4 Places You Must Visit in Panama City

With a warm tropical climate and a beautiful cosmopolitan area, there is no doubt that Panama City has a lot of things to offer. It is full of things to do and places to visit, suitable for all visitors whether they are staying for short or long time.

We have listed below 5 great places you must visit in Panama City during your stay, helping you to move around and get to know more about what the country has to offer.

Panama Canal

This is the most common visited place in Panama City. The Panama Canal is a 82km waterway that connects both the Atlantic and Pacific ocean, it is an important channel for the maritime trade and for the world’s international trade. With over 14000 ships passing through the canal per year, the canal is one of the most important sources of income for the country’s economy.

The Miraflores Locks is about 15 minutes from the Panama City and it contains a Visitor Center with an outdoor viewing deck where you can see ships passing by the canal. There is also an interactive museum showing the history of the canal (including) its expansion and a new IMAX 3D theater screening a documentary of the canal.

Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is a neighborhood designated as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Made of colonial-era landmarks, it is a very popular area in the city for nightlife,  trendy restaurants and coffee places, it contains several plazas such as Plaza Bolivar or Plaza de la Independencia, and other important sights such as Catedral Metropolitana and El Palacio de las Garzas, the governmental office of Panama.

Also known as Casco Antiguo, it is definitely a great place to hang out for a fine dining or for a couple of drinks.

Causeway de Amador

The Amador islands are four islands by the pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, which relate to the city by a causeway. The causeway area had a renovation few years ago and it is now a great place for walking, running and riding a bike. You can also visit the duty-free store at the end, enjoy a dinner in some of the restaurants located there, or take a ferry to visit the Taboga island, which is the perfect day trip to the beach in Panama City.

Metropolitan Natural Park

The Metropolitan Natural Park is the only wildlife reserve located in the city with 232 hectares of forest. It is a great place if you love the nature since it offers walking trails where you can enjoy the contrast of the park with views of the Panama City and Panama Canal from the lookout. While walking, hiking or exploring the jungle, you will spot exotic animals, birds, plants and some monkeys as well.