I just came back from an amazing week spent in Panama where I was invited for the first edition of Blogger week – between the city, the coffee plantations and San Blas Islands, here’s a guide to my favorite places…
Most people hear ‘Panama’ and immediately think of the famed canal by that name. But while the Panama Canal is certainly a sight to see, Panama City offers much more than that piece of history. From its paradisiacal beaches to its bustling restaurant scene, this vibrant city delights visitors. Here are the sights I consider crucial for your first visit to Panama City. I’ve included bests of the city’s history, culture, gastronomy, and beaches.
The most cosmopolitan capital in Central America, Panama City is both vibrant metropolis and gateway to tropical escapes. Many worlds coexist here. Welcoming both east and west, Panama is a regional hub of trade and immigration. The resulting cultural cocktail forges a refreshing ‘anything goes’ attitude, more dynamic and fluid than its neighbors.
Unflinchingly urban, the capital rides the rails of chaos, with traffic jams, wayward taxis and casinos with deposit by phone slots stacked between chic clubs and construction sites. A center of international banking and trade, the sultry skyline of shimmering glass and steel towers is reminiscent of Miami. In contrast, the peninsula of Casco Viejo has become a thriving colonial neighborhood where cobblestones link boutique hotels with underground bars and crumbled ruins with pirate lore.
Escape is never far. Day trip to sandy beaches (Pacific or Caribbean), admire the canal, or explore lush rainforests of howler monkeys, toucans and sloths.
Forbes is calling Panama ‘The Next Luxury Hot Spot‘
Casco Viejo or Casco Antiguo is the charming historic Colonial part of Panama City. Definitely my favorite part of the city, reminds me quite a lot of Havana.
San Blas is Home to the Kuna, an autonomous indigenous group who run San Blas with minimal interference from the national government.
Imagine a turquoise archipelago with one island for every day of the year. With white sand and waving palms, these Caribbean islands cheat no one’s version of Paradise.