Valentina Ríos

Valentina Ríos was born and grew up in Casco Viejo — not near it, in it. Her family has lived in the neighbourhood for three generations, and she spent her childhood navigating the same cobblestone streets she now guides visitors through. That background gives her food and culture tours a depth that no amount of research can replicate.

She joined Casco Viejo Walking Tours in 2019 and has since led over 350 food tasting experiences, rum tours, and culture walks, welcoming more than 7,000 guests. Her food stops are chosen from years of knowing which vendors have been in the neighbourhood for decades versus which ones arrived last season. She has spent years documenting the culinary traditions of Casco Viejo — the fritanga culture, the ceviche stands, the women who have been selling carimañolas in the same plaza since the 1980s.

Valentina leads the Food Tasting Tour and the Rum Tasting Experience, and contributes regularly to the company's blog on topics ranging from Panamanian food culture to practical safety advice for solo female travelers — a perspective she brings from daily life in the city.