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Panama is a country about to be discovered, being renovated as investors discover the old town's appeal. The first thing you see in Panama's skyline is the contrast between the old and the new. The metropolitan Panama City proudly displays it’s tall and modern buildings right along side it’s incredible Colonial style mansions of Casco Viejo. Attractions include Panama Viejo (Old Panama), a site with the ruins of the original 16th century Panama City and the Panama Canal, once referred to as One of the seven wonders of the modern world.

You will find an array of restaurants, a lot of small shops as well as big department stores and shopping malls. By night-time Panama City is full of energy and excitement, with unlimited options. Whether it's a cultural night at the theatre or a night visiting bars and clubs, you're going to have a great time.

Unfortunately, the waters in the coast of the city are polluted, and bathing in them is not allowed. However there are beaches available nearby. Visit instead the beautiful beaches of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. You will find many type of beaches, from the pristine white sands of the Pacific coast to the stunning black sand beaches, and every other option in between.

The closest is the Playa Bonita Complex, right next to the city, crossing the Bridge of the Americas.

Isla Grande, near the historic town of Portobelo, is a popular weekend destination for Panama City dwellers, particularly those who like to party.

Along the Pacific Coast you will find El Palmar, Rio Mar, Santa Clara, Punta Barco, Santa Catalina and Playa Venao beaches, to name a few. Playa Barqueta is a gorgeous black sand beach.

Several islands also offer beach facilities. Las Perlas Islands has beautiful calm waters, ideal for sailing and snorkelling. Other beach islands include Bocas del Toro, Contadora, Taboga Islands, Coiba Island National Marine Park and San Blas.

Panama City is at sea level, so the climate is quite warm and humid at times, with a dry season from December to April and a rainy season from May to November. The average daily high temperature is 30° C, and the average daily low is 24° C.

 

Temperature in Celcius	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Maximum	31	32	32	31	30	30	30	30	30	29	30	30
Minimum	24	24	25	25	25	25	25	25	24	24	24	24
Rainfall (mm)	29	10	13	65	225	235	169	219	254	331	252	105

Near Panama City are some of the most accessible nature reserves. A surprising variety of plant and animal life can be found within the many rainforests, cloud forests and marine parks of Panama. Here is a list of the national parks waiting to be explored:

- Parque Natural Metropolitano
- Parque Internacional La Amistad
- Parque Nacional Marino de Isla Bastimentos
- Parque Nacional Volcan Baru
- Monumento Natural de Barro Colorado
- Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Cañas
- Parque Nacional Chagres
- Parque Nacional Coiba
- Parque Nacional Soberania
- Parque Nacional del Darien
- Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Iguana
- Parque Nacional Portobelo
- Centro de Exhibicion Marina Punta Culebra
- Parque Nacional Sarigua

Panama City is the capital of Panama and is located along the Pacific coast. The city is also located at the entrance of the Panama Canal. Panama City is the political, financial, administrative and cultural center of the country. With a population of around 750,000, Panama City is the largest city in the country.

Construction of the Panama Canal was of great benefit to the infrastructure of the city. Of particular note are the improvements in health and sanitation brought about by the American presence in the Canal Zone.

The city was founded on August 15 1519 by Pedrarias Davila. Panama City quickly became an important geographic location for colonial trade, a launching point for the exploration and conquest of Peru, and a transit point for gold and silver headed back to Spain through the Isthmus. Pirates attacked and looted the city, which was subsequently destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1673 nearby the original city.

With the discovery of gold in California, thousands of people crossed the isthmus, greatly increasing the traffic and the prosperity of the city. The construction of the Panama Canal was of great benefit to the infrastructure of the city. And during World War II, the presence of U.S. military and civilian personnel brought about unprecedented levels of prosperity to the city, but was also viewed as an affront to their nationalism.

During the 1980s, Panama City became an international banking center, but also gained a reputation an international money-laundering center. In 1989 after nearly a year of tension between the United States and Panama, President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama to depose the leader of Panama, General Manuel Noriega. Panama City remains a banking center, although with very visible controls in the flow of cash.

The Panama Canal is a major ship canal, a lock system that acts as water elevators, that traverses the Isthmus of Panama in Central America. The construction of the 77 km canal was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. It has had an enormous impact on shipping between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Although the concept of a canal in Panama dates back to the early 16th century, the first attempt to construct a canal began in 1880 under French leadership. After this attempt collapsed, the work was finally completed by the United States, and the canal opened in 1914. Since opening, the canal has been enormously successful, and continues to be a key conduit for international shipping. Each year the canal accommodates the passage of more than 14,000 ships.

Several touring companies offer mini cruises through the Canal. You can also visit the Visitor Center in Miraflores which contains exhibits dedicated to the Canal’s history and operation, and the importance of water as a source of life.

When travelling to the beaches outside Panama City, visitors will be able to pick from a multitude water sport activities. Among the possible activities, you will find swimming, sailing, boating, surfing, windsurfing and kayaking. Several companies offer deep sea fishing excursions. The many marine parks are worth exploring while snorkelling and scuba diving.

The rainforests are best explored by horse riding, hiking and tree canopy adventures. A few establishments in the city offer bicycle rentals as well.

Panama is proud to offer some of the golf courses in all of Central America. There are six golf courses on the isthmus. The Coronado Beach Country Club is an 18-hole par 72 course offering 7,092 yards for professionals. The beautiful Summit Golf Resort consists of two golf courses, the first of which is an 18-hole course and the second is a children’s special course with 6 holes. It also is the only golf course in Latin America with a computerized GPS Pro Shot System. Also popular is the Mantaray Golf Club of Costa Blanca Villas in Farallon.

The Panama la Vieja Archaeological Site is the only remains testifying to the original Panama City. The ruins are on the eastern outskirts of the modern day city. The original city was founded in 1519, but was destroyed by fire during a battle with the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. Today visitors can explore the partial remains of a few stone buildings. Two of the best preserved structures include the tower of the cathedral, one of Panama’s national symbols, and the Casa Alarcon, also known as the Casa del Obispo (bishop’s house). Both structures date back to the 1600s.

The biggest attraction here is Panama City’s Historic District, the Casco Viejo. The buildings architecture is reminiscent of French, Italian and Spanish style. Points of interest here are the Municipal Palace, the Palacio de las Garzas (the presidential palace), the National Institute of Culture Building, the Metropolitan Cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral, the InterOceanic Canal Museum, and of course the magnificent and recently renovated Teatro Nacional, now equipped with outstanding natural acoustics. El Paseo de las Bóvedas, is the old Spanish military fort now transformed into a waterfront promenade.

The renovated Museo Antropologico Reina Torres de Arauz presents exhibits precious metal artefacts dating back to pre-Columbian Panama. The best place for a spectacular view of the city is without a doubt atop the Cerro Ancon. The Amador Causeway connects three small islands with the mainland. This old military base is today a favourite with joggers, cyclists and those enjoying lovely strolls. Nearby is the Mi Pueblito, a living museum where village life and traditions are re-enacted. Other nearby attractions include: the Summit Biological Garden, the Soberania National Park and the Metropolitan National Park.

And of course no visit would be complete without exploring the world famous Panama Canal. The three main locks of the canal are the Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and Gatun Locks. The Miraflores Locks are the most accessible ones from Panama City. They are also the tallest of the three, since the Pacific Ocean experiences much higher tides then the Atlantic Ocean.

There are many possible day trips to make from Panama City. A favourite one is a tour of the mountains of El Valle or Chiriqui. Here you can climb Panama’s highest point, the extinct volcano of Volcan Baru. Due to its height and Panama's narrow width, it is possible to see both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea from Volcan Baru's peak on a clear day. On your way there are many plantations and farms to explore. Thriller seekers will enjoy river rafting down the Chiriqui River.

Shopaholics will definitely want to go to Colon, the country's second largest city. Colon's Free Trade Zone is the largest duty-free zone in the Americas. Nearby Portobello is a picturesque town, located on the Atlantic side of Panama, where the treasures looted from Inca Empire were stored and shipped to Spain. Visitors can see the ruins of the Portobello Fortress and the restored Customs House.

Another great getaway idea is the Soberania National Park, located a mere 32 km from Panama City. This tropical rainforests offers a variety of activities like fishing, eco-studies, bird watching and hiking. There are over 500 species of birds to be spotted, as well as monkeys, crocodiles, turtles and capybaras.

This city offers a wide variety of nightlife spots that includes bars, discos, pubs, casinos, live music performances or movie theatres. Your best bet is to head out in one of the following districts: the business district, the Casco Viejo, the historic Spanish Colonial sector and the Amador Causeway.

Great bars include The Wine Bar, El Pavo Real (a British pub), La Casona de las Brujas and Casablanca Friday and Saturday nights.

If you want to dance the night away in a hip discotheque then you should try Unplugged, Oz, S6IS, Traffic, Liquid, Moods and Next.

Gambling enthusiasts will rejoice in one of the city’s many casinos. The largest casinos are the Fiesta Casino (El Panama Hotel), the Crown Casino (Caesar Park Hotel) and the Veneto Casino (Veneto Hotel). If horse races is your game, then check out the Presidente Jose A. Remon track.

Panama City offers a variety of accommodations, ranging from tropical garden villas, luxurious resorts, comfortable and modern hotels, all the way to family-run guest houses. There is something for every budget. Moderately priced lodgings are mostly located in the La Exposicion neighbourhood, whereas higher end hotels can be found in the Bella Vista and El Congrejo areas east of the city center.

Panama's geographical location has always made it an importance commerce center. Its no wonder visitors will find an incredible diversity of shops and all the international brands.

The capital counts several shopping districts such as the Via Espana and Central Avenue. Modern shopping malls include the Multiplaza Pacific, the Multicentro, the Albrook Mall and the Los Pueblos. And of course the Free Zone, located 45 minutes away in Colon, is the world's largest free zone and duty free shopping area.

Panama City has a good selection of restaurants, even international fare. Some suggestions include:

Cafe Pomodoro, a very popular Italian restaurant
El Trapiche, which serves traditional Panamanian dishes
Las Bovedas, located within the Casco Viejos, offers French dishes
Chalet Suiso, for steak or fondue
La Cocotte, serving French cuisine
Madam Chang, presents inventive Chinese dishes
Tinajas, for its Panamanian food and traditional dance shows