Portobello Panama

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Portobello is the jumping off point for Caribbean Coast activity nearest to Panama City. Just under two hours from Panama City, Portobello is an access point to several marina projects in construction on this lovely Caribbean Coastline.

For scuba diving lovers, Portobello has one of the best areas of Panamanian Caribbean coast reefs, close the coast and not too deep. In this area several scuba diving schools have been established.

Portobello is also one of Panama's richest historical sites.  Pirates, including the famous Henry Morgan, were frequent visitors to this town when Spain was using it as a shipping center for valuable loot. Several forts were constructed to protect this natural harbor and these ruins remain today.

The most interesting and historic ruins are also the ones most accessible to the visitor. The forts of Santiago and San Geronimo are each but a 5-minute walk from the pier. Even closer is the "Customs House", built in 1630, the remains of the church of La Merced, and the church of San Felipe, the last building to be built by the Spaniards. It was inaugurated in 1814. Its most carefully guarded and priceless relic is a beautifully carved statue of Jesus of Nazareth which, because of the dark wood from which it is made, is known as the "Black Christ".

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