Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Squeeze through the multitudes dancing in the soaked streets at Carnaval in
Las
Tablas
(
Click here
)
Visit a mask-maker's studio and stroll the colonial center of historic
Parita
(
Click
here
)
Go bird-watching at
Playa El Aguillito
(
Click here
), a tidal mudflat that attracts
rare migratory seabirds
TOP OF CHAPTER
Chitré
POP 41,600
One of Panama's oldest settlements, the hot city of Chitré is hardly geared toward travel-
ers, but it's an agreeable stop on the way to the peninsula. Though it has mostly cement
structures, a handful of ornate red-tiled row homes hark back to the early days of Spanish
settlement. Colonial records indicate that there was a village here as early as 1558. The
capital of Herrera Province, it's the largest city on the Península de Azuero, and the cul-
tural and historic capital of the region.
For most travelers, Chitré serves as a springboard for nearby attractions like the
ceramic shops in La Arena, the Humboldt Ecological Station at Playa El Aguillito, his-
toric Parita, the
seco
(alcoholic drink made from sugarcane) factory at Pesé and the wild-
life refuge at Cenegón del Mangle. Some of the country's best festivals are just a quick
bus ride away, but Chitré does host a few wild parties of its own.
Sights
The town's cathedral and the adjacent central square, Parque Union, are one block south
of Calle Manuel Maria Correa between Av Obaldía and Av Herrera. There are numerous
hotels and restaurants within a short walk of the square.
