2 days in Panama City

Day by day

1. Day 1: Miraflores Locks and Panama Canal partial transit

   Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal partial transit, Ancón Hill and Metropolitan Natural Park, then Casco Viejo in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Miraflores Locks

      The visitor centre has viewing terraces right beside the lock chambers, a museum on the canal's construction and ecology, and a film. Watching a container ship squeeze through with tugs and locomotives is the highlight.

   2. Late morning

      Panama Canal partial transit

      It takes most of a day and gives a far closer view than the visitor centre.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sancocho

      Fondas and traditional restaurants throughout the city, especially at lunchtime and on weekends.

   4. Afternoon

      Ancón Hill

      A quiet paved road leads to the summit in about 30–45 minutes on foot, often past sloths, toucans and agoutis, with views of the canal, the Bridge of the Americas, Casco Viejo and the skyline.

   5. Late afternoon

      Metropolitan Natural Park

      Visitors often see sloths, titi monkeys, toucans and coatis, and early mornings are best for birdwatching.

   6. Evening

      Casco Viejo

      Rooftop bars, cocktail bars and live music in restored buildings around the plazas.

2. Day 2: Casco Viejo and Mercado de Mariscos

   Casco Viejo, Mercado de Mariscos, Plaza de Francia and Las Bóvedas and Iglesia de San José, then Calle Uruguay in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Casco Viejo

      It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Panamá Viejo, and its plazas, churches and balconies are best seen on foot.

   2. Late morning

      Mercado de Mariscos

      The city's fish market, at the start of the Cinta Costera near Casco Viejo, sells the morning catch downstairs, while an upstairs restaurant and stalls outside sell cups of ceviche made with corvina, shrimp or octopus and fried fish.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ceviche

      The Mercado de Mariscos stalls and seafood restaurants around Casco Viejo.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza de Francia and Las Bóvedas

      Las Bóvedas, former vaults in the sea wall, line one side, and the Paseo Esteban Huertas promenade above them gives views of the Bridge of the Americas and the skyline.

   5. Late afternoon

      Iglesia de San José

      Legend says it was saved from the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671 by being painted black and moved from the old city.

   6. Evening

      Calle Uruguay

      Bars, clubs and late-night restaurants popular with a young local crowd.

Before you go

• Panama Canal partial transit: Partial transits run only on some days and fill up; book well ahead, especially in the dry season.

If it rains

• Swap in Panama Canal Museum (Casco Viejo): Visit before going to the Miraflores Locks; the history makes the locks far more interesting.
• Swap in Biomuseo (Amador): Allow around two hours and combine it with a bike ride or lunch along the causeway.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–19 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.6 hours in December to 12.6 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. The Metro has two lines: Line 1 runs from the Albrook bus terminal through the centre and El Cangrejo to the north, while Line 2 runs east towards the airport area.

More or fewer days

• One day in Panama City
• 3 days in Panama City
• 5 days in Panama City

Questions travellers ask