Best things to do in Panama

Panamá's Absolute Essentials

Panama's landscape is defined by the Panama Canal and its Miraflores locks, a feat of modern engineering connected by the iconic Bridge of the Americas. Historic exploration centers on the colonial architecture of Casco Viejo and the 16th-century fortifications at San Lorenzo and Portobelo. The Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo showcases the region's natural history, while the Amador Causeway and Mercado del Mariscos offer local flavors. For nature enthusiasts, Ancon Hill provides city panoramas, and Volcán Barú marks the country’s highest point.

Panamá's Absolute Essentials — Map

Markus Leupold-Löwenthal / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an artificial 82-kilometre waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, cutting across…

Desi burgos / Public domain

B

Panama Old Town

Casco Antiguo, also known as Casco Viejo or San Felipe, is the historic district of Panama City.

Ibn Fawda al-Ameriki / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Miraflores Visitors Center

Miraflores is the name of one of the three locks that form part of the Panama Canal, and the name of the small lake that separates these…

Editorpana / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Fort San Lorenzo

Chagres, once the chief Atlantic port on the isthmus of Panama, is now an abandoned village at the historical site of Fort San Lorenzo.

Editorpana / CC BY-SA 4.0

E

Museum of Biodiversity

Biomuseo is a museum focused on the natural history of Panama, whose isthmus was formed very recently in geologic time, with major impact…

Joseph vasquez alen / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Plaza de Francia

This used to be the city´s main square. It was designed as a tribute to French effort to built Panama Canal.

Lukasz Waszczuk / CC-BY-SA

G

Fishmarket

This is a market where fresh food, mainly fish, is sold for affordable prices. Feel the delicious taste of Panama!

H

Amador Causeway

The second longest boardwalk in the city. It's filled with various restaurants, night clubs, cafés and similar.

Radioheadhst / Public domain

I

Bridge of the Americas

The Bridge of the Americas is a road bridge in Panama which spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.

J

Ancon Hill

Ancón Hill is a 199 metres high hill that overlooks Panama City, Panama, adjacent to the township of Ancón.

K

Volcan Baru National Park

The Volcán Barú is an active stratovolcano and the tallest mountain in Panama, at 3,474 metres high.

User:Tedder / CC BY 3.0

L

Portobelo-San Lorenzo

Portobelo is a historic port and corregimiento in Portobelo District, Colón Province, Panama.