Fodor's Expert Review Plaza Mayor

Vía Cincuentenaria curves to the left in front of what was once the city's Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza), a simple cobbled square backed by a stone tower that is the only part of Panamá Viejo that has undergone any significant renovation. Show your admission ticket for the Visitor Center at the entrance here, or buy a separate ticket to enter the plaza alone. Climb the metal staircase inside the Torre de la Catedral (Cathedral Tower)—the former bell tower of Panama's original cathedral—for a view of the surrounding ruins. The structure just south of the tower was once the city hall; walls to the north and east are all that remain of homes, a church, and a convent. The extensive ruins are shaded by tropical trees, which attract plenty of birds, so the nature and scenery are as much of an attraction as the ancient walls.