What's retirement in the Panama City, Panama area of Casco Viejo like?
Nelson Vega
As a Panamanian, I believe that Casco Viejo is not an ideal place for retirement. This area of the city attracts many tourists, and the number of restaurants, nights clubs, museums, hotels and other attractions have increased a lot in the last years and continue to do so. During the weekends the area gets very crowded.
However, Casco Viejo is a great place to visit to learn a lot about Panama history, to enjoy a nice dinner at one of their many restaurants or...
As a Panamanian, I believe that Casco Viejo is not an ideal place for retirement. This area of the city attracts many tourists, and the number of restaurants, nights clubs, museums, hotels and other attractions have increased a lot in the last years and continue to do so. During the weekends the area gets very crowded.
However, Casco Viejo is a great place to visit to learn a lot about Panama history, to enjoy a nice dinner at one of their many restaurants or to participate in many of the cultural events that take place there through out the year.
Posted May 26, 2014
Lourdes Townshend
Retirement in Panamá
Rather than concentrate my ideas of retirement in Casco Viejo, I will concentrate in the city of Panamá, in general, as Casco Viejo is only a very small neighborhood inside the city.
Panamá is a fine place for retirement. It offers it all, if you are seeking a relaxing way of life, and at the same time, a better option for a quality life at a lower price, even in you live on Social...
Retirement in Panamá
Rather than concentrate my ideas of retirement in Casco Viejo, I will concentrate in the city of Panamá, in general, as Casco Viejo is only a very small neighborhood inside the city.
Panamá is a fine place for retirement. It offers it all, if you are seeking a relaxing way of life, and at the same time, a better option for a quality life at a lower price, even in you live on Social Security. At the same time, you have the opportunity to experience, first hand, the biodiversity and abundance of exuberant vegetation and nature.
Even though the city of Panamá is a very modern and cosmopolitan city, with high rise buildings everywhere (especially in Punta Pacífica, Punta Paitilla, San Francisco, Marbella, Cangrejo and Costa del Este, similar to New York or Miami Beach), it offers unique things, like a combination of culture between old and modern. Panamá is like a nest...where all the chickens can live together hand in hand, in harmony, and under any budget. There is a complete acceptance of different races, creeds and beliefs. Seniors are respected and laws protect them from abuses, as well providing seniors with various discounts on the major and basic needs, like restaurants, movies, hotels and airline tickets.
Due to the thousands of people who has settled in Panamá lately, prices have risen quite a bit inside the city, especially in Casco Viejo, which is considered under special law due to it's colonial architecture. But still, Panamá remains as a tremendous attraction for a living experience. Several international organizations have named Panamá as the #1 destination in the world.
It is a phenomenon..... everyone wants to come to Panamá, for one reason or another. Women love to come for shopping, as there are several stores that offer anything and everything at ridiculously low prices. There are five major malls only in the city. And we are not counting everything that is offered outside the city...like beaches, resorts, mountains, beautiful residential areas and nature. Men love the corporate world, and investment opportunities. Children do not change in this city for anything .... their social life is so amused. And one thing here is that children remain with same friends from kindergarten through high school, and sometimes, they even go further...and maintain their friendships through attending the university.
The tropical and seasonal fruits and vegetables are delightful. There are places everywhere where you can go and buy them fresh every day, same as just made bread, at wonderful prices.
Of course, as a modern city, there are very expensive stores and other things, if you choose them. You can always go for a special ride to a unique island, or a boat ride by the bay. But, on a typical day, you can get up very early, smell the flowers, enjoy a gorgeous sunrise, go for walk or jogging at Parque Omar (a huge community park in the city) or by the "Cinta Costera" (the nicest boulevard by Panamá Bay), or just go to the beach, or have a BBQ on your terrace.....because every day is a beautiful summer day (except that some days when it rains from May to November).
Who doesn´t want to enjoy a place like this? In addition, friendly people and wonderful visitors from all over the world are willing to enjoy with you everything that Panamá has to offer. Besides, where else in the world can you go scuba diving in two oceans the same day, only 45 minutes apart? Only in Panamá.
Returning to Casco Viejo, it is a colonial place, with narrow brick streets and beautiful old buildings, like the gold altar church of San José (St. Joseph), the Presidential Palace, other churches, government buildings, hotels, many picturesque restaurants, cute arts & crafts stores, the French Embassy, the "Bóvedas" (a beautiful old Spanish fort with a marvelous view of the city) and some renovated two- story houses... others are still pending for renovation. Parking is a little difficult here.
Posted June 3, 2014
Pedro Torres
Personally, I would love to retire in a place like Casco Viejo because out there, you are close to everything. There is nightlife, but it is not like the kind of parties they have in South Beach, Miami. Living in Casco Viejo is not like living on Ocean Drive. There are restaurants and there are parties that you can go to in Casco Viejo, but they are not the types of parties that will disturb your peace and quiet. In Casco Viejo, you have the best...
Personally, I would love to retire in a place like Casco Viejo because out there, you are close to everything. There is nightlife, but it is not like the kind of parties they have in South Beach, Miami. Living in Casco Viejo is not like living on Ocean Drive. There are restaurants and there are parties that you can go to in Casco Viejo, but they are not the types of parties that will disturb your peace and quiet. In Casco Viejo, you have the best of both worlds.
In Casco Viejo, there are several markets where you can buy fresh produce in the mornings where everything is fresh every single day. Retirees can just walk around and go shopping for fresh produce every day. During weekends, you will also find people who sell handicrafts and different kinds of arts.
Retirement in Casco Viejo is pretty relaxed. It is by the sea, so you have a beautiful view. You have access to Cinta Costera, where you can exercise. It goes over the ocean, so it is a very nice place to retire.
Posted January 7, 2015
Patrizia Pinzon - Arco Properties
Judging from the retirees that I have seen here in Casco Viejo, we have a psychographic and not a demographic profile. People here have a specific spirit, like being adventurous and romantic, regardless of their age, and they connect the same way. The people who you see are the baby boomers type. You’ll see them walking with friends and walking the dogs and being involved in community activities. They meet at restaurants and cafes because it is...
Judging from the retirees that I have seen here in Casco Viejo, we have a psychographic and not a demographic profile. People here have a specific spirit, like being adventurous and romantic, regardless of their age, and they connect the same way. The people who you see are the baby boomers type. You’ll see them walking with friends and walking the dogs and being involved in community activities. They meet at restaurants and cafes because it is easy to do here in Casco Viejo. They do as much as they want or as little as they want. If they need help, they just bring out their phones and call any number of people. (Casa Solado gallery in Casco Viejo, pictured.)
Posted January 23, 2015