Bridging oceans and cultures, Panama is where Spanish colonial streets meet a gleaming skyline and rainforest wildlife rubs shoulders with cargo ships. The star is the Panama Canal, a 50-mile engineering marvel that still stirs the imagination. In the capital, you’ll wander Casco Viejo’s tiled roofs and churches, then bike the Amador Causeway out toward the Pacific breeze.

Just a couple of hours away, Panama’s Pacific Riviera—around Buenaventura and Playa Blanca—trades city buzz for barefoot luxury, mangrove sunsets, and easy day trips to the crater valley of El Valle de Antón. It’s the perfect pairing: culture-forward days in the city followed by surf, sand, and poolside siestas.

Practical notes: The currency is the U.S. dollar; rideshares (Uber/DiDi) are ubiquitous in Panama City. Dry season runs roughly December–April, with emerald-green rains May–November. Panama’s cuisine leans on coconut-laced rice, plantains, fresh ceviche, and top-tier coffee (including world-famous Geisha). Make restaurant and Canal tour bookings ahead in peak months.

Panama City

Panama City is Latin America’s only capital where you can watch oceangoing ships slide by minutes from a UNESCO-listed old quarter. Start in Casco Viejo—built in the 1670s after pirates leveled the original city—then hop to the Biomuseo and Amador Causeway for skyline views and sea air.

Top sights include Miraflores Locks and the Canal’s visitor center, the Interoceanic Canal Museum, the seafood market for bracingly fresh ceviche, and sunset rooftops in Casco. Coffee lovers should seek out locally roasted Geisha at high-caliber cafés.

• Stay (Panama City): Browse stays on Hotels.com or apartments via VRBO. Standouts: The Bristol Panama (classic service, Obarrio), Hotel Casa Panamá (boutique in Casco Viejo), and family-friendly Wyndham Panama Albrook Mall Hotel & Convention Center (shops and easy transport).
• Arriving: Search flights to PTY (Tocumen) on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. From the airport, rideshares to Casco Viejo/Obarrio run ~25–45 minutes depending on traffic.
• Food & drink hits: Coffee at Café Unido or Kotowa; lunch at Mercado de Mariscos (try the corvina ceviche); dinner at Maito (modern Panamanian tasting menus) or Fonda Lo Que Hay (bold, seasonal plates). Nightcaps: Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar (raspberry “Seco” daiquiri) or rooftop views at Tántalo and CasaCasco.

Pacific Riviera (Buenaventura & Playa Blanca)

Two hours southwest of the capital, Panama’s mellow Pacific Riviera strings together broad beaches, mangroves, and resorts near Río Hato. It’s a choose-your-vibe coast: family-friendly all-inclusives, a polished golf-and-beach enclave at Buenaventura, and local fish shacks in Santa Clara.

Pair your pool days with a quick inland trip to El Valle de Antón, a lush crater valley with waterfalls, hot springs, and an artisan market. Sunsets here glow coral-pink; pelicans skim the shoreline while you plan your next ceviche.

• Stay (Buenaventura/Playa Blanca): Resort picks include The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort Panama, Autograph Collection (golf, lagoon, and refined dining), Hotel Playa Blanca Beach Resort (all-inclusive value), and Royal Decameron Panama (multiple pools and nightly shows). Also browse Hotels.com: Playa Blanca or VRBO: Playa Blanca.
• Getting there: Drive or hire a private transfer 2–2.5 hours via the Pan-American Highway (tolls ~$6 total). Rental cars typically run ~$35–60/day; private transfers are ~$140–200 per vehicle each way.
• Where to dine: On property: Asa’o & Pesca’o (seafood and grill), Tai Kai (sushi) and Humo (steakhouse) at Buenaventura. Nearby classics: Los Camisones (Spanish-Panamanian seafood, Santa Clara) and Picasso in Coronado (casual Mediterranean with live music on some nights).

Day 1 — Arrival in Panama City, Canal Views and Casco Vibes

Afternoon: Land at PTY and ride 30–45 minutes to your hotel. Shake off the flight with a stroll on the palm-lined Cinta Costera for skyline and bay views. Coffee stop: Café Unido (try a pour-over Geisha if available) or Kotowa for Boquete beans.

Evening: Head into Casco Viejo’s cobblestoned lanes. Dinner at Fonda Lo Que Hay (inventive riffs on Panamanian staples—reserve) or Santa Rita (seafood and steaks in a restored townhouse). Rooftop nightcap at Tántalo or CasaCasco with glittering city panoramas; or sample craft pints at La Rana Dorada (golden ale is a favorite).

Day 2 — Casco Viejo History, Markets, and Rooftops

Morning: Fuel up with a Panamanian breakfast—hojaldres (fried bread), eggs, and coffee—at the historic Café Coca Cola in Casco. Then join a guided walk to unlock the quarter’s legends, plazas, and churches.

Featured tour: Legends of Casco Viejo Tour: Uncover Hidden Gems

Afternoon: Walk to the Mercado de Mariscos for a cup of zesty corvina ceviche; add a plate of patacones and a cold Balboa beer. Browse the Interoceanic Canal Museum for the Canal’s backstory and stop by Iglesia San José to see the famed golden altar saved from pirate Henry Morgan.

Evening: Dinner at Maito (pan-national flavors and native ingredients; book well ahead). For a more casual night, Nazca 21 brings classic Peruvian dishes—order the lomo saltado. Finish with a raspadura-rum cocktail at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar.

Day 3 — Amador Causeway + Panama Canal Partial Transit

Morning: Taxi to Amador Causeway, rent bikes, and ride past marinas toward the Biomuseo (Frank Gehry’s color-splashed biodiversity museum). Brunch with a view at Mi Ranchito (grilled octopus and arroz con coco are standouts).

Midday/Afternoon featured tour: Panama Canal Partial Tour - Southbound Direction

Evening: Back on land, head to the Miraflores Visitor Center (timing varies with tour; if not today, slot it Day 2/4) to watch lock operations from terraces. Dinner at La Vespa (Balboa Avenue) for wood-fired pizzas and seafood pastas, or try Mahalo Cocina y Jardín in Casco for lighter, produce-forward plates.

Day 4 — Indigenous Culture: Full-Day Embera Village & Waterfall

Full-day featured tour: Panama City Visit an Indian town Embera and waterfall with lunch

Leave the city by vehicle, then glide by traditional canoe into Chagres National Park. Swim beneath a rainforest waterfall, share a meal with Embera hosts, and learn about basket weaving, botanical dyes, and music. Expect an early start and mid-evening return; keep a drybag and water shoes handy. Back in town, keep dinner easy: La Pulpería for tapas and natural wines or The Lounge at The Bristol for a refined burger and a nightcap.

Day 5 — To the Pacific Riviera (Buenaventura/Playa Blanca)

Morning: Depart after breakfast to beat city traffic. Drive or take a private transfer 2–2.5 hours via the Pan-American Highway (tolls ~$6). Optional snack stop: Quesos Chela (Capira) for empanadas and the sweet corn drink chicheme.

Afternoon: Check in and hit the beach or pool. For a local lunch, head to Santa Clara’s beachfront shacks (simple grilled fish, limey ceviche, and patacones). At Buenaventura, stroll the lagoon paths at golden hour to spot herons and iguanas.

Evening: Dinner on-property: Asa’o & Pesca’o (catch-of-the-day, yucca fries) or Tai Kai (fresh rolls and sake). If you’re nearby Coronado, Picasso serves shareable Mediterranean plates and often live music—great for families or groups.

Day 6 — El Valle de Antón: Waterfalls, Market, and Hot Springs

Morning: Day trip 45–60 minutes inland to El Valle de Antón, a cool crater basin ringed by forested ridges. Hike La India Dormida (gentle to moderate; sweeping valley views) or visit Chorro El Macho for a shorter waterfall walk. Coffee stop at a local café; try a Geisha pour-over if you see it.

Afternoon: Browse the handicraft market for tagua nut carvings and handwoven baskets. Soak in the Pozos Termales (mud masks are fun for kids). Lunch at La Casa de Lourdes (garden setting; fish with passionfruit sauce) or Bruschetta (homestyle pastas and salads).

Evening: Return to the coast. Dinner at Humo (steaks and robust Panamanian sides) or Los Camisones in Santa Clara (paella to share; classic garlic shrimp). Cap the night with a beach walk—this coast is known for brilliant starry skies.

Day 7 — Beachy Morning and Departure

Morning: Sunrise swim, then an unhurried breakfast—order carimañolas (cassava fritters) if you see them on the menu. If you have time, paddle a kayak along calm morning waters or book a quick golf driving range session at Buenaventura.

Afternoon: Check out and drive back to Panama City for your flight. Search or manage flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. If you’re overnighting near the city before departure, consider a last sunset drink on the Amador Causeway or a relaxed dinner at Santa Rita.

Optional Add-On During Your City Days — Taboga Island Catamaran

If you prefer an island day over the Embera visit, swap Day 4 for a catamaran cruise to “Isla de las Flores.” You’ll lounge on deck nets, swim a quiet bay, and wander Taboga’s flower-framed lanes and hilltop church.

Featured tour: All Inclusive Taboga Island Catamaran Tour from Panama City

Post-cruise, make for the Seafood Market for a simple fish dinner, or dress up for a city tasting menu before your beach days begin.

Good to know: If you’re keen on wildlife on the Canal, you can alternatively book a Monkey/Sloth Gatun Lake boat safari on another morning of your city stay:

Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour

In one week, you’ll have traced Panama’s story from colonial Casco Viejo to the world-shaping Canal, tasted its markets and modern tables, and found your rhythm on the Pacific Riviera. It’s a balanced, memory-rich itinerary—part city, part sea—that leaves just enough undone to bring you back.