When visiting this part of the world, you must take the opportunity to visit the Panama Canal! An architectural marvel that runs 82 kilometers (51 miles) from coast to coast, the Panama Canal is an awesome site you will remember for the rest of your life. For a bit of local history, visit the Panama Viejo, Colonial Panama or Casco Viejo, which is located at the center of the city and dates back to the days of the 17th century when Panama City was first settled. Walk the narrow streets and visit the numerous churches that served the area in the era when the area was part of the Spanish Empire. For a more adventurous experience, visit the San Blas islands off the eastern coast of Panama. Composed of approximately 400 islands in the Caribbean, this territory is untouched by modernity and remains inhabited by the Indian tribe Kuna, likely to be related to the Indians who met Columbus when he first arrived in Panama. For another awesome site of geography, visit the Bridge of the Americas, which links the two continents of North and South America. The bridge, situated 350 feet above sea level and spanning 5,400 feet in length, was built in the mid-20th century, long after the construction of the Panama Canal. It is an amazing modern architectural achievement, which connects two lands which the Panama Canal artificially separates.