Things to Do in Panama City
Plan your days in Panama City, your way
Panama City gives you a bit of everything, starting with ships climbing the Miraflores Locks before the crowds thicken.
Spend midday wandering Casco Viejo's plazas, ducking into churches, coffee shops, and shaded arcades as the mood takes you.
Lunch is ceviche and patacones at the Mercado de Mariscos, eaten at the counter with the regulars.
The Cinta Costera offers an easy waterfront walk with the skyline on one side and the bay on the other.
A short climb up Ancon Hill ends with the whole city spread out below, jungle included.
The Biomuseo adds a burst of color and an hour of genuinely fascinating natural history.
Evening belongs to a Casco rooftop: one good drink, warm air, the city lights coming on.
If energy remains, the Amador Causeway at sunset is a gentle, beautiful way to close the day.
Nothing here demands extremes; every experience sits comfortably within reach.
It is a city that meets an open mind exactly halfway.
Top attractions and places to eat in Panama City
Miraflores Visitor Center
The visitor complex at the Miraflores Locks featuring exhibits, a museum, and viewing platforms about the Panama Canal. Travelers come to learn the canal's history and watch ship transits.
attraction · 4.6 rating · $17.22
Casco Viejo
The historic colonial district of Panama City and a UNESCO World Heritage site, filled with restored plazas, churches, and cobblestone streets. Travelers come to wander its architecture, restaurants, and nightlife.
attraction · 4.8 rating
Panama Canal
An engineering marvel and one of the world's most significant shipping waterways connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Travelers visit observation centers like Miraflores Locks to watch massive ships transit the lock system and learn its history.
attraction · 4.6 rating
Amador Causeway
A palm-lined causeway connecting several small islands at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, offering sweeping views of the city skyline, the ocean, and passing ships. It is a popular spot for walking, cycling, and dining while taking in panoramic waterfront scenery.
attraction · 4.8 rating
Poin Panamá
A casual dining and social spot in Panama City. Travelers go to eat and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere.
attraction · 4.7 rating
Albrook Mall
One of the largest shopping malls in Latin America, located in Panama City, offering an enormous range of retail stores, food courts, and entertainment. Travelers visit for extensive shopping and its convenient location beside the main bus and transit terminal.
restaurant · 4 rating
Cinta Costera
A waterfront park and coastal promenade along Panama Bay offering walking and cycling paths, green spaces, and open views of the city skyline. Travelers go to stroll, exercise, and enjoy the sea breeze with panoramic vistas of the modern skyline and the old town.
attraction
Multiplaza Panamá
Multiplaza Panamá is one of the city's largest upscale shopping malls, featuring international luxury brands, retail stores, restaurants, and a cinema. Travelers visit for high-end and mainstream shopping in an air-conditioned indoor setting.
attraction
Panama Monkey Island
A boat tour destination on Gatun Lake within the Panama Canal watershed, where visitors observe wild monkeys and other rainforest wildlife along forested islands. Popular for close-up nature encounters accessible by guided watercraft.
attraction
Biomuseo
A striking Frank Gehry-designed museum on the Amador Causeway dedicated to Panama's biodiversity and how the isthmus shaped the natural world. A major cultural draw for travelers.
attraction · $20
Ancon Hill
The highest point in Panama City, a forested hill offering panoramic views over the city skyline, the Panama Canal, and Casco Viejo. A moderate walk to the summit rewards visitors with sweeping vistas and glimpses of local wildlife like sloths and toucans.
attraction
Metropolitan Natural Park
A tropical rainforest reserve within Panama City offering trails and wildlife viewing with skyline vistas. A destination for nature and light hiking close to the city.
park
Enkai peruvian japanese cuisine
A restaurant specializing in Nikkei cuisine, blending Peruvian and Japanese flavors. Travelers come for creative fusion dishes and sushi.
bar
Tacos La Neta
A casual Mexican taqueria in Panama City serving authentic tacos and street-food style dishes. Travelers go for flavorful, affordable Mexican tacos.
restaurant
Kaandela Restaurant
A restaurant showcasing Panamanian and regional cuisine in a refined setting. Travelers visit for a sit-down meal highlighting local flavors.
restaurant