Travelers Overlook Panamá City, Panamá. Here's Why You Should Visit.

Motoring along the Pan-American Highway, Panama’s Route 1, the ocean briefly surrounded me on either side. The route from Tocumen International Airport traverses a stunning causeway, cutting through the glistening waves of the Gulf of Panama and leading seemingly directly to the immense Panamá City skyline, like an oasis rising from the water. Amidst the skyscrapers, the F&F Tower – aptly nicknamed The Corkscrew – spiraled into the sky. It reminded me of Hong Kong looming over the bay, and while this coastal city is the financial center of Latin America, it is a destination often overlooked by tourists. 

How else could I have eaten the freshest ceviche I could’ve imagined had I not gone to Mercado Publico del Marisco – the public fish market? Or walked the same cobbled streets that welcomed visitors and residents alike for centuries? Panamá City is a place unlike any I’ve ever seen because, like the famed Panamá Canal, it is a crossroads. 

“What truly sets it apart is its vibrant fusion of cultures — home to communities from across the world, including Afro-Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, and Indigenous groups,” explained Ángela Duberly Gamba, Events and International Projects Manager for Visit Panamá. “This rich cultural tapestry is reflected in everyday life, from the languages you hear on the streets to the flavors that define its cuisine … Panamá City is a capital that surprises and excites — not just with its landmarks, but with its lifestyle.”

More than 500 years old, Panamá City has had half a millennium to build its identity. Its evolution can be found everywhere, particularly in the old town, known as Casco Antiguo or Casco Viejo. This neighborhood is officially known as the San Felipe District and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Like a quilt, San Felipe has been sewn together with new additions for centuries. Travelers meander around buildings that are centuries old but whose stories have been retold time and time again, like the St. Francis of Assisi Church, an architectural gem originally dated back to the 1600s. The church has suffered multiple fires, and underwent an almost total renovation in 1918 and again from 2013 to 2016. Therein is the beauty of Casco Antiguo: it is a record of the triumphs and scars of Panama city.

“Stroll through our UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Casco Antiguo and the Fortifications of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, where colonial history comes to life,” Gamba told Now Frolic. “From modern cityscapes and historic quarters to indigenous traditions and world-class biodiversity, every corner of Panama tells a story.” As a tourism advocate, she had to suggest that travelers visit the Panamá Canal, which “symbolizes our nation's spirit of innovation and global relevance.”

The Panamá Canal should hardly be considered the city’s main calling card. A visit to the canal was like going to a NASCAR race — elevated stands full of people, often with beer in hand, cheer on a moving vehicle. In this case the vehicle moves extremely slowly and in a straight line. There’s little doubt the canal is an engineering marvel, though for some visitors it won’t provide more than a few minutes of entertainment. Still, give yourself grace if, like me, you're deeply underwhelmed by the whole thing. If the engineering fails to thrill, you still shouldn’t skip the attraction’s IMAX movie experience – A Land Divided, A World United, narrated by Morgan Freeman.

What amazed me the most about the city was its incredible food scene. If one thing can pull me away from architecture or neighborhood tours, food will. It isn’t just my palate that’s been sated here, either. Gamba told me Panamá City is now a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With such an intersection of cultural identities living in the city, it’s little wonder that the abundance of incredible food has created a distinctive gastronomic region. The city was designated in 2017.

Some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants like Maito, Fonda Lo Que Hay, and La Tapa del Coco are well worth visiting. Gamba extolled that “these eateries showcase everything from innovative tasting menus using native ingredients like yuca, culantro, and pixbae, to traditional dishes with modern twists, … [showcasing] Panamá's fusion of Afro-Caribbean, Indigenous, and international flavors.” 

Anytime I visit a place that puts plantains on the menu, I’ll eat my weight in them. Be sure to try the patacones — they’re fried plantains similar to tostones, but are double-fried. Don’t even get me started on Panamanian coffee — Geisha coffee changed my life with a fruitiness I have never before experienced.

With all the political hullabaloo around the canal from the United States, Panamá has been in the news a lot lately. As a big fan of this country and its capital city, I hope the nonsensical political rhetoric doesn’t keep people from visiting. A lot of folks could learn so much from Panamanian hospitality and the ways this city has embraced the notion of a melting pot — almost literally with its incredibly multicultural dining scene. As much as I wince to admit it, Panamá had never been on my travel radar until I visited. Now, I can’t wait to go back. 

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