Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1980, Fuerte San Lorenzo is perched at the mouth of the Río Chagres on a promontory west of the canal. Despite its violent history, much of San Lorenzo is well preserved, including the moat, the cannons and the arched rooms. The fort also commands a wide view of the river and bay far below, which was one of the reasons the Spanish chose to fortify the site.
Like its contemporary fortresses at Portobelo, San Lorenzo was constructed of blocks of cut coral and armed to the teeth with row upon row of cannons. If you inspect the cannons closely, you’ll notice that some of them are actually British-made, which bespeaks the time in the 17th century when Sir Francis Drake and his pirate brethren occupied the fort.
There’s no bus service to the fort; taxis go from Colón (around US$60 round-trip for two). If driving, go to the Gatún Locks, continue past the stoplight near the northern entrance to the locks and follow the signs to the dam, 2km away. Drive over the dam and follow the ‘Fuerte San Lorenzo’ signs. These lead to the entrance of Fuerte Sherman where you’ll be asked to show identification. Once you’ve done this, you will be allowed to proceed the remaining 9km to Fuerte San Lorenzo.
The park is renowned for bird-watching, but hikers will be more than satisfied with guided romps through its dense secondary forest. You can also take some lovely walks to waterfalls and natural ponds, visit organic shade-grown coffee farms and hike to splendid lookouts with views of the protected area and the Río Chagres.
