Newsweek International Blurb on Panama

Newsweek International
Updated: 7:03 p.m. ET March 10, 2007

March 19, 2007 issue - The capital of Panama may be best known for its canal, but there's plenty more to see, from its Spanish colonial heritage to its sleek modern skyscrapers.

STROLL through theCasco Viejo neighborhood of colonial buildings, cobblestone streets and 18th-century churches. Visit the dungeons at the Plaza de Francia, once used by the Spanish and later the Colombians, now a French jazz café.
EAT at Manolo Caracol, where local art brightens the walls and the Spanish chef serves grilled local fish and roasted vegetables (Avenida Central and Calle 3 Oeste, Casco Viejo).
GAZE at the cargo ships passing through the canal from the open-air restaurant at Miraflores Locks. Visit the four-story multimedia museum charting the history of the canal (pancanal.com).
SHOP for handmade baskets and locally embroidered dresses at the Artisans' National Market in Panamá Vieja.