Panama City Panama is one of Central America’s fastest growing urban areas. In addition to historic corners of the city and a large downtown area stacked with high-rise buildings, a large belt of tropical rainforest also surrounds Panama City.
Of course no trip to Panama City is complete without a tour of the famous canal. Our guests love the half-day tour of the canal, traveling through the Pedro Miguel Locks aboard The Pacific Queen.
After a complete canal experience, we like to suggest to our guests to spend time exploring the Old City, an atmospheric labyrinth of churches, plazas and palaces, followed by dinner at one of Panama’s best restaurants, Madrigal.
Begin With a Guided Tour of the Panama Canal
This half-day tour of the Panama Canal begins at the nearby Flamenco Resort and Marina. Here you will board a motor coach for a 45-minute ride to the town of Gamboa, which is home base for the Panama Canal Dredging Division and where you will board The Pacific Queen.
Built in 1970 and completely renovated in 1989, this vessel has three decks, two of which are closed with air conditioning and the third deck, which is an open sun deck with partial covering. Be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen so you can enjoy time on the open deck of the vessel during your tour.
The tour takes you about 14km to the Pedro Miguel Locks. Towards the end of the tour you will go through 2 separate locks, the first takes you down 9 meters and the second, the Miraflores Locks, takes you down another 18 meters to the Pacific Ocean.
Explore Panama City’s Historic Neighborhoods
Panama City is comprised of three distinct areas. In addition to the booming, modern downtown area, the city includes the 16th century original city Panama Viejo or “Old Panama” and the Spanish colonial city called Casco Viejo.
The Historical Monumental Complex of Panama Viejo, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located within the modern city of Panama. Here you’ll find the ruins of the first European settlement on the American Pacific coast, founded in 1519, as well as a number of remains of the first inhabitants of the Isthmus.
Next, journey through the Casco Viejo district. Built in 1673, this area boasts impressive Spanish architectural design and is home to many famous plazas, cobblestone streets and public parks.
Book a Table for Dinner at Madrigal
After heading back to the BlueBay City Panamá to freshen up after a full day of sightseeing, take a taxi to Madrigal. One of Panama’s best restaurants, the recently opened Madrigal offers traditional Panamanian dishes under the guidance of Michelin-starred Spanish Chef Andres Madrigal.
Located in the heart of the Old City (Casco Viejo), in a stone walled building, expect to find dishes like fresh artichokes with clams, tender slices of octopus on crushed warm baby potatoes, delicate crab salad with savoury foam, crispy-coated moist-interior fried fish of the day or an inventive take on suckling pig on the menu.
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