One Day in Casco Viejo: A Walking Itinerary

A self-guided one-day walking itinerary for Casco Viejo, Panama City: plazas, churches and the Canal Museum in the morning, and sunset on the sea wall.

This route covers Casco Viejo's highlights in a relaxed day, timed around Panama's heat: sights in the morning, a long lunch, and the sea wall and rooftops in the late afternoon. Every stop is within a few minutes' walk of the next.

Morning

1. Coffee to start (8:00). Begin with a Panamanian coffee at Café Unido or one of the cafés around the plazas.

2. Plaza de la Independencia (8:30). The main square is quiet in the morning. Look for the busts of the republic's founders, then step inside the Metropolitan Cathedral (avoid Mass times).

3. Panama Canal Museum (9:00). On the same square. Allow at least an hour. Closed on Mondays; on a Monday, swap this for more time in the plazas.

4. Arco Chato and the Santo Domingo ruins (10:30). A short walk away, a flat arch that helped convince the United States to build the canal in Panama.

5. Church of San José (11:00). See the Golden Altar and hear the legend of how it escaped the pirate Henry Morgan.

Midday

6. Lunch (12:30). Try Panamanian food at Fonda Lo Que Hay, or head to the Mercado de Mariscos just outside Casco Viejo for fresh ceviche. See where to eat and drink.

7. Rest (14:00). Early afternoon is the hottest part of the day. Go back to your hotel, or browse the shops for Panama hats and Guna molas.

Afternoon and evening

8. Plaza Bolívar and the National Theatre (15:30). A leafy square with cafés, next to the palace where Simón Bolívar convened the 1826 Congress of Panama.

9. Palacio de las Garzas (16:15). A quick look at the presidential palace from outside.

10. Plaza de Francia (16:45). The monument to the French canal builders at the tip of the peninsula.

11. Paseo Esteban Huertas at sunset (17:30). Walk the sea wall under the bougainvillea as the light changes over the skyline. In Panama the sun sets between roughly 18:00 and 19:00 all year.

12. Rooftop drinks and dinner (18:30). Watch the city lights come on from Tántalo or the CasaCasco terrace, then have dinner in the neighbourhood.

Tips for the day

Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and carry water.
Bring a light layer or a shawl to cover your shoulders in churches.
In the rainy season (roughly May to November), showers usually arrive in the afternoon. Keep an umbrella handy and plan indoor stops for then.
Use Uber or a taxi to get back to your hotel at night. See is Casco Viejo safe?