Panamá Province · Panama
Where to stay in Panama City
Panama City is a city in Panamá Province, Panama, home to about 1,540,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- PAC2 km · Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport
- Currency
- PABPanamanian balboa
- Time zone
- America/Panama
- Language
- Spanish
About
About Panama City
Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a total population of 410,354 in the city proper and 1,086,990 in the Panamá District, which includes the outer corregimientos of the city.
Panama City serves as the administrative and economic hub of the Republic of Panama and is among the busiest urban centers in Central America. It combines areas of recent buildings and tall skyscrapers with well-preserved historic neighborhoods, reflecting the urban evolution since its founding in 1519. Spanish is the official language and the most widely used in everyday life, although English is frequently used in tourism and business. Commercial offerings range from major international brands to popular markets and small local shops, such as those clustered along Avenida Central.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Panama City
See
- Panama Canal
- Miraflores Visitor Center/Miraflores Locks
- Casco Viejo
- Canal Museum
- Panama History Museum
- Panama Viejo
- Amador Causeway
- Punta Culebra Nature Center
- Biomuseo
- Mi Pueblito
- Cerro Ancón
- Parque Natural Metropolitano
Do
- Help a sailboat to cross the canal
- Metropolitan Natural Park (MNP)
- Panaviera bar
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Panama City
78 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Central Hotel Panama | 2.1 km | |
| AC Hotel by Marriott Panama City | 1.7 km | |
| Albrook Inn | 3.0 km | |
| Aloft Panama | 4.1 km | |
| American Trade Hotel | 2.1 km | |
| Best Western El Dorado Panama Hotel | 3.9 km | |
| Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel | 2.3 km | |
| Bodhi Panama City | 2.0 km | |
| Canova | 0.5 km | |
| Casa Los Monstros | 2.1 km | |
| Cerrito Tropical | 20.0 km | |
| Courtyard by Marriott Panama Multiplaza Mall | 2.9 km | |
| Decapolis Hotel Panama City | 2.1 km | |
| Dreams Playa Bonita Panama - All Inclusive | 9.6 km | |
| Global Hotel Panama | 2.1 km | |
| Gran Hotel Soloy & Casino | 0.6 km | |
| Grand International Hotel | 2.2 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Panama | 2.0 km | |
| Hilton Panama | 1.4 km | |
| Holiday Inn Panama Canal | 5.7 km | |
| Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero | 1.9 km | |
| Hospedaje Camino Real | 0.4 km | |
| Hostal Amador Familiar | 3.3 km | |
| Hostal Cocos Inn | 2.6 km | |
| Hostal Gemar | 4.8 km | |
| Hotel Acapulco | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel California Panama | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Casa Panamá | 1.9 km | |
| Hotel Coral Suites | 1.9 km | |
| Hotel Costa Inn | 0.3 km | |
| Hotel Covadonga | 0.6 km | |
| Hotel Discovery | 0.2 km | |
| Hotel El Panama by Faranda Grand | 1.5 km | |
| Hotel Latino | 0.0 km | |
| Hotel Lisboa | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Marbella | 1.8 km | |
| Hotel Marparaiso | 0.2 km | |
| Hotel Montreal | 0.9 km | |
| Hotel Ojos Del Rio | 0.4 km | |
| Hotel Panama Princess | 1.9 km |
All 78 hotels in Panama City, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Panama City
Panama City has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 289 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Panama City: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (PAC), about 2.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tocumen International Airport (PTY, 20 km) and Enrique Adolfo Jimenez Airport (ONX, 56 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Panama City used to be the de facto headquarters of the US control over the Panama Canal and as the canal was and is of vital strategic and military importance, there were a bunch of military airfields built to defend the canal.
Getting around
A Metro opened in 2014, and is by far the preferred method to get to the places it serves. However, there are still many places of interest not served by it. Line is roughly equal parts elevated and underground with the part from Albrook to El Ingenio being the underground section. Line, serving the northern suburbs, opened in 2019. There is a grand plan for many further lines which are hopefully going to enter service as the 2020s and 2030s progress. A single ride is 35 cents regular price in Line 1 with discounts for the elderly and students.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
PAC · Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport
PTY · Tocumen International Airport
ONX · Enrique Adolfo Jimenez Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Panama City
Eat
Check out Panama Restaurant Week, which doesn't happen every year, but when it does it is a fantastic option to try great restaurants at good prices. Despite its name, it lasts 15 days, with dozens of participating restaurants offering special participating menus at fixed, lower than normal prices. There's several cafes along Via Argentina. The Spanish sandwich shops offer excellent sandwiches, coffee, and churros. Try Manolo's Churreria (don't miss the churros rellenos, pastries filled with dulce de leche and rolled in sugar) or Del Prado. Sandwiches should cost from $3-5. Also on Via Argentina is El Trapiche, serving traditional Panamanian food for under $12/person.
Drink
Buy and try some Panamanian and Cuban coffee while you're here. It will be some of the best you've ever had. Calle Uruguay is a neighborhood filled with bars and discos for wealthy Panamanians and foreigners.
Stay safe
Be careful in Casco Viejo and the Panama Viejo ruins area. Stay out of El Chorrillo, Santa Ana, Curundu and San Miguel. It is very dangerous right now due to infighting between drug gangs. Tourists have been kidnapped right off the street. El Chorrillo borders San Felipe so it is very easy to accidentally walk into it. When driving, car doors should be locked. The central neighborhoods of Marbella, El Cangrejo, Obarrio, San Francisco, and the Banking Area are generally the most safe. In any case, be careful of your belongings, even if sitting in a restaurant, as people have had things snatched without noticing it, especially when enjoying a glass too many of Panama's great wine selection.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Panama City: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Panama City?
Panama City has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 289 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Panama City?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (PAC), about 2.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Tocumen International Airport (PTY, 20 km) and Enrique Adolfo Jimenez Airport (ONX, 56 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Panama City?
Panamanian balboa (PAB).
Nearby
Destinations near Panama City
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.