Central America

Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala, famous for its Spanish Baroque architecture. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1979, it is also renown for its wonderful colonial churches. 

The city's horizon is dominated by three volcanoes , the Volcan de Agua – Volcano of Water, Acatenango and the Volcan de Fuego – Volcano of Fire, the last one famous for being constantly active at a low intensity.

The city, also known as La Antigua, is a great tourist destination in Guatemala as it is close to  the capital, Guatemala City, but is much safer and calmer, with more tourist oriented activities.


The most important ruins and tourist highlights in Antigua include the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales and the Catedral de San José - Saint Joseph Cathedral . This building was completed at the end of the 17th century, and has been rebuilt a couple of times ever since. In its current form, it is only a fraction of the size of the original building, and most of the ruins are open to public. Similarly the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales is only a small part of what was originally a much larger complex.
The City Hall was one of the few buildings to survive the 1773 Santa Marta earthquakes more or less intact, and now houses the Museum of the Old Book (El Libro Antiguo) and the Museo de Santiago.
Other popular tourist attractions in Antigua Guatemala include San Francisco Church, Santo Domingo Monastery, La Merced Church.

 

Belize City

 The former capital of British Honduras, Belize Town was founded in mid 17th century by  British sailors on the site of a small Mayan city called Hulzuz. It was the main port in the region for the export of logwood and mahogany, brought to the Caribbean coast on the Belize River.

 In October 1961, when Hurricane Hattie hit the coast, the city was almost completely destroyed. The government was later moved inland to Belmopan, Belize's capital city today.

 Fort George is perhaps the most colonial area in Belize City and contains the Memorial Park, the Baron Bliss Grave and Bliss Lighthouse and the Museum of Belize.

 Built in 1812, St John's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Belize. This historical landmark was the first church to be built in the colony of  British Honduras and attracts many tourists.

 Though it isn't the country's capital anymore, Belize City remains a lively city well worth the time to explore.

 

Panama

Located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, Panama City was founded in August 15, 1519 by Pedro Arias de Avila.
The ruins of the old quarter form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Archaeological site of Panama Viejo and Historic District of Panama, which was added to the list in 1997.
The old quarter of the city - the Casco Viejo - has the best of the old architecture. The tourist attractions in Panama include the cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral, the French Embassy, the National Institute of Culture and The Vaults, a beautiful waterfront promenade

Even before the construction of the canal, Panama was an important gateway between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific because it was the shortest land crossing. But the completion of the canal in August 1914 led to substantial growth.

Panama city is rapidly developing, with one of the highest rates of skyscrapers in the world. The former canal area, once out of bounds to non US citizens, is becoming a tourist attraction itself. The city's museums, nightlife, culture and shopping are among the very best in South or Central America.

 

 

 

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