Panama City Things to Do on a Budget: 9 Picks
9 things to do in Panama City, and what each one costs
Panama City packs a canal, a colonial old town, and a genuine rainforest into a single day’s reach, and half of it costs nothing. Here’s what’s worth your time, sorted by what you’ll actually pay.
Free or nearly free
- Walk Casco Viejo. The restored, UNESCO-listed old town costs nothing to explore on foot: Plaza de Francia, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Presidential Palace exterior, plus rooftop-bar views you can take in from street level without buying a drink. It’s also the one neighborhood built for walking; everywhere else in the city, plan on the Metro or an Uber.
- Hike Ancon Hill. A free 30 to 45 minute climb up a former US-military hill gets you the best panorama in the city: canal, skyline and rainforest in one frame, with a decent chance of spotting toucans or sloths on the way up.
- Walk Cinta Costera at sunset. The coastal promenade linking Casco Viejo to the modern skyline is flat, free and one of the better ways to close out a day.
- See the Biomuseo grounds. The Frank Gehry-designed biodiversity museum on Amador Causeway charges around $20 to go inside, but the grounds and Level One are free, enough to get a feel for the building and the causeway view without paying.
Worth the admission
- Do Miraflores Locks. Miraflores Visitor Center is the Pacific-side canal viewing point closest to downtown, with observation decks, a museum and an IMAX film, running $17 to $20 for a non-resident adult. It’s the pick for nearly everyone; save Agua Clara, the Atlantic-side lock, for a day you’re already headed toward Colon or Portobelo.
- Visit Panama Viejo. The ruins of the original 1519 city, sacked by Henry Morgan’s pirates in 1671, run about $15 for non-residents. It’s a separate site 20 to 30 minutes from Casco Viejo, not the same place under an older name.
- Explore Amador Causeway. Free to walk, with marinas, waterfront dining and the Taboga ferry dock; pair it with the Biomuseo or a sunset drink.
Food and markets
- Eat at Mercado de Mariscos. The seafood market near Casco Viejo sells corvina ceviche made to order for $3 to $6, a fraction of what the same dish costs sitting down at a restaurant. Go at lunch for the freshest catch.
- Browse Mercado de Artesanias. Free to wander, and unlike the fixed-price boutiques in Casco Viejo proper, haggling here is normal and expected.
What a day covering three of these costs
| Pick | Cost |
|---|---|
| Casco Viejo walk + Ancon Hill hike | Free |
| Mercado de Mariscos lunch | $3-6 |
| Miraflores Locks | $17-20 |
| Total | $20-26 |
Getting between them
Casco Viejo is walkable once you’re there, but the rest of the list spreads across the city. Metro Line 1 (north-south) and Line 2 (east) cover most of it for $0.35 to $0.85 a ride; Uber is the better call for Amador and anywhere the Metro doesn’t reach directly, and it beats a street taxi on price every time. For the full breakdown of costs and a suggested order to hit these in, see the main Panama City guide ; if you’ve got extra days, the day-trips guide covers what’s outside the city itself.
Do Ancon Hill in the early morning before the heat and haze settle in. The view is the whole point, and a hazy midday climb is a worse version of the same walk.