The Archeological Complex of Old Panama, also known as Panama Viejo, is the original site of the capital. It was settled in 1519, replacing the two cities of Santa María la Antigüa del Darién and Acla.

Panama Viejo is a World Heritage Site since 2003. Its streets, buildings, squares, and convents were partially destroyed in the sacking that the city suffered in 1671 at the hands of Henry Morgan, the notorious Welch privateer. However, the ancient buildings have reached a stable condition because of a multi-decade restoration effort led by the Patronage of Panama Viejo. Countless archeological findings on the site have been discovered and shown to the public since then.

In this excursion, we'll visit the archeological complex of the site up close and climb up its watchtower. We'll get to know the rich history of Panama Viejo in the museum, which spans 152 years as a Spanish site. At the same time, we'll bridge the colonial era to the Native American past of the area and cover essential information, like:

• The famous people who founded the city.
• The most important buildings and structures that survived the sacking.
• How Panama Viejo was used as a staging area by Francisco Pizarro to begin his exploration and subsequent conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru.
• The exploration of the old Cathedral Tower, with the option of climbing to the top.
• The abundance of archeological artifacts that we'll be able to see in the museum.
• The destruction of the city and eventual relocation to the site that is known today as Casco Antiguo.

The excursion takes approximately 3-hours to complete.

An included a 45 minutes master class, given at the school a few days prior to the excursion, will provide context and help the students get a better understanding of what they will see in the site.