Portobelo — The Spanish-Colonial Caribbean Port · UNESCO Fortifications · 14 NM E to San Blas

Portobelo is the historic Spanish-colonial port on Panama’s Caribbean coast — and one of the most important cultural sites in Latin America that few sailors take the time to explore properly. The town sits at ~9°33’N · ~79°39’W in Colón Province, named “Puerto Bello” (Beautiful Port) by Christopher Columbus on his 4th voyage in 1502. Historical importance: from the late 16th century to 1739, Portobelo was the principal Caribbean export port of the Spanish Empire — the place where silver mined from Peru + Bolivia was loaded onto galleons bound for Spain. The annual Portobelo Fair (Feria de Portobelo) was the largest trading event in the Americas. The site was sacked by English privateers Francis Drake (who died of dysentery here in 1596 + was buried at sea offshore) and Henry Morgan (1668). The fortifications were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 (jointly with Fort San Lorenzo at the mouth of the Chagres River). As SeaTV noted on arrival: “From quite far off we saw a sea of masts” — the bay holds many abandoned + neglected boats alongside working cruisers, giving the entrance an evocative, slightly post-apocalyptic feel. Docking: location should be chosen according to your boat’s draught · the bottom is muddy/sandy with reasonable holding. Ashore: the old city + key buildings (Real Aduana de Portobelo customs house · the Castle of San Jerónimo · the Castle of Santiago de la Gloria · Iron Castle of San Fernando) are still tourist attractions, but as SeaTV observed, preservation + restoration of the site is very poor — UNESCO has placed it on the “World Heritage In Danger” list. The Black Christ of Portobelo (Cristo Negro) in the church of San Felipe is a major Catholic pilgrimage site (October 21 festival draws thousands). For sailors: Portobelo is a practical staging stop between Shelter Bay Marina (W of Colón) and the San Blas Islands (E) — most cruisers stay 1-2 nights to explore the forts + provision before heading E.

⚓ Portobelo at a Glance

What to See Ashore

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“Portobelo is the historic Spanish colonial port on Panama’s Caribbean coast and one of the most important cultural sites in Latin America that few sailors take the time to explore properly · the town sits in Colón Province named Puerto Bello which means Beautiful Port by Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage in fifteen oh two · historical importance from the late sixteenth century to seventeen thirty nine Portobelo was the principal Caribbean export port of the Spanish Empire the place where silver mined from Peru and Bolivia was loaded onto galleons bound for Spain · the site was sacked by English privateers Francis Drake who died of dysentery here in fifteen ninety six and was buried at sea offshore and Henry Morgan in sixteen sixty eight · the fortifications were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in nineteen eighty · as we noted on arrival from quite far off we saw a sea of masts as the bay holds many abandoned and neglected boats alongside working cruisers giving the entrance an evocative slightly post apocalyptic feel · docking location should be chosen according to your boat’s draught with a muddy sandy bottom · ashore the old city and key buildings are still tourist attractions but preservation and restoration of the site is very poor and UNESCO has placed it on the World Heritage In Danger list · sail accordingly.”

— SeaTV · Panama · Portobelo · The Spanish-Colonial Caribbean UNESCO Port