What are the expats like in the Panama City, Panama area of Casco Viejo?
Lourdes Townshend
Panamá has many attractions as a country, and each town has its individuality. Each and every one of them are very well accepted by expats from different regions of the planet, mostly the US, Canada and Eastern Europe.
And expats not only enjoy the relaxing, family-oriented and unique lifestyle, but also the environmental benefits like excellent weather, coast to coast ocean views everywhere, black sand beaches, mountains, hills, rivers and green...
Panamá has many attractions as a country, and each town has its individuality. Each and every one of them are very well accepted by expats from different regions of the planet, mostly the US, Canada and Eastern Europe.
And expats not only enjoy the relaxing, family-oriented and unique lifestyle, but also the environmental benefits like excellent weather, coast to coast ocean views everywhere, black sand beaches, mountains, hills, rivers and green wherever you go, in combination with modern technology, malls, medical care and all the benefits that globalization brings.
Casco Viejo, as part of Panamá City, is not the exception. Expats love the narrow colonial streets in the area, not only because of their well taken care old balconies with flowers, but also because of cultural events at the National Theater, excellent gourmet cuisine throughout many little restaurants, ocean breezes and birds flying around like hundreds of sea gulls, international visitors coming to the Presidential Palace or walking by the Bóvedas, which used to be a fort against the pirates when Panama was a colony.
Expats get together for lunch and continue to the causeway for a walk, bikeriding or simply enjoying a beautiful day with friends.
Properly said, not many expats actually live inside Casco Viejo... but many live in Panamá city, just minutes away.
Posted December 12, 2013
Rey Bazán
(Casco Viejo and Casco Antiguo are different 
names for the same place.)
The people moving into Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo tend to be more the Europeans then the Americans. There are Italians, French, Spaniards, then North Americans and other Latin Americans—Venezuelans, Colombians, Argentineans, and Brazilians. Americans tend to prefer more of the modern high rises, the beaches, etc. that they can get in other parts of Panama.
The American expats...
names for the same place.)The people moving into Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo tend to be more the Europeans then the Americans. There are Italians, French, Spaniards, then North Americans and other Latin Americans—Venezuelans, Colombians, Argentineans, and Brazilians. Americans tend to prefer more of the modern high rises, the beaches, etc. that they can get in other parts of Panama.
The American expats...
(Casco Viejo and Casco Antiguo are different names for the same place.)
The people moving into Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo tend to be more the Europeans then the Americans. There are Italians, French, Spaniards, then North Americans and other Latin Americans—Venezuelans, Colombians, Argentineans, and Brazilians. Americans tend to prefer more of the modern high rises, the beaches, etc. that they can get in other parts of Panama.
The American expats in Casco Viejo tend to stick together; they tend to feel comfortable being with people who speak English. Very few speak Spanish and very few want to make that leap to learn more Spanish. They tend to have their own activities. They also tend not to venture out as much as the American expats do in other parts of Panama; they just enjoy living in Casco Viejo. It’s like a renaissance here in Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo, with classic buildings of the 1700s through 1900s. Casco Viejo is a very “in spot” now for entertainment, fine dining, and bars.
The European expats, by contrast, are a little more adventurous than the American expats. They see in Casco Antiguo sort of a little but slightly different version of Europe.
names for the same place.)The people moving into Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo tend to be more the Europeans then the Americans. There are Italians, French, Spaniards, then North Americans and other Latin Americans—Venezuelans, Colombians, Argentineans, and Brazilians. Americans tend to prefer more of the modern high rises, the beaches, etc. that they can get in other parts of Panama.
The American expats in Casco Viejo tend to stick together; they tend to feel comfortable being with people who speak English. Very few speak Spanish and very few want to make that leap to learn more Spanish. They tend to have their own activities. They also tend not to venture out as much as the American expats do in other parts of Panama; they just enjoy living in Casco Viejo. It’s like a renaissance here in Casco Viejo / Casco Antiguo, with classic buildings of the 1700s through 1900s. Casco Viejo is a very “in spot” now for entertainment, fine dining, and bars.
The European expats, by contrast, are a little more adventurous than the American expats. They see in Casco Antiguo sort of a little but slightly different version of Europe.
Posted August 3, 2014
Terry Bradford
The expats in Casco Viejo, a district in Panama City, Panama are generally well traveled and sophisticated. Some of the buildings in Casco Viejo were built in the 1600’s and they were renovated very nicely. They are very colorful and elegant. The people who live in Casco Viejo are more avant-garde and some are bohemian. These are people who have made some money for themselves and are now living a relaxed lifestyle. It is very expensive to live in Casco Viejo, but that area of...
The expats in Casco Viejo, a district in Panama City, Panama are generally well traveled and sophisticated. Some of the buildings in Casco Viejo were built in the 1600’s and they were renovated very nicely. They are very colorful and elegant. The people who live in Casco Viejo are more avant-garde and some are bohemian. These are people who have made some money for themselves and are now living a relaxed lifestyle. It is very expensive to live in Casco Viejo, but that area of Panama City is really safe. As a woman, you can walk down the streets alone at night and be really safe.
People in Casco Viejo are very respectful and joyful. They socialize with you; they are a warm group of people. In fact, that is how most expats are like here in Panama. You would meet someone at the grocery store, for example, and they would help you with your Spanish, because their Spanish is better and the next thing you know, you are already talking about the different countries you moved from.
There is one lady who we met at a French restaurant in Casco Viejo a few days ago, and she was from Orange County like we were. She has been in Panama for twenty years and she lives in Casco Viejo. In fact, when we first moved here, we went to Casco Viejo in the middle square to take some photos and I noticed a family of three there: the husband and wife and their kid standing in the middle. So I walked up to them, which I normally do, and asked if they would like me to take a photo of them together. I took a couple of pictures for them and we got to talking and we found out that they were from Orange County and from Newport Beach, too. They even lived around the corner from us in California! So you will never really know who you will run into.
Posted October 24, 2014
Diana Chacon
There are lots of foreign people in Casco Viejo. Every time I go there, I see a lot of people that I know are not Panamanians. You know immediately just by looking at the color of their skin, their hair, and their eyes. I am not sure if they are living in Casco Viejo or Panama City or if they are just visitors, but when I see them, they seem to be very happy. They are there in Casco chilling, having a good time, and walking around enjoying the view and the place. There are lots of foreign people in Casco Viejo. Every time I go there, I see a lot of people that I know are not Panamanians. You know immediately just by looking at the color of their skin, their hair, and their eyes. I am not sure if they are living in Casco Viejo or Panama City or if they are just visitors, but when I see them, they seem to be very happy. They are there in Casco chilling, having a good time, and walking around enjoying the view and the place. Posted December 4, 2014
Patrizia Pinzon - Arco Properties
Casco Viejo attracts a certain type of person, whether they are from abroad or not. Most foreigners here have the same characteristics. For example, many have lived in areas that are similar to Casco Viejo, perhaps in Europe, where you have a lot of neighborhoods that are historic, and they enjoy that. It’s a very European type of lifestyle here. If they’re from the States, they will be people from places like Brooklyn or maybe Soho, who have seen how these neighborhoods...Casco Viejo attracts a certain type of person, whether they are from abroad or not. Most foreigners here have the same characteristics. For example, many have lived in areas that are similar to Casco Viejo, perhaps in Europe, where you have a lot of neighborhoods that are historic, and they enjoy that. It’s a very European type of lifestyle here. If they’re from the States, they will be people from places like Brooklyn or maybe Soho, who have seen how these neighborhoods have changed. They have seen little neighborhoods revitalized and they lived in it and they liked it. It’s just a very common psychographic. Posted January 23, 2015
David De Franco Levi - DEFRANCORP- Business Consultants
There are a lot of people from all over the world who go to Casco Viejo. Everybody is going to be in the same position as a tourist because they are all not from the country and most of them do not speak Spanish. Pretty much, the expats in Casco Viejo are nice, friendly, and they are not aggressive. They have their eyes and ears open for new experiences. I have never heard of any expat who has been attacked or treated badly in Casco Viejo.
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There are a lot of people from all over the world who go to Casco Viejo. Everybody is going to be in the same position as a tourist because they are all not from the country and most of them do not speak Spanish. Pretty much, the expats in Casco Viejo are nice, friendly, and they are not aggressive. They have their eyes and ears open for new experiences. I have never heard of any expat who has been attacked or treated badly in Casco Viejo.
Casco Viejo is a very bohemian place. It also has a very entrepreneurial vibe to it. So it is like a mix between Silicon Valley and Barcelona. The expats in Casco Viejo are usually younger than the expats in the retirement communities. They are probably between 20 and 50 years old.
(Walkway in Casco Viejo, Panama, pictured.)
Posted July 1, 2015