Publications
24 Jun 2025

Download the Guidebook: Caminos de Cruces and Camino Real (EN: ‘Cultural Routes, Natural Crossroads’)

The “Caminos de Cruces and Camino Real” (EN: ‘Cultural Routes, Natural Crossroads’) project is developed by the EU Delegation to Panama and the Cultural Relations Platform, in collaboration with the Ministerio de Cultura de Panamá. The project is rooted in the European Union’s recognition of Panama’s unique position as a nexus between continents and oceans — a place where cultural richness and natural diversity converge. 

The Camino de Cruces and Camino Real Guidebook explains not only the historical context of the routes – from the origin of the roads, through taxes, to the exchanges of goods and people – but also gives practical recommendations on how to explore the roads today. Combining educational value with tourism potential, the Guide serves as a practical guidebook for both Panamanian citizens and international visitors. It promotes a sustainable and respectful tourism both with the environment and with local cultures, which protects the Caminos as meeting points between cultural heritage and natural heritage. 

The digital versions of the Guidebook is publicly available for anyone who would like to learn about and visit the route and its various sites, at the links here:

To recall, as part of this project a 3-day forum titled ‘Cultural Routes in the Americas: the Panamanian Experience’ was held in Panama City, Panama from 1-3 April 2025. The forum aimed to foster dialogue and the exchange of methodologies among stakeholders from Panama, European Union Member States, and other Latin American countries, creating a platform for meaningful intercultural collaboration.

Through the three days of sessions and exchanges, the event provided practical tools and methods to create a strategy for project’s next phases and facilitated the creation of an informal network between Panamanian, LAC and European experts and professionals. 

Field visits to the Camino de Cruces, San Lorenzo and Panamá Viejo – sites featured in the Guidebook developed after the forum – brought the conversations to life. These on-site experiences allowed participants to directly observe and engage with the historical and cultural contexts of the routes, grounding theoretical insights in real-world settings.