Home & Away with Robert Walshe
www.robertwalshe.com
Holiday Hotspot - Panama
Panama is known for its natural beauty, great fishing, numerous beaches, abundant tropical islands as well as its friendly, festive and hospitable people. First time visitors will be enthralled by Panama City’s ability to mix old world charm with a modern and vibrant night life. Barefoot Panama offer private and group tours (in English or Spanish) specially designed to include the very best of Panama. Owned by Irish American Kevin O’Brien
n Panama Canal.
from Boston, his expertise and commentary is slick and insightful and tour highlights include the old city of “Casco Viejo” showcasing historically interesting architecture from “Casa Góngora” one of the oldest houses in Panama and a surviving example in the city of 17th century colonial architecture to “La Catedral” a most impressive structure flanked by painted bell towers with many niches filled with statues. Plaza Bo-
livar offers numerous cafes and restaurants with a casual atmosphere and my favourite was Veggie Moon! www.veggiemoonpty.com The focal point of the plaza is a monument dedicated to Venezuelan general Simón Bolívar, the “Liberator of Latin America”. The Amador Causeway a mile-long structure built by the Americans, connects four small islands where traveler’s will find varied outdoor activities as well as a variety of fine restaurants perfect for cocktails at sunset. The most popular attraction, the Panama Canal, an engineer-
For our best deals call 0044 28 9038 1111 or visit www.mooneyhotelgroup.com ing wonder of the world first opened to maritime traffic in 1914. Taking ten years, 75,000 workers and $400 million to complete, the builders faced unprecedented challenges, from tropical disease and the ever-present danger of landslides to the logistics and problems of excavating the mammoth locks. The average transit time through the canal is eight to ten hours n Grace Hotel Pa flowing from Colon nama Suite. in the Caribbean to Panama in the Pacific Ocean. Transit tour’s can ingredients & international also be organised through touch. ‘54 East’ is their modwww.barefootpanama.com. ern, elegant brassiere serving Panama has a rapidly grow- fine Mediterranean cuisine ing hospitality and tour- while ‘Meet@12’ a gourmet ism sector with new hotel’s cafe concept on the twelfth opening regularly. The latest floor, provides a lighter menu is “Grace” a contemporary of salads and snacks adjacent urban boutique space in the to the hotel’s lap pool. Grace heart of the city attracting Hotels part of the Libra Interbusiness and leisure guests. national Group offer sanctuSixty rooms with contempo- ary and quality for discerning rary fittings convey elegance, guests in the worlds most simplicity, luxury and so- sought after resorts and citphistication. Gastronomy is ies. Each hotel is an authentic an integral part of the Grace expression of its locality, alHotel philosophy with menus lowing guests to enjoy an imshowcasing the finest local
mersion in local culture with an experience incorporating both tradition and modernity. www.gracehotels.com/ panama. Air France departs Dublin daily via Paris Charles De Gaulle to San Jose. www. airfrance.ie Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio in Northern Ireland and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com