Two years ago, I visited Panama for the first time on a Panama Canal cruise. Earlier this month, I found myself returning there – this time on a long layover coming home from Buenos Aires, with just a few hours to leave the airport and explore.
Experiencing Panama City in such different ways made me realize something: whether you’re stopping for a day on a cruise or getting in a quick visit during a layover, there are a few places which stand out the most.
If you’re short on time, these are the top three spots I’d recommend.
Casco Viejo (Old Town)
Much of modern-day Panama City is very urban, and in fact it has one of my favorite skylines in the world. However, it has a much deeper history than you might expect at first glance.
Casco Viejo is where I visited the first time I went to Panama. As a historic district of the city with tight streets and colonial architecture, it maintains a distinct feel from the rest of the city. It was founded in 1673, though much of it was later destroyed in a series of fires. As a result, many of the current structures are from the late 19th to early 20th century.
When I went there, it was as part of a cruise excursion. There was about a half hour bus ride from the cruise terminal, with a guide who pointed out some sights along the way. We passed through the urban center of the city past a ton of skyscrapers, as well as over a long bridge (the Pan-American Highway) over the water. This actually allowed us to see a unique feature of Panama City – its insane tides. The difference between high and low tides can be anywhere from 11 to 18 feet!
Upon arrival to Casco Viejo, we wandered through the brick streets and were greeted with a wide variety of Spanish colonial architecture. There were several buildings that stood out, such as the National Theatre, Palacio Nacional, and Palacio Bolívar. But my favorite ones were the churches.
The two churches we went inside were the Parish of San Felipe de Neri and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Panama City. The former was a church which had been damaged by fires and restored in 1913, while the latter took over 100 years to build before being consecrated in 1796.
We actually had a cool experience in the cathedral – it happened to be Pentecost on the day we visited, and because of that there were beautiful decorations both inside and outside of the church. We even caught a bit of the sermon – though really the only thing we understood was “Espíritu Santo” (Holy Spirit).
As a cruise excursion, this is probably my top recommendation. It was a very interesting location, especially with a guide.
If you have a layover, this is also a good option. There are plenty of restaurants, and even without a guide it is fun to walk around and see the old buildings. It’s about a 30 minute drive to Casco Viejo from the airport, and you can get Ubers for fairly cheap. Just keep in mind that traffic can vary quite a bit, so be sure to leave plenty of time to return to the airport.
And of course, as a prime tourist site, there are several gift shops if you want souvenirs. I myself picked up a Panama Canal keychain, but there are also local handcrafted options.
Panama Viejo (Old Panama)
Panama Viejo was where I went on my recent layover in Panama City. Unlike Casco Viejo, this was the original location where the city was built in the early 1500s before being destroyed by pirates in 1671. It’s a sprawling archaeological site, much larger than you might expect – but all in all you can explore it in about 2 hours.
I took an Uber here from the airport, which took me about 25 minutes. I was worried about getting back, as I don’t have international cell service, but there is free Wi-Fi both at the visitor center and in the museum. My ticket cost me $15.
From the visitor center, there is a tram that runs every 15 minutes or so to the museum, but you can also walk. It’s just under a kilometer to the museum, and there are plenty of things to see along the way. On the right, there are great views of the Panama Bay and Pan-American Highway. On the left, you pass by several archaeological sites – stone walls and foundations which are only remnants of a once-large town. Many of these have signs in both Spanish and English explaining their history.
The concentration of buildings grows as you approach the main site, and it really is impressive to see how many ruins there are. One which caught me by surprise is a convent which has had quite a few restoration activities, with detailed placards explaining some of the preservation processes. Make sure to take the time and read through everything, as you can learn some interesting information!
Near the museum itself, there are a few other buildings which you should check out, but by far the coolest is the cathedral tower. Built over 400 years ago, this tower survived the pirate attack, and thanks to modern restorations you can still climb it to this day. With 115 steps, it offers interesting historical facts about the architectural style of the tower, what surrounding views would have been like when it was built, and an amazing 360-degree viewpoint of the city today.
One of my favorite aspects of Old Panama is how the ancient city contrasts with the recent construction of Panama City. It’s awesome to see the skyscrapers looming over the ancient ruins.
The museum requires no additional fees, and runs through the history of the region back to the indigenous period through the city’s destruction – along with showcasing artifacts and even a diorama of what its layout might have looked like.
As an anthropology graduate myself, this was a very interesting location. In fact, it is still an ongoing archaeological site. I saw a cordoned-off area which is currently being excavated, with a pile of pottery off to one side.
For a layover, this is probably your best option. It’s the closest of the three locations to the airport, easy to navigate, and full of history. For cruise passengers, it’s still worth visiting, but works best when paired with another stop like Casco Viejo. Just keep in mind there’s not much shade in some areas, so make sure to bring water and sunscreen.
Panama Canal (Miraflores Locks)
Traveling through the Panama Canal on a cruise ship was one of the coolest travel experiences I’ve ever had. However, getting to see it from the ground is still a fascinating experience.
As one of the most well-known things about Panama, the Canal is truly an architectural marvel. Every full transit requires about 52 million gallons of water per ship, which is why large ships are charged hundreds of thousands of dollars to go through. In fact, for our cruise, there was a surcharge per person to cover the costs!
From Panama City, the best way to see it is by visiting the Miraflores Locks. If you go to the visitor center here, you can see the original locks on the Pacific side which are still in use. There is an interactive museum explaining its engineering and the history of its construction, as well as an IMAX theater showing a movie every hour or so.
There is even a viewing platform with bleachers from which you can see ships passing through the locks. Watching the massive vessels rising or lowering in real time is mesmerizing. While slow, it’s incredible to see the engineering at work.
Tickets are $17.22, and you can easily spend a couple hours here. This is the best option if you’re more interested in engineering and infrastructure than historical ruins and city exploration. And if possible, try to time your visit when ships are scheduled to pass through – this is often more common in the morning.
On a cruise excursion, I’d recommend it primarily if you aren’t doing a full transit through the Panama Canal, as there will often be narration when you pass through the locks – though it may be interesting to see from the ground. For a layover it is another good option, but just consider the drive. It’s about a 35 minute commute either way, and make sure to account for the city traffic.
Honorable Mentions
If you have more time or have already seen the main highlights, there are a few other potential spots you can consider visiting in Panama City.
The Agua Clara Locks are a newer set of locks on the Atlantic side of Panama in the city of Colón. Similar to the Miraflores Locks, there is a visitor center and interactive museum. However, it is over an hour’s drive from the airport, so it’s not a great idea for a layover.
The Biomuseo is a museum focused more on the natural history of Panama. It’s an interesting option and in an accessible part of the city, but is much more niche than the other locations.
The Amador Causeway is a green space connecting the mainland to four islands. It has great views of the skyline, good restaurants, and is overall a nice area for experiencing a more relaxed vibe. It’s not the best choice for a layover, but it is great for a cruise stop due to being right near the port. There is an interesting nature center which we got to explore after our Casco Viejo excursion, and I had a local lunch and drink.
Cinta Costera is a large public recreation area along the waterfront. It has great views of the skyline, local restaurants, and plenty of walking and bike paths. However, this is better for a longer stay in the city rather than just a few hours.
Albrook Mall is the largest shopping mall in the Americas, having over 700 shops, restaurants, supermarkets, and plenty more. But again, this would be better for an overnight stay.
And of course, if you are on a cruise, there are other excursions you can choose from. These are all good options, as if any official excursions are delayed for some reason, the ship will wait for you.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there are some great options in Panama City – whether you’re a fan of history, engineering, architecture, and more! If you only have a few hours, you should probably stick to the top three. But overall, I would always recommend leaving the airport or cruise ship when time allows, as part of the fun of travel is getting to experience some of the local culture!