Panama
Panama City pairs the engineering spectacle of the canal with the colonial streets of Casco Viejo, plus easy day trips into the rainforest and islands.
Panama Canal & Day Trips
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Miraflores Visitor Center | must-do · canal viewing | The closest, easiest place to watch massive ships pass through the locks, with exhibits on how the canal was built and how it operates. |
| Gatun Lake boat tour | half-day · wildlife | Boat tours across the lake that forms the canal's middle stretch often spot monkeys on small islands along the way. |
| San Blas Islands | full-day trip | A cluster of postcard Caribbean islands run by the Guna Yala people, reachable on a long day trip or overnight from the city. |
Casco Viejo
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| CascoMar | $$ · seafood · tapas | Spanish-Mediterranean food with a big tapas menu and seafood-forward mains in the heart of the old town. |
| Fonda Lo Que Hay | $$ · local favorite | A standout that regularly shows up on best-of lists for Panama and Latin America, worth the visit for the food alone. |
| Santa Rita | $$ · Spanish | An elegant, well-reviewed spot for Spanish-style cooking in a polished indoor setting. |
| Siso | $ · coffee | A solid coffee stop for a break while wandering Casco Viejo's colonial streets. |
| La Barbara | speakeasy · cocktails | A hidden bar tucked behind Bruma, good for a low-key cocktail after dinner. |