Panama City
Discover Panama City
Capital of Panama and the most populous city in the country, it is located on the Pacific coast, near the entrance of the Panama Canal. Panama City serves as the administrative and economic hub of the Republic of Panama and is among the busiest urban centers in Central America. It combines areas of recent buildings and tall skyscrapers with well-preserved historic neighborhoods, reflecting the urban evolution since its founding in 1519.
What to Experience in Panama City
Taste of Panama City...
Check out Panama Restaurant Week, which doesn't happen every year, but when it does it is a fantastic option to try great restaurants at good prices. Despite its name, it lasts 15 days, with dozens of participating restaurants offering special participating menus at fixed, lower than normal prices. There's several cafes along Via Argentina. The Spanish sandwich shops offer excellent sandwiches, coffee, and churros. Try Manolo's Churreria (don't miss the churros rellenos, pastries filled with dulce de leche and rolled in sugar) or Del Prado. Sandwiches should cost from $3-5. Also on Via Argentina is El Trapiche, serving traditional Panamanian food for under $12/person. They serve excellent breakfast food. There's an abundance of Chinese restaurants, and some can be very affordable. Try some around El Dorado, they should be pretty authentic. Buy and try some Panamanian and Cuban coffee while you're here. It will be some of the best you've ever had. Calle Uruguay is a neighborhood filled with bars and discos for wealthy Panamanians and foreigners. You can buy SIM cards for Panama's 4 carriers at the Terminal (Albrook) and probably many other places. You can find a SIM card (called a "chip") at almost any convenience store for $1. Pay $5-10 for a top-up card. One week of unlimited data for $5. (April 2021) Be careful in Casco Viejo and the Panama Viejo ruins area.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Panama City into what it is today.
Panama City was founded on August 15, 1519, when Pedro Arias Dávila established the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Thanks to its strategic location, the town quickly became a key hub for transatlantic trade, channeling precious metals and other resources from the Viceroyalty of Peru to Europe. In 1671, the original settlement—today known as Panamá Viejo—was sacked and burned by the English privateer Henry Morgan. This devastation led authorities in 1673 to relocate the city westward and erect a fortified area, now the Casco Antiguo, whose cobblestone streets and colonial buildings still bear witness to that era. During the 19th century, Panama joined Gran Colombia and experienced political upheavals that culminated in its 1903 separation from Colombia. Nonetheless, ambition for an interoceanic canal persisted: first the French and then the Americans resumed construction. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, the city underwent profound economic and social transformations, cementing its role as a crossroads between oceans and continents. Today, Panama City blends its historic heritage with modern infrastructure: skyscrapers stand beside colonial monuments and traditional neighborhoods, supporting a multicultural population and regional financial services. This duality underscores its status as Panama’s seat of government, commercial engine, and cultural meeting point in Central America....
Climate
Panama City has a tropical climate with warm temperatures along all the year. Panama City has two main seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The best time to travel to the country is during the dry season, which lasts from December to April, allowing visitors to enjoy outdoor activities. The rainy season, from May to November, comes with afternoon showers, but the landscape is greener and there are fewer tourists. Panama City has average high temperatures ranging from 75°F to 90°F throughout the year. Here's a brief monthly weather guide: Panama City was founded on August 15, 1519, when Pedro Arias Dávila established the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Thanks to its strategic location, the town quickly became a key hub for transatlantic trade, channeling precious metals and other resources from the Viceroyalty of Peru to Europe.
Essential Information
Best Time to Visit
Dec – Aprbest time to travel to the country is during the dry season, which lasts from December to April, allowing visitors to enjoy outdoor activities....
Getting There
Multiple OptionsPanama City used to be the de facto headquarters of the US control over the Panama Canal and as the canal was and is of vital strategic and military importance, there were a bunch of military airfields built to defend the canal. The Americans have greatly reduced their presence, and Panama turned its former military airports over to civilian use, giving Panama City three airports: The only train service is between Panama City and Colón on the Panama Canal Railroad. It's mostly a freight train, but it has a very nice passenger car. The train ride offers excellent views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rain forest. In a way it is the only "transcontinental commuter rail line" in the world as some people live in Colon and work in Panama City or vice versa and commute using this train. Trains arrive at 8.976406-79.5670843 Corozal Passenger Station (Estación de Pasajeros de Corozal) (in western suburbs near Albrook Airport)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
A Metro opened in 2014, and is by far the preferred method to get to the places it serves. However, there are still many places of interest not served by it. Line 1 is roughly equal parts elevated and underground with the part from Albrook to El Ingenio being the underground section. Line 2 , serving the northern suburbs, opened in 2019. There is a grand plan for many further lines which are hopefully going to enter service as the 2020s and 2030s progress. A single ride is 35 cents regular price in Line 1 with discounts for the elderly and students. The last train leaves at 22:00 all week, with the first train leaving M-Sa at 05:00 and Su at 07:00. A ride in Line 2 costs 50 cents. One of the easiest ways to get around town is by taxi. Taxis do not have a meter. Fares are set by the authorities and are determined based on what section of the city you are starting at and what section of the city you are going to, with a surcharge for every additional person.
Where to Stay
You can buy SIM cards for Panama's 4 carriers at the Terminal (Albrook) and probably many other places. You can find a SIM card (called a "chip") at almost any convenience store for $1. Pay $5-10 for a top-up card. One week of unlimited data for $5. (April 2021) Be careful in Casco Viejo and the Panama Viejo ruins area. There are tourist police aplenty in these neighborhoods but do not wander too far in these areas alone (even in the day) and certainly not in the evening (as of 2010 these areas are very safe, lots of activity and tourist traffic) Stay out of El Chorrillo, Santa Ana, Curundu and San Miguel. It is very dangerous right now due to infighting between drug gangs. Tourists have been kidnapped right off the street. El Chorrillo borders San Felipe so it is very easy to accidentally walk into it. When driving, car doors should be locked. The central neighborhoods of Marbella, El Cangrejo, Obarrio, San Francisco, and the Banking Area are generally the most safe.
Money & Budget
High end crafts can be purchased from shops in the Centro de Artesanias in Balboa neighborhood or in the shops of Mi Pueblitos. Indian stores on every major shopping district (El Dorado mall and surroundings, Los Pueblos, and along Via España) also sell many Panamanian souvenirs. Gran Morrison is also a place to find many handicrafts. Check out Panama Restaurant Week, which doesn't happen every year, but when it does it is a fantastic option to try great restaurants at good prices. Despite its name, it lasts 15 days, with dozens of participating restaurants offering special participating menus at fixed, lower than normal prices. There's several cafes along Via Argentina. The Spanish sandwich shops offer excellent sandwiches, coffee, and churros.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Be careful in Casco Viejo and the Panama Viejo ruins area. There are tourist police aplenty in these neighborhoods but do not wander too far in these areas alone (even in the day) and certainly not in the evening (as of 2010 these areas are very safe, lots of activity and tourist traffic) Stay out of El Chorrillo, Santa Ana, Curundu and San Miguel. It is very dangerous right now due to infighting between drug gangs. Tourists have been kidnapped right off the street. El Chorrillo borders San Felipe so it is very easy to accidentally walk into it. When driving, car doors should be locked. The central neighborhoods of Marbella, El Cangrejo, Obarrio, San Francisco, and the Banking Area are generally the most safe. In any case, be careful of your belongings, even if sitting in a restaurant, as people have had things snatched without noticing it, especially when enjoying a glass too many of Panama's great wine selection. It is never a good idea to drink heavily and walk back to your hotel.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Panama City
Una hermosa captura área de la cinta costera en la ciudad de Panamá.
Panama City view from White tower at 21:00
a city with many buildings
a large body of water next to a row of buildings
View of the Panama City with rain forest around Panama Canal
Color view
a row of buildings with balconies and trees
a view of a large city with tall buildings
boats on the sea near buildings during daytime
Panama Sign
Una hermosa captura área de la cinta costera en la ciudad de Panamá.
Panama City view from White tower at 21:00
a city with many buildings