Morning: Miraflores Locks (8:30-11:30 AM)
Uber from your hotel to the Miraflores Visitor Center. Plan to arrive at 8:30 AM when it opens. By 9 AM the first transits of the day start rolling through. Spend 90 minutes: 30 on the observation deck watching a ship transit, 30 in the museum, and 30 at the IMAX or cafe.
Lunch: Casco Viejo (12:30-2 PM)
Uber to Casco Viejo, roughly 25 minutes in traffic. Lunch on a rooftop is the move. Tantalo or Casa Casco give you a full view of the Panama City skyline. A set lunch with a drink runs $20-30.
Afternoon: Casco Viejo walking (2-4 PM)
The old town is small and walkable. Key stops: Plaza Catedral, Iglesia de San Jose with the Golden Altar, Plaza de Francia facing the Pacific, and the ruins of the Convento de Santo Domingo where the famous Arco Chato stood before collapsing in 2003. Shade breaks in rooftop bars or ice cream at Granclement.
Sunset: Amador Causeway (5-7 PM)
Uber to the Amador Causeway. Three small islands connected to the mainland by a 6 km causeway. The view of the Panama City skyline at sunset with the Pacific on the other side is the postcard of Panama. Visit the Biomuseo (Frank Gehry) if architecture is your thing, or just walk or rent a bike.
Dinner: back to Casco Viejo (7:30 PM)
Dinner rooftop in Casco Viejo. Cava 21, Amador Ocean View, or Lazotea are all solid. Budget $40-60 per person for a good dinner with wine.
Frequently asked questions
One day covers the three must-see sights: Miraflores Locks, Casco Viejo, and the Amador Causeway. Two days lets you add a half-day Canal transit cruise or Soberania National Park for rainforest wildlife.
Start with Miraflores at 9 AM when the morning transits pass and the heat is still manageable. Lunch in Casco Viejo around 12:30 PM, walk the old town 2-4 PM. Go to Amador Causeway for sunset at 5 PM. Dinner rooftop in Casco Viejo at 7:30 PM.
No. Uber is cheap, abundant, and easier than dealing with traffic and parking. A full-day tour is the simplest option if you want everything arranged with a bilingual guide.
