- Year of foundation: 1502
Panama is not only a world transport hub, but also part of Central America, where once landed on the next expedition Christopher Columbus. And these places began a new historical era. Fort Portobelo on the coast is one of the attractions of the times of development of America.
Acquaintance with Fort Portobelo
Fort Portobello these days are some remnants of a Spanish fortress that is near the now port city of Portobelo in northern Panama. It is territorially the province of Colon and the coast of the Caribbean Sea. In translation, the name of the city means "a beautiful harbor", which is actual today. In addition to attractive seascapes, the bay has a very convenient and safe depth for entering and mooring ships.
At the bottom of the bay lie the remains of several dozen old ships. Due to this fact, it is always possible to meet here many divers, archeologists and hunters for pirate and Indian treasures.
What is interesting about the fort?
Fort Portobello was built by the Spaniards to protect the coastal settlement from raids by the British, French, pirates and other marine robbers. In the XVII-XVIII centuries it was from this fort to Spain that the king took out treasures of an entire flotilla: gold, silver, precious stones. Interesting fact, according to legend, in the fort area, the British buried the famous seafarer Francis Drake, one version - near the wall, on the other - in the harbor. The exact location of his grave is still unknown, but the search is still ongoing.
Fort Portobelo has always had a very advantageous location, but after the collapse of the Spanish Empire, its importance dropped sharply. In 1980, the ruins of the fortress were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today the ancient port has the status of a settlement, in which about 3000 residents live.
How to get to Fort Portobelo?
There is no airport or railway in Portobello. And since it's still a port, it's the easiest to get to it by sea: from Panama , regular voyages are regularly sailed along the route. From the administrative center of Colon every hour leaves the shuttle bus. If it is more convenient for you to travel around the country on your own, by car, then navigate to the coordinates of your navigator: 9 ° 33 'N and 79 ° 39'W.
We recommend you to book a guided tour in the office of a local travel company. Group tours of the fort and dive in the era of the conquest are held in Spanish and English.
Fort Portobello is considered to be the oldest settlement in Panama, so most tourists after visiting the Panama Canal go straight here.
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