Things to do in Panama
Places to visit when you come to Panama City.
Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo is located in the neighborhood of San Felipe in Panama City. In this area you will find a great deal of Colonial/European architecture. The area was declared human patrimony by UNESCO in 1977. In this area you will find:
- The Presidential Palace.
- City Hall.
- National Theater.
- The French Embassy.
- French Plaza.
- Metropolitan Cathedral.
- Panama Canal Museum.
- The Colonial/Religious Art Museum.
- Ministry of Justice.
- Independence Plaza.
- Bolívar Plaza.
- Herrera Plaza.
- Paseo Esteban Huertas.
- La Muralla
Ancon Hill and The Causeway
Ancon Hill
Here you will definitely get the best view of the city. We highly recommend you visit Ancon Hill during your visit since it offers the best view of the Canal, the modern city and the old city.
Open seven days a week, from 6:00 am to 5:45 pm. Phone: (507) 2647477
Causeway - Amador
The causeway is the perfect place to socialize. This is the perfect place to exercise and ride your bike. There are several places that will rent you a bike if you don’t bring your own. You will also find a big selection of restaurants and bars with excellent food and atmosphere. The views of Panama Bay, Bridge of Americas and Panama City are very impressive.
Miraflores Locks
The Panama Canal is one of the mayor engineering projects of all times. To build it, it was necessary to remove 180 millions cubic meters of soil. A boat can go through the entire canal in less than 24 hours. The Canal is almost 50 miles long and each boat has to stop at three sets of locks: Miraflores, Gatún y Pedro Miguel. The locks act as gigantic water elevators for the ships. You can see the whole process yourself at the Miraflores Locks. These locks are closest to the city and there is a visitor’s center that projects videos about the history of the Canal that are very interesting. There is also a very nice restaurant there that we recommend to visit.
Open every day from 9:00am to 4:30pm. The restaurant is open from 12:00pm to 11:30pm. Phone: (507) 2768325.
Panamá La Vieja
Panamá La Vieja is the name given to the ruins of the first Spanish city, founded on the Pacific coast on August 15, 1519 by Pedro Arias de Avila. It was from this place that the expeditions departed to Peru to conquer the Inca Empire in 1532. Panama La Vieja was also a terminal for the most important commercial routes of the American Continent and most of the silver and gold that Spain obtained from America passed through this city. The city was burned, destroyed and robed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671, then moved to what we know now as Casco Viejo.
Punta Culebra Nature Center
This nature center is located on the island of Naos along the Amador Causeway and is part of the Smithsonian Institute. The center provides an introduction to local marine ecology. Exhibits include six child-height touch tanks filled with sea cucumbers, starfish, sea urchins, and an octopus. One of the tanks is dedicated to oversized lobsters and there is a telescope for viewing ships along Panama Bay.
Open from Tuesday to Friday from 1pm to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Phone: (507) 2128793.
Afro-Antillean Museum
This is a small but very interesting museum located in a renovated church. It displays the history of the Antillean immigrants who helped construct the Panama Canal. Artifacts include household items, artistic works, musical instruments and photographs of their new life in Panama and their ancestral homes of Haiti, Martinique, and Jamaica.
Location: Calle 24 Oeste y la Avenida Justo Arosemena, Panama City. Open from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 3:30. Phone: (507) 262-5368.
Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo and Parque Natural Metropolitano
Summit Gardens
This small zoo is located at Soberania National Park about 20 minutes from downtown Panama City. Here you will be able to admire a beautiful collection of palm trees and exotic tropical flora. Among the animals, the most important to see here is the Harpy Eagle (Panama’s national bird). There is a restaurant, playground and bathroom facilities. Open from 8:30am to 4pm.
Parque Natural Metropolitano
This natural park covers 655 acres and is located only 10 minutes from downtown Panama City. There are several nature paths to take and the best of them is La Cienaguita trail (2 kilometers) which has stunning views. This is the home to monkeys, sloths, white-tailed deer, and more than 200 species of birds, including toucans, and parakeets. You will also find a greenhouse with native orchids, a library, a small museum, and a gift shop. You can call ahead and arrange a guided tour with a park ranger.
The park is located on Av Juan Pablo II, Panama City, Panama. Phone: (507) 2325552. Open every day from 6:00am to 5:30pm. Phone: (507) 2325552.
Panama Canal Railroad
The Railroad was re-opened in 2001 by Kansas City Railroad. Originally, the railroad was opened in 1855 by an USA company as a route for gold seekers on the way to California, who wanted to cross the continent without being exposed to the risk of dying at the hands of the American Indians. Now you can take the same ride from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The ride is 50 miles long. During the trip you will be able to appreciate the Canal and the tropical rain forest. For more details, visit their website
