Portobelo

Real Aduana de Portobelo

Portobelo

Under renovation at the time of research, the handsome, two-story Royal Customs House of Portobelo was originally built in 1638 to serve as the contaduría…

Parque Nacional Portobelo

Portobelo

Located in and around Portobelo, this 360-sq-km park and Unesco World Heritage Site protects islands and coastal communities of coral reefs, mangroves and…

Fuerte Santiago

Portobelo

Approaching from the west, Portobelo's first fort is Fuerte Santiago. Built in 1753, some 14 years after Vernon’s attack, some walls were 3m thick and…

Fuerte San Jerónimo

Portobelo

Fuerte San Jerónimo, close to the center of Portobelo, was the largest fortress ever built to protect the bay. Some two dozen embrasures with 16 cannons…

Fuerte San Fernando

Portobelo

In 1601 Fuerte San Felipe and Fuerte San Diego were built near the mouth of the bay but were subsequently destroyed by Admiral Vernon in 1739. Fuerte San…

Iglesia de San Felipe

Portobelo

This Roman Catholic church dating from 1814 is home to Portobelo's famed Black Christ; it's to the left of the main altar. The faithful attribute scores…

Playa Blanca

Portobelo

A 20-minute, US$45 return boat ride from Portobelo will bring you to this lovely white-sand beach on a tranquil cove surrounded by dense wilderness. It…

Mirador Perú

Portobelo

Atop a hill overlooking much of the bay is a small but well-preserved watchtower called Mirador Perú, which was built at the same time as Fuerte Santiago…