TERRACE VIEW OF THE LOCKS SEVERAL STORIES ABOVE. FOR A SPECIAL CANAL EXPERIENCE COMBINE YOUR VISIT WITH A MEAL AT THE MIRAFLORES RESTAURANT WITH ITS EXTRAORDINARY VIEWS OF SHIPS PASS THROUGH THE LOCKS AS YOU DINE. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO TAKE A MINI-CRUISE IN THE PANAMA CANAL AS A DAY TRIP 3.PANAMA VIEJO, CASCO VIEJO & HISTORICAL TOURS PANAMA HAS ONE OF LATIN AMERICA'S RICHEST HISTORIES, WITH IMPRESSIVE PRE-COLONIAL INDIAN CULTURES, AS THE CROSSROADS OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE, THE PRIME TARGET OF HISTORY'S MOST FAMOUS PIRATES AND THE SITE OF ONE OF MAN'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS- THE PANAMA CANAL. MOST CITY TOURS INCLUDE QUICK VISITS TO THE PANAMA CITY'S MAIN HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS. IF YOU ARE A HISTORY BUFF OR JUST ENJOY HISTORICAL TOURS IT IS WORTHWHILE TO HIRE A TOUR OPERATOR TO GIVE YOU AN EXTENDED HISTORICAL TOUR OF THE PANAMA CITY'S HISTORICAL SITES IN PANAMA VIEJA (THE ORIGINAL PANAMA CITY) AND COLONIAL CASCO VIEJO ( OLD CITY) SECTOR. PANAMA VIEJO WAS THE GATEWAY CITY FOR THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF LATIN AMERICA, ONCE A THRIVING CITY OF 10,000. TODAY'S EXTENSIVE RUINS ARE THE RESULT OF BATTLES WITH THE ENGLISH PIRATE HENRY MORGAN IN 1671. THERE IS A EXCELLENT NEW MUSEUM NEAR THE SITE, BUT GO WITH SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS SPANISH, BECAUSE THE EXHIBITS ARE MOSTLY IN SP?NISH.CASCO VIEJO IS THE SPANISH COLONIAL CITY ESTABLISHED IN 1671 AFTER THE DOWNFALL OF PANAMA V