Panama
In 2018, me and three of my friends decided to have Panamanian Christmas. We arrived in Panama on Thursday December 20th and departed on Thursday December 27th. For seven days we explored as much of Panama as we could, from eating breakfast in Casco Viejo to having lunch overlooking the Panama Canal, to sightseeing in Panama City and finally, to relaxing on the San Blas Islands. Panama is the perfect city and island mix. Here are some of the things we did while in Panama that I think you should add to your list:
Panama Canal
If you are going to visit Panama I do recommend going to see the Panama Canal; it is rich with history and is a must see. We got tickets for the buffet, Atlantic & Pacific Co., which overlooks the canal. We were able to enjoy a front seat view of the canal for over two hours while we had brunch. I recommend going between 10:00am-2:00pm as that is high traffic time and you will get to see the ships going in and out of the canal.
Casco Viejo
We stayed at an Airbnb that was 4 mins away from Casco Viejo so we ended up visiting there quite frequently. It is one of the most charming spots in Panama City. A lot of construction was happening while we were there, but it doesn’t take away from the “old” feel. We had breakfast at Mahalo, the cutest most charming breakfast spot and we returned to Casco Viejo for lunch, dinner and drinks. There are endless places to eat and hang out in Casco Viejo – you will not get bored. I highly recommend going there to have breakfast and or even just to walk around and sight-see; it is cheap and free.
Panama Viejo
If you have four hours to spare, I suggest you visit Panama Viejo. The museum gives a great account of what happened to Panama City and Old Panama. I loved the architecture and the view from Old Panama overlooking Panama City. If you are interested in some history and great photo ops, this is your place.
Overall, there is a lot to Panama that meets the eye. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, from the shopping in the city, to the days spent on San Blas to exploring old Panama to watching the sunset in Casco Viejo- Panama will satisfy a lot of your travel needs.
