Colón, Panama

Colonial Heritage & Panama Canal Locks

Sixteenth-Century Citadel and Modern Marvel Journey through Panama’s past and present while touring a once-mighty fortress and a feat of modern engineering. Begin with a visit to the ruins of Fort San Lorenzo, a 16th-century Spanish citadel that sits at the mouth of the Chagres River, overlooking the Caribbean Sea and surrounded by 30,000 acres of protected rainforest. Learn about the fortress’s turbulent history from your guide as you explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and enjoy striking views of your surroundings. After lunch, you will head to the Agua Clara Visitors Center to learn more about this engineering marvel and the massive Panama Canal Expansion Project, which doubled the waterway’s capacity and was completed in June 2016. Here, you might have the opportunity to observe massive cargo ships transiting the canal from mere feet away as they pass through the 1.7 miles of lock structures along this stretch of water. * Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.