Colon City tour: Exploring Caribbean roots, food and Afro culture
Description
Embark on an extraordinary journey to Colón, the enchanting hidden gem of Panama’s Caribbean coast! This captivating city tour invites you to dive deep into Colón’s rich tapestry of history, where a vibrant blend of cultures comes alive under the influence of the Caribbean. Delight your palate with mouthwatering cuisine and experience the warm hospitality of its friendly residents. As a bustling maritime city, Colón boasts stunning landmarks that tell the story of this remarkable place—the first city built entirely by the United States. Prepare to be charmed and inspired by every moment of your visit!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Colón was founded in 1850 by the Panama Railroad Company, on the swampy island of Manzanillo, originally called Aspinwall by the company. Within the city of Colón, we have several sites such as the Casco Antiguo de Colón, or Cristóbal, the latter created by the French canal company. As well as public spaces such as Paseo Washington and Paseo Lesseps. Also, within this historic center, some buildings are declared monuments, such as the Episcopal Church, Cristo a Orillas del Mar, the Washington Hotel, and the Morgan Battery at Fort Lesseps. we will be visiting all these places listed above on this wonderful experience
It is a promenade that runs through part of the city of Colon and contains healthy recreation areas for children and adults, bicycle paths and even a plaza for people who like to practice "skating." From this privileged place you can see the ships waiting to enter the Panama Canal and those heading towards the enormous port of Manzanillo with merchandise from all over the world.
Christ Church by the Sea is the oldest building in the city of Colón, Panama, and the first Gothic Revival church of its kind in Central America. It was popularly known as the Stone Church, founded in 1865 and built with stone. It sits in a prime location on the seafront on Washington Avenue, and is an important historical monument in the region.
Let's visit the famous Hotel Washington, which is situated in front of the stunning marine panorama of the Caribbean Sea, along the shores of Limón Bay on the legendary former Manzanillo Island ( Colon). This hotel has been renovated to showcase its majestic architectural beauty, inspired by the styles of the Spanish colonial era.
The Colon Cruise Port, also known as the Colon 2000 Terminal, is a key gateway for cruise passengers arriving in Panama. Conveniently located on the Caribbean coast at the entrance to the Panama Canal, the port is just a short distance from the historic city of Colon
Enjoy the amazing view of the cruise port while you do some shopping at the duty-free mall
It is the main free trade zone in the Western Hemisphere and one of the main multimodal redistribution logistics centers in the world.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The guide will be meeting you in the lobby of the hotel, Airbnb, or building, holding a sign with the company's logo and the lead passenger's name
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- It will take 1 hour and 15 mins to get to the place where we are conducting the experience and another hour and 15 mins to bring you back to your hotel
Reviews(84)
I had a great time with my guide for the day, Riggo! Fantastico! He was five minutes early for pick up (which I love), and although it was a solo trip, he kept the conversation going throughout the day with a good mix of his knowledge of Colon and overall pleasant and engaging personality. It was refreshing to be guided by someone whose roots are in Colon. While in Colon, he was greeted by many people as we toured everything from the first Episcopal church built for African descendants, to the north end of the canal, to Avenida Central (the most densely populated area for locals going about their daily lives). I understand that visiting an impoverished community may not be for everyone, but I never once felt unsafe. Be smart, dont be flashy, dress modestly, and you'll be fine. My perspective is one of a New Yorker, so I would say that if you are from the United States, be aware that your experience with the impoverished areas from the big city may seem mild compared to the financially challenged in a city/town like Colon. However, the lack of opportunity does not automatically translate into danger. Im sure that danger is there, but you wont be staring at it by simply going to market. While visiting the local produce/meat market, it was local business as usual, and conversation was there to be had. I also noticed many law enforcement officers sprinkled throughout Colon. We ended our tour with a visit to the very modern passenger ship terminal, geared primarily for tourists, where nice small restaurants and shopping are available . Being of Caribbean descent, this visit/tour of Colon was a part of the Panamanian experience that I could not miss, and if you have an appreciation for the Afro Caribbean/Afro Panamanian perspective, you shouldnt miss it either. Not exciting, but very real. Thank you Panama Adventures/Roderick y Mucho gracias Riggo!.
Riggo was an absolutely phenomenal tour guide and gave our group one of the best days of our entire trip to Panama. From beginning to end, he was knowledgeable, personable, patient, and genuinely passionate about sharing the Caribbean side of Panama with us. What really stood out was how flexible and accommodating he was. He took the time to clearly explain the history, culture, and significance of each place we visited, while allowing us to enjoy every stop without ever feeling rushed. The entire day felt authentic and personal rather than like a typical scripted tourist experience. Riggo’s knowledge and warm personality made the experience even more memorable. We learned so much about Panama’s Caribbean roots and culture while simply having a fantastic time together. If you’re visiting Panama and want an exceptional guide who will go above and beyond to make your day special, I cannot recommend Riggo highly enough. Five stars without hesitation! Thank you, Riggo, for an unforgettable experience and a truly phenomenal day!
What an amazing tour of Colón! You get to learn about the area and the Afro Panamanian history as well as having a super friendly guide who explains everything as well as talking to locals on the street and learning about the daily lives of the people! Rigo was soo nice and really treated us like family, 100% would recommend especially if you’re wanting to learn about the fellow Afro diaspora.
Roderick and Carlos were excellent. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone who wants to go to Colon. Roderick is phenomenal and would do the tour again!! We had a great time and we all loved it.
Our tour guide Riggo, was great. Very friendly knowledgeable and a great communicator. A Colon native, his pride, and love shines through. He really brought the city to life for us. We Loved it! We learned so much about Afro-Panamanian history, culture and experiences. The drive from PTY through the mountains is beautiful and mostly relaxing. I highly recommend visiting Colon with Riggio as your tour guide.
Roderick and Jorge make an excellent team. They are very knowledgeable, professional and operate with a great positive vibe! Their punctuality is refreshing and a major reason for their excellent customer service. This tour is an excellent value for the price. I strongly recommend this tour.
We had a great time learning about the history and people of Colon. The driver Ricky was on time, and a safe and hospitable driver. When we met Roderick we knew he was a good brother. He had good energy and helped us to learn about his beloved city. We had many stops during the four hour tour. I was able to get fruits that I wanted from the market, and we were able to see a variety of areas from church, schools, historic buildings and monuments. We really enjoyed the tour for the people, from the banter with a waitress to the singer who serenaded us in the mall. The best part of the tour was the food! My fish and juice was amazing and I will remember the flavor. I would recommend this tour for anyone who visits Panama and wants a well balanced understanding of the country.
Rigo was a friendly, knowledgeable guide who truly demonstrates his pride in being from Colon.
Colon is very small and historically and isignificant to the Afro - Caribbean culture in Panama. I enjoyed Ricco
Thank you so much for your kind words about this great experience and for choosing Panamanian Adventures as your go-to tour company in Panama! We truly appreciate your support!
The Colon City Tour was amazing. Our driver, Joaquin, picked us up on time and shared information about Panama on the drive. He is a very safe driver. Once we arrived in Colon we were met by our tour guide, Roderick. Roderick was fantastic! He is a native of Colon and extremely knowledgeable. He shared a great deal of information about the history of the city, culture, and changes that have occurred over the years. He even introduced us to a couple local celebrities. We visited all the major sites and a historical church with excellent informative commentary throughout the tour. The tour concluded with a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. I would highly encourage anyone with a desire see and learn more about Colon to take this tour.
Thank you so much for your kind words about this great experience and for choosing Panamanian Adventures as your go-to tour company in Panama! We truly appreciate your support!
