Panama City Activities from Free to $25

The best hour in Panama City costs nothing: sunset on the Casco Viejo sea wall, with the skyline lighting up across the bay. The paid sights are cheap too, because the city runs on US dollars and its priciest single ticket sits at $20. Sorted by price, here is what a few days can hold.

Free

  • Casco Viejo. The restored 1673 quarter has four plazas to wander: Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Francia, Plaza Bolívar and Plaza Herrera.
  • Cinta Costera. A 7 km waterfront park with skyline views, good for an early run or a late stroll.
  • Ancón Hill. A paved 30 to 45 minute climb reaches the 199 m summit under the giant flag. Sloths, toucans and coatis are regular sightings.
  • Amador Causeway. The 6 km breakwater links four small islands. Surrey bikes rent for roughly $10 to $15 an hour.
  • Biomuseo gardens. The Frank Gehry building and its plant park are free to enter; only the galleries are ticketed.

Under $10

  • Metro. Line 1 costs $0.35 and Line 2 costs $0.50, paid with a rechargeable card, since there is no cash at the gates. Only Lines 1 and 2 carry passengers. See Metro de Panamá for the network map.
  • Metropolitan Natural Park. About 232 hectares of tropical forest inside the city, seven trails of around 5 km in total, $4 for foreign adults, open 06:00 to 16:30.
  • Lunch. A fonda set meal of chicken sancocho, rice and plantain runs about $5 to $8, and a ceviche cup at the Mercado de Mariscos about $3 to $6.

$10 to $25

  • Miraflores Locks. Open daily 08:00 to 18:00. Non-resident tickets are tiered from $7.22 to $17.22, with the top price including the IMAX film. Check the current rates and the day’s ship schedule on Visit Canal de Panamá .
  • Panamá Viejo. The 1519 ruins and cathedral tower, about 10 km east of downtown, cost $15 for foreign adults. Open Tuesday to Sunday 08:30 to 17:30.
  • Biomuseo. $20 for non-resident adults.
  • Taboga island. The ferry from Amador is $24 return and takes 30 minutes. Bring ID.

Planning tips

Casco Viejo and Panamá Viejo are different places. Casco Viejo is the lived-in colonial quarter; Panamá Viejo is the ruined original city. Monday is the awkward day, since both Biomuseo and Panamá Viejo close, so give Mondays to Miraflores, Casco Viejo and Ancón Hill.

Stay inside the restored Casco core after dark and take an Uber to or from downtown; a short hop costs about $3.50 to $6. Tap water is safe to drink, so carry a refillable bottle.

Compare tour prices before you commit to a canal cruise: browse Panama Canal tours on GetYourGuide to see current departures. For rainy afternoons, the sightseeing page sorts the indoor options.

Verdict: spend your money on Miraflores and the Biomuseo, and treat everything else as free. If you only have one morning, do Ancón Hill at 07:00 before the heat builds.