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North AmericaPanamaColón

Portobelo

Colón, Panama · North America

About Portobelo

Portobelo sits on the route: 15 minutes from Cacique, 53km from Panama Canal.

Portobelo is a town located in Colón, Panama. With a population of 1,393, it is an important destination in North America.

On a road trip, Portobelo sits in Panama. It's in the America/Panama time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Portobelo to your route.

About Portobelo

Portobelo (Modern Spanish: "Puerto Bello" ("beautiful port"), historically in Portuguese: Porto Belo) is a historic port and corregimiento in Portobelo District, Colón Province, Panama. Located on the northern part of the Isthmus of Panama, it is 32 km (20 mi) northeast of the modern port of Colón now at the Atlantic

Read more entrance to the Panama Canal. It has a population of 4,559 as of 2010, and functions as the seat of Portobelo District. Established in 1597 for its deep natural harbor, it joined Veracruz (2,066 km (1,284 mi) to the northwest) as ports used by the Spanish Empire to ship treasure from the mines of Peru (via Panama City on the Pacific side of the Isthmus and overland to Portobelo) back to Spain. The city was repeatedly captured by British privateers and pirates, culminating in a successful siege by the Royal Navy in 1739, during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Its economy received a major boost in the late-19th century during the construction of the Panama Canal. In 1980, UNESCO designated the Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo, including the ruins of the Spanish colonial fortifications and nearby Fort San Lorenzo, as a World Heritage Site.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Portobelo

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Portobelo?

Portobelo offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.

How do I plan a road trip to Portobelo?

Plan your road trip to Portobelo with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Portobelo as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Where is Portobelo located?

Portobelo is located in Colón, Panama, North America. The coordinates are 9.5530 latitude, -79.6569 longitude.

What is the population of Portobelo?

Portobelo has a population of approximately 1,393 people, making it a town in Panama.

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Quick Information

Population
1,393
Continent
North America
Country
Panama
Region
Colón
Timezone
America/Panama
Coordinates
9.5530, -79.6569

Tags

North AmericaPanamaColónTown

Worth the detour from Portobelo

1 notable place within an hour's drive.

landmark

Panama Canal

One of the greatest engineering feats in history, this 82-kilometer waterway connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through a system of locks.

53 km · about 60 min drive

Driving roads near Portobelo

  • 65 kmPan-American HighwayThe world's longest motorable road stretching approximately 30,000 kilometers from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina.
  • 68 kmBridge of the AmericasThe graceful 1962 steel arch carrying the Pan-American Highway over the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, for decades the only fixed link between the Americas.

When to drive here

Year-round

Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Portobelo.

Cacique

🇵🇦 Panama

8 km away

Puerto Lindo

🇵🇦 Panama

10 km away

María Chiquita

🇵🇦 Panama

16 km awayPop. 1,146

Nombre de Dios

🇵🇦 Panama

21 km awayPop. 872

Río Alejandro

🇵🇦 Panama

25 km awayPop. 3,084

Puerto Pilón

🇵🇦 Panama

26 km awayPop. 8,754

Viento Frío

🇵🇦 Panama

28 km awayPop. 387

Sardinilla

🇵🇦 Panama

28 km away

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Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence