Panama City

Understand

Panama City serves as the administrative and economic hub of the Republic of Panama and is among the busiest urban centers in Central America. It combines areas of recent buildings and tall skyscrapers with well-preserved historic neighborhoods, reflecting the urban evolution since its founding in 1519.

Spanish is the official language and the most widely used in everyday life, although English is frequently used in tourism and business. Commercial offerings range from major international brands to popular markets and small local shops, such as those clustered along Avenida Central. You can also find establishments specializing in products from various ethnic communities, particularly those of Chinese and Indian origin.

Despite the differences in customer service that may occur, service in shops and restaurants is generally friendly. The city also has nearby parks and natural areas that allow for alternating urban activities with outdoor activities.

Get around

thumb|300px|Miraflores locks, Panama Canal

See

thumbnail|Casa Gongora, Casco Viejo thumbnail|Cathedral tower, Panama Viejo

Buy

Calidonia area has plenty of street markets.

Eat

Check out Panama Restaurant Week, which doesn't happen every year, but when it does it is a fantastic option to try great restaurants at good prices. Despite its name, it lasts 15 days, with dozens of participating restaurants offering special participating menus at fixed, lower than normal prices.

Drink

Buy and try some Panamanian and Cuban coffee while you're here. It will be some of the best you've ever had.

Calle Uruguay is a neighborhood filled with bars and discos for wealthy Panamanians and foreigners.

Taberna 21 is a local hangout serving great cheap beer and Spanish tapas.

Connect

You can buy SIM cards for Panama's 4 carriers at the Terminal (Albrook) and probably many other places.

You can find a SIM card (called a "chip") at almost any convenience store for $1. Pay $5-10 for a top-up card. One week of unlimited data for $5. (April 2021)

Go next

Soberanía National Park – a national park close to Panama City that offers good hiking trails. Isla Taboga - Take a boat trip out to the islands off the coast of Panama City. Gamboa - Check out the birds and Chagres River. San Blas Islands - Take a tour of the islands Portobelo - Visit the forts, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue onwards to Isla Grande for some nice R&R - buses goes from the main street in Portobelo to La Guira and from there it is a 5-minute boatride ($2) Bocas del Toro - fly Panama air to beaches and nature. 4 flights every day. Bus schedule from the main, Albrook Terminal is as follows (February 2024). On top of that, a lot of local buses go from the terminal, especially along the main, Pan-American highway, frequently. Arriving 30-60 minutes beforehand gives enough time to ask around (with basic Spanish) and buy a ticket. Bocas - 11 hr. Depart nightly from 18:30-19:00. Ideally, buy the ticket beforehand at the station, buses fill quickly. Passport required for a ticket. Santa Catalina - 7-8 hr. Take a bus to Sona at 06:30 (sometimes), 08:20 or 10:20, then change for the bus to Santa Catalina (later buses from Panama City normally miss the last bus to Santa Catalina at 5pm; taxi from Sona to Santa Catalina is around $40). El Valle - 2.5 hr. Buses run hourly from 07:00-18:00. David - 8-9 hr. Buses run at least hourly from 05:00-22:00. Express buses, 6-7 hr, run at 22:00, 23:00 and 00:00 daily. San Jose (Costa Rica) - 16 hr. TicaBus or Expreso Panama r…