On our recent trip to Panama, we were really surprised by the country’s delightful capital, and its intriguing mixture of historical and modern architecture. It doesn’t happen too often that we fall in love with a destination’s biggest city, but then again, Panama City isn’t your typical metropolis.

Apart from cultural and historical attractions, there are plenty of possibilities to get out into nature, and we used the city as our first base for exploring some of Panama’s beautiful patches of rainforest.

Even if you’re just staying a couple of days here, you’ll get a well-rounded introduction to Panama’s cultural and natural attractions, if you follow our two-day itinerary.

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Guided Tours of Panama City

If you prefer the company of an experienced local, there are plenty of guided tours of the city available. Have a look below for some well-rated options.

Panama City Itinerary

Day One

On the first day, I recommend diving right into the city’s history by visiting the attractive Casco Viejo Quarter and the ruins of Panama Viejo. Both places are rightful listed as World Heritage Sites and will give you an idea of the city’s rather turbulent past.

Strolling Through Casco Viejo

Panama City’s old town is the perfect place to start your explorations of the city. We loved strolling through the cute little alleyways and past the colourful houses, most of which date to the late 17th century.

There are a number of historical churches in the area (don’t miss Iglesia San José, with its incredibly elaborate golden altarpiece), as well as the atmospheric ruins of two convents, which were destroyed in a series of fires and earthquakes.

It’s a lot of fun to just stroll around the area, but if you’re so inclined, there are a couple of museums as well as tons of shops selling souvenirs like hats and Mola textiles, plus you can’t throw a rock without a hitting a bar or café.

Lunch at Mercado de Mariscos

Panama City’s lively fish market can be found near the harbour at the north-eastern edge of Casco Viejo. While the actual stalls are inside the market hall, there are tons of small restaurants serving cheap Ceviche and other seafood dishes in the fenced-off area surrounding the building.

If you’re a fan of fish and seafood like us, this is the ideal place to quickly fuel up before continuing your explorations of the city

Ruins of Panama Viejo

The ruins of Panama City’s first settlement are a few kilometres east of the centre, so to get here you should either take a taxi or do like us and hop on a local bus (you’ll need a metro card for that). The C642 bus leaves from the Mercado de Mariscos Bus Stop for Panama Viejo every half hour. Get off at the Coco Bay bus stop.

The modern city was founded here by the Spanish in 1519 and destroyed by a large-scale pirate attack led by famous buccaneer Henry Morgan in 1671. There are a couple of atmospheric ruins, mostly of churches and convents, as well as an interesting museum that deals with the pre-columbian and early colonial history of the area.

Dinner in El Cangrejo

Make your way back to the city centre and take a stroll through the modern skyscraper-filled quarters of Marbella and El Cangrejo, before finding a place for dinner.

We found El Trapiche on Avenida Argentina to be a great, affordable place to try some local specialities. Finish off your first day in the city with a drink at one of the many bars of this area.

Day Two

On the second day, I’d suggest visiting a few destinations on the edges of the city. After a hearty breakfast, spend the morning hiking in the Metropolitan Nature Park, before making your way to the Miraflores Locks to see huge container ships traversing the Panama Canal.

Hiking in Parque Natural Metropolitano

Panama has plenty of cool, remote natural attractions, but you don’t need to hike through the jungle for days on end to experience the country’s amazing nature and biodiversity. The Parque Natural Metropolitano is a great area for hiking and wildlife watching just outside the city centre.

While hiking the park’s four main trails, we spotted Coatis, Agoutis and Tamarin Monkeys, as well as tons of colourful birds. Apart from that, we came across some great viewpoints with nice vistas of the city’s skyline.

The park is located close to the Albrook Bus Terminal. You can go to the terminal by metro and then take a taxi to the park or simply walk there for about 20 minutes, like we did. Afterwards, just return the way you came to Albrook Terminal, where you can board a bus to the Miraflores Locks.

See Also: The Complete Guide to Panama City’s Metropolitan Natural Park

Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal

I have to admit that at first, I wasn’t super excited by the idea of visiting the Panama Canal. It’s a waterway used by huge Cargo Ships to get from A to B, big deal. That changed when we visited the Miraflores Locks, though.

The delicate process by which the enormous ships are painstakingly manoeuvred through the narrow locks is fascinating to say the least. The visitor centre also conveyed the enormity of the effort to actually construct the canal so that I left with a newfound admiration.

Note, that the ships only pass through the locks in the very early morning and in the afternoon, typically starting around 2pm. You can check the current schedules here. When the ships are actually passing through, it’s pretty much non-stop, though.

See Also: Visiting the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks – What You Need to Know

Amador Causeway and Dinner

Hop the bus back to the city and make your way back to Albrook Terminal. Near the metro station, you can board another bus (we used No. C850) going down the Amador Causeway to the four tiny causeway islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Here, you can have a tasty seafood dinner on Isla Perico or Isla Flamenco, while taking in the views back towards the mainland, rounding off a thorough two-day exploration of Panama City.

If You Have More Time

Naturally, Panama City has enough attractions to warrant a much longer stay. For one, if you have more time, I suggest checking out the cutting edge Biomuseo, which details the country’s biodiversity.

You could also use the city as a base for day-trips to nearby attractions, like the Smithsonian Research Station on Isla Barro Colorado or the little-visited Altos de Campana National Park.

Panama City Itinerary Map

All the stops in the suggested two-day itinerary can be found in this map of Panama City. The stops on Day 1 are marked deep red, the stops on Day 2 bright orange.

Where to Stay in Panama City

One of the nicest areas to stay in the city is the Casco Viejo Neighbourhood. We stayed at the affordable Hotel Caracas, but there are also well-rated mid-range options available, like Las Clementinas, as well as luxury options like the American Trade Hotel.

For more options, you can check out my guide to the city’s top hotels: The 9 Best Hotels in Panama City for Different Travel Styles.

Where to Go Next

Altos de Campana National Park