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My favorite places in Panama City: hotels, rooftops, food & sightseeing

15 items

Megan Lehé

These were the spots that made my Panama trip one for the books. Old streets in Casco. Jungle mornings in Gamboa. Rooftop views over the city. If you visit Panama City, start here.

Map

Sections

Hotels

Rooftop bars

Shopping malls

Sightseeing

Food

Hotels

We stayed at three different hotels during our Panama trip. Ramada was our city base, Gamboa was our wedding stay, and Riu was our final hotel with amazing breakfast and views.

Great first hotel for a Panama City trip. The location was practical, the view was beautiful, and it worked well as a comfortable city base.

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Panama Punta Pacifica

We had our wedding here. 10/10 would recommend. It is a little outdated but it's a great place for nature lovers! We saw monkeys, sloths, many different birds. Great stay for larger groups.

Gamboa Rainforest Reserve

Great hotel. Their breakfast is 100/10. Our room was great. Views on the 28th were gorgeous.

Hotel Riu Plaza Panama

Rooftop bars

We love rooftop bars, especially at night. We did not go to many because I was sick. But luckily we were able to visit these ones

Great rooftop vibe for a relaxed night out. Good for drinks, tacos, music, and city views. Perfect if you want something fun, but not too formal.

Tacos La Neta

Hands-down one of my favorite spots. They have different levels of restaurants and a rooftop bar. Protip: eat the lobster with casava on the ground floor. Then go chill on their rooftop with the most amazing view😌

CasaCasco

One we were planning to go to but we did not make it because I was sick. It's on the itinerary for our next trip though.

Cielo Rooftop Bar

Shopping malls

As many of us…I love shopping! So, I always look for the best shopping malls in the country I am vacationing in.

Very large mall. One of my favorites. They pretty much have anything you need.

Multiplaza Panamá

Great place to shop and eat. Did not manage to see the whole place because it was very large

Albrook Mall: Inicio

Sightseeing

Sightseeing was one of my favorite parts of Panama. Casco gave us history, the Canal gave us that wow-moment, and Amador was perfect for walking, eating, and ocean views.

Casco Viejo. The old town has so much character. Great place to walk around, explore and get to know the country.

Casco Viejo, Panama

Definitely go see how ships pass!

Panama Canal

Go explore along the water. You can rent bikes and scooters and have some great sea food on one of the islands

Amador Causeway

You can watch the ships pass through, learn how the locks work, and really feel how important this place is for Panama. Great stop for first-time visitors.

Miraflores Visitor Center

I didn’t get to go inside this time, but it is definitely on my list for next time. The building alone is colorful and iconic, and it looks like a great stop to learn more about Panama’s nature, history, and biodiversity.

Museo de la Biodiversidad - Biomuseo

Food

Gamboa was all inclusive and we ate a lot at the restaurants and international chains because I was not able to walk very long. But these 2 restaurants stand out from all the places we did visit.

Great beach club vibe. Amazing food! (Try the coconut rice and chicharrón. Also the seafood mixed platter)

Praia Amador

Inside casa casco is one of my favorite restaurants, Kobore. Try their lobster with cassava. And their steak!

Köbore Panamá