When we travel, not always we have enough time to know new places, even without knowing visited cities more than a cold hotel room or long corridors of an airport. So if you are visiting Panama and have a couple of hours before heading to your next destination we invite you to know the top 10 things to do in Panama .
The top 10 things to do in Panama
1. A city tour
The tour for Panama City, includes a visit to the three Panamanian cities: The ruins of the original city of the XVI century, the Old Town, the Spanish colonial city, and the modern city of skyscrapers. You want to see the Panama Canal, which is included in some of the tours. Panama is one of the Latin American countries that have a rich history with pre-colonial indigenous cultures, as a main junction of the Spanish Empire, famous as a target for pirates and finally the home of one of the most astonishing human achievement: The Panama Canal.
2. Visit the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Visitors Center
Another thing to do in Panama and should not miss in your itinerary is to visit the Panama Canal. Visit and not go to Panama Canal is like going to Las Vegas and do not go to casinos. Your visit to the Canal will be more interesting than you expect. The best place to visit is the Canal Visitor Center Miraflores Locks Miraflores. Just 20 minutes from downtown Panama City. The center includes a museum with interactive exhibits about the history of the Canal, heroes, the ecosystem, as well as excellent film about the construction of the Canal. Outside is a terrace for close-up views of the ships passing through the Miraflores Locks.
3.- Casco Antiguo – Historical Sector Panama City
A walk in the morning or afternoon in the Casco Antiguo Panama, a territory that stands towards the Bay of Panama, historic buildings from the colonial era and the construction of the Canal, Panama demonstrate the shared history with Spain, France and the United United. Today, the Casco Antiguo is experiencing a renaissance. Its buildings are being restored, there are new restaurants are opening, and many people are choosing to Casco Antiguo as a residence.
Highlights include historic buildings, churches from the seventeenth century as the Church of the Golden Altar, the ruins of the convent of the seventeenth century dungeon of the sixteenth century, a monument to the 22,000 Frenchmen who died with the canal and museum Panama Canal in an elegant building that was once the headquarters of the French who tried to build the Canal. The Casco Antiguo is a lift, so you enjoy the ocean breezes and views of the ocean and bay. Near the French Monument are some excellent craft shops undiscounted The Casco Antiguo also has good places for nightlife.
4. Panama Viejo ruins of the original Panama City
On the fourth place of things to do in Panama is to visit the ruins of Panama Viejo. The Panama Viejo was founded in 1519 by the Spaniards. It was the first city in the west coast of the Americas, functioning as the main town for the conquest of Latin America. All the treasure taken from the Inca empire crossed here. It was once a vibrant city of 10,000, the extensive ruins that exist today is the product of attack by the English pirate Henry Morgan in 1671 by a fire that destroyed the city. There is a good museum, but it’s better to go with a guide.
5.- Causeway
Offering spectacular views of the skyscrapers of Panama and the Panama Canal, Amador Causeway is a main attraction. The Causeway was created to connect four small islands using rocks extracted Panama Canal and serves as a breakwater for the entrance to the Pacific coast of the Channel.
Today, these small islands, lapped by pleasant breezes have many good restaurants at prices for different budgets, bike paths or running (you can rent bikes for $ 2 per hour), an aquarium of the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research, shops crafts, a port for cruise ships and a yacht marina. Many restaurants have great views of the canal and the ocean during the day and night. TGIF’s restaurant at the Country Inn and Suites has the best views of the Causeway and the Panama Canal, with boats passing below the majestic Bridge of the Americas.
6.- Enjoy the Nigthlife
Enjoy the nightlife in Panama City is among the top 10 things to do in Panama as it is exciting. Few countries can compete with funny Panamanian culture. Celebrating is a national activity, a point reflected by the wide selection of clubs, discos and casinos … something for everyone. The action takes place in three areas of the city: the business district in and around Calle Uruguay, the Causeway and the Old Town, the historic sector with Spanish colonial atmosphere.
7. Ecological Tours in the Metropolitan Park
The only tropical rainforest in the modern metropolis of a city. The park is only 15 minutes from your hotel in the city. The tour operators offer guided nature tours of the park-you need a professional guide to explain the tropical flora and fauna. There are beautiful views of the rainforest and the city from the top of the park.
8. Shop of crafts and ceramics
You can not miss the crafts of Panama are one of the most beautiful and creative in the region. Do not go without a real memory, made by one of the seven tribes of Indians in Panama today. The most popular handicrafts are “molas”, a form of traditional textile art panels sewn into intricate designs and multiple layers using a reverse appliqué technique, made by Kuna Indian women. Other crafts include hand-woven baskets of the Embera Indians of the Darien jungle-like baskets made by Navajo Indians-and sculptures Tagua nut, which are small figures.
9. Dining out
As an international crossroads, restaurants Panama City offer an amazing variety of fine cuisine at reasonable prices. Most restaurants are located in the shopping district, the historic Old Town or the Amador Causeway.
10. Walk from ocean to ocean in a historic Trans-Isthmian train
Climb the famous Panama Canal Railway, the original and first trans-continental railway. Opened in 1855, it was built by travelers to California in search of gold. The tour takes you into watching cars on scenic isthmus from Panama City on the Pacific, to Colon on the Atlantic in just 90 minutes. On the way, enjoy the views of the canal and the surrounding rainforest. Better to go with a guide to have activities during the day because the train leaves in the morning and returns in the afternoon. Shopping in the Free Zone is very popular. If you are alone, you better go on Friday or Saturday when there are more vacant. You can not make reservations. You can use taxis to get to the station.
Gogetit Content Manager. Author of important reviews for Gogetit News, “The #1 Source for real estate news in Panama.”
Specialized in the search and analysis of the most important news about real estate in Panama.
