Back

Explore Spanish fortresses and pirate history

pan14-explore-spanish-fortresses-and-pirate-history-free-alfredomaiquez

Uncover a bloodthirsty history of conquistadors and pirates in the former Spanish stronghold of Portobelo.

We'll drive you right across the Panamanian isthmus to the Caribbean province of Colón to visit the sleepy town of Portobelo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once the stage for many dramatic historical events.

During the colonial era, heavily fortified Portobelo was one of the most important strongholds on the Spanish Main, protecting the northern extreme of the Camino Real. It was along this 'Royal Road' that the conquistadors hauled their looted gold, silver and gemstones from the Inca Empire to ship them off to Spain.

However, the glittering stream of treasure flowing across the isthmus soon caught the attention of the real-life pirates of the Caribbean, including famous figures like Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. Portobelo was attacked, overwhelmed and captured four times – in fact, Portobello Road in London, the Portobello area of Edinburgh and Dublin's Portobello Barracks all owe their names to British victories here.

You'll learn about Spanish treasure, pirate raids and violent sieges as you explore Portobelo's most important fortresses and encounter remnants of the area's volatile history. Return via the Panama Canal Railway, the first railroad to connect two oceans.

Panama
Portobelo and Caribbean Coast

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

0 1 2 3 4 5