Casco Viejo
History, nightlifeThe colonial old town, with most hostels.
City guide
Things to do in Panama City
A skyline of glass towers on one side of the bay and the restored colonial Casco Viejo on the other: ships rising through the canal locks, ceviche at the fish market, rooftop bars, rainforest inside the city limits, and islands an hour away.
25
Hostels in the city
7.8
Average, from 12,967 reviews
1914
Canal opened
3
Days
The city the canal built
Panama City sits on the Pacific at the southern end of the Panama Canal. The Spanish founded it in 1519; pirates led by Henry Morgan destroyed it in 1671, and its ruins survive as Panamá Viejo. The city was rebuilt on a peninsula to the west, and that quarter, Casco Viejo, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site of restored churches, plazas and balconied houses.
The canal, opened in 1914 and handed to Panama in 1999, made the city rich, and its banking district looks more like Miami than Central America. Watching ships pass through the Miraflores locks is the classic visit.
Nature is close: Parque Natural Metropolitano is rainforest inside the city, and Soberanía National Park and the canal's lakes are under an hour away. Give Panama City three days.
Where to base yourself
Casco Viejo for history, bars and most hostels; El Cangrejo and Bella Vista for a central, modern base near the metro.
El Cangrejo
Central, foodRestaurants and cafés near the metro.
Bella Vista
CentralBetween the bay and El Cangrejo, including Calle Uruguay.
Amador
Views, cyclingThe causeway with the Biomuseo.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 10 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Panama City
Watch ships rise and fall through the Miraflores locks from the visitor centre's viewing decks; transits are busiest in the morning and mid-afternoon. Walk Casco Viejo's plazas, the Iglesia de San José with its golden altar, and the sea wall, and visit the Canal Museum.
See the ruins of Panamá Viejo, the original 1519 city, and walk or cycle the Amador Causeway to the Biomuseo, designed by Frank Gehry. Hike up Ancón Hill or through the Parque Natural Metropolitano for views of the skyline and canal.
Take day trips to Soberanía National Park for birdwatching on the Pipeline Road, a boat trip on Gatún Lake to see monkeys, and the ferry to Isla Taboga.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
Casco Viejo's streets, plazas and churches are free, and so is the Cinta Costera, the waterfront park between Casco Viejo and the skyline.
The Amador Causeway is free to walk or cycle, and the hike up Ancón Hill costs nothing.
The canal visitor centre, museums and Panamá Viejo charge.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
The Mercado de Mariscos fish market has stalls selling ceviche in cups for €3 to €5. Fondas serve a plate of rice, beans, plantain and meat for €4 to €7.
Try sancocho, the chicken soup that is the national dish, carimañolas (yuca fritters) and patacones (fried plantain).
Casco Viejo has the best restaurants, at €12 to €25 a main. A 10 per cent tip is usual in restaurants; check the bill first, as some add it.
Nightlife
Going out
Casco Viejo has rooftop bars with skyline views, cocktail bars in restored buildings and live music, busiest from Thursday to Saturday. Calle Uruguay and the banking district have clubs.
A cocktail costs €6 to €10 in Casco Viejo.
A Balboa or Atlas beer costs €1.50 to €4.
Getting around
Getting around
Tocumen International Airport is about 30 to 45 minutes from the centre by Uber or taxi, depending on traffic. The metro is cheap and clean, at well under €1 a ride, and needs a rechargeable card.
Use Uber or InDrive rather than street taxis, especially at night. Traffic is heavy at rush hour.
Long-distance buses leave from the Albrook terminal, next to the metro, for the rest of the country and Costa Rica.
Costs
What Panama City costs
Hostel beds start at around €12 to €20 a night. Fonda meals cost €4 to €7.
The Miraflores visitor centre costs about €15 to €20, Panamá Viejo about €10 to €15, and a Gatún Lake boat trip about €40 to €70.
Panama uses the US dollar, alongside its own balboa coins, which are worth the same. Cards work almost everywhere.
Safety
Safety and scams
Most visitors have no trouble in Casco Viejo, the Cinta Costera, El Cangrejo and the banking district, but neighbourhoods change quickly. Avoid El Chorrillo, Santa Ana and Curundú, which border Casco Viejo, and take Uber at night rather than walking. Use ATMs inside banks or malls.
Do not swim in the Bay of Panama, which is polluted.
Tap water is safe to drink in Panama City and most of the country, but not in Bocas del Toro or on the islands; use bottled or filtered water there. In an emergency, call 911.
Worth the trip
Rainforest, islands and the canal.
Isla Taboga
The island of flowers.
Portobelo
Spanish forts on the Caribbean.
El Valle de Antón
A town in a crater.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Carnival and national holidays.
February or March
Carnaval
Panama City
Four days of parades and water trucks.
November
Independence holidays
Nationwide
Parades and drumming.
January
Panama Jazz Festival
Panama City
Concerts and free shows.
15 August
Founding of Panama City
Panama City
A city holiday; the canal also opened on this date in 1914.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Panama City, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
Loco Coco Loco
Dorms from €12 a night
See dates and book
Viajero Casco Viejo Hostel
Dorms from €19 a night
See dates and book
El Machico Hostel
Dorms from €13 a night
See dates and book
Magnolia Inn Casco Viejo
Rooms from €22 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Casa Areka
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Bodhi Panama City
Dorms from €13 a night
See dates and book
Zebulo Hostel
Dorms from €10 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Villa Grande
Dorms from €10 a night
See dates and book
Panama House Bed & Breakfast
Dorms from €12 a night
See dates and book
Mamallena Backpackers
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
When to go
December to April is the dry season, sunny and breezy. May to November brings heavy afternoon rain, wettest in October and November. Carnival, in February or March, is busy.
Jan
Dry, busy
Feb
Dry, Carnival
Mar
Hot and dry
Apr
Dry season ending
May
Rain starts
Jun
Afternoon rain
Jul
Afternoon rain
Aug
Afternoon rain
Sep
Rain
Oct
Wettest
Nov
Wet, national holidays
Dec
Dry returns
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Hot and humid all year.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Panama City prices.
Treat these as a guide. Day trips cost extra.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Panama City questions
The ones we get asked most.
Where can I see the canal?
At the Miraflores locks visitor centre, about 20 minutes from the centre.
Is Panama City safe?
Most visitors have no trouble in the main areas; take Uber at night and avoid El Chorrillo.
Can I drink the tap water?
Yes, in Panama City.
Where should I stay?
Casco Viejo for hostels and nightlife.
How do I get from the airport?
By Uber or taxi, about 30 to 45 minutes.
How many days do I need?
Three.
When is the best time to visit?
December to April.
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