• Discover Panama City's curious blend of old Spain, modern America and the eastern bazaar. The historic old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of narrow, cobble-stoned streets and colonial buildings.

• While in Panama City, see the Plaza de Francia, the Paseo de las Bóvedas along the massive stone wall, San José Church, with its magnificent golden Baroque altar, and the Santo Domingo Church, next to which is the Museum of Colonial Religious Art.

• Visit the President's Palace, the most impressive building in Panama City; and further along the waterfront take a turn around the colourful public market. Then explore the fascinating Museum of the Panamanian Man north of the market.

• Take an excursion to the ruins of Panama Viejo, including the square tower of the old cathedral, 6km (4 miles) from the capital. This is the original Panama City, sacked in 1671 by celebrated Welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan, who helped undermine Spanish control of their colonies.

• Visit the interesting Panama Canal Museum in the Casco Viejo area. The canal was opened in 1914, and an average transit takes eight hours to complete. On 31 December 1999, Panama took over full control of the canal from the USA.

• Take a day trip from Panama City to the island of Barro Colorado in Gatun Lake, a vast manmade stretch of water created during construction of the Panama Canal. The island is a biological reserve and reputed to be one of the world's leading natural tropical laboratories.

• Marvel at Chiriquí Province's scenery, characterised by volcanic highlands, with many waterfalls, rivers and spectacular mountain scenery, known for its cattle and thoroughbred horses, as well as banana and coffee plantations.

• Notice Panama's Spanish legacy in Portobelo, a colonial garrison town with three large stone forts facing the harbour. Also in town are an old Spanish cannon, and the treasure house where gold and silver from Peru and Bolivia were stored before being shipped to Spain.

• Learn about tropical flora and fauna in the Gamboa Tropical Rainforest Reserve and the Soberanía National Park. The Antón Valley (El Valle de Antón) is also famous for its orchids.

• Roam the Darién National Park in the sparsely populated wilderness of the Darién Gap, which contains an exceptional variety of habitats, ranging from sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves and swamps to tropical rainforest. The park is also home to two Choco Indian tribes.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.