Panama City in One Day: The Itinerary I’d Follow If I Went Back

Panama City was the first stop of my three-week trip through Central America, and we only had one night and one day before continuing across Panama.

We had absolutely nothing planned. We hadn’t researched what to do, hadn’t checked the weather and somehow arrived during rainy season, so our day mostly involved walking around in the pouring rain and figuring things out as we went.

If I did it again, I’d plan it a little differently. I’d spend the morning exploring Casco Viejo, go back to the local place where we found a cheap lunch, and then spend the afternoon on the Panama Canal, looking for monkeys and getting out into the rainforest.

So if you’re trying to figure out how to see Panama City in one day, this is the itinerary I’d follow if I went back.

Panama City in One Day: Quick Itinerary

Time	Plan
Morning	Explore Casco Viejo
Lunch	Fonda San Felipe
2 PM	Panama Canal, Monkey Island & Wildlife Tour
Evening	Dinner and drinks

How I’d Spend One Day in Panama City

Morning: Explore Casco Viejo

I’d start the morning in Casco Viejo, the historic part of Panama City.

I wouldn’t plan a strict route around every attraction. Give yourself a few hours to walk around, see the area and stop at whatever actually interests you.

There are a few places to look out for along the way:

• Plaza de la Independencia
• Plaza Herrera
• Plaza de Francia
• Paseo Esteban Huertas
• Las Bóvedas
• the churches and old streets
• the views across the water toward modern Panama City

I’d eventually make my way toward Plaza de Francia and Paseo Esteban Huertas for the views across the bay, but otherwise I’d just explore.

Neither my friend nor I travel by ticking tourist attractions off a list, and I wouldn’t suddenly start doing it because I only had one day somewhere. If you see something interesting, stop. If you couldn’t care less about another church, keep walking.

You have the whole morning here, so there’s no reason to turn it into a race.

Lunch: Fonda San Felipe

For lunch, I’d go back to Fonda San Felipe, which is actually where we ate during my trip.

We found it completely by accident.

We were trying to find somewhere cheap when we noticed a line of locals waiting for food. We had no idea what the place was, but seeing that many locals there seemed like a good enough reason to join the line.

There were several different dishes already prepared, and you chose what you wanted them to put on your plate. I paid around $6 for my food and a Coke, which was a pretty good find considering how expensive Panama City had been feeling on our backpacking budget.

We basically followed the locals and hoped for the best, and it worked.

I’d happily eat there again.

Afternoon: Panama Canal, Monkey Island & Wildlife Tour

At 2 PM, I’d take the Panama Canal, Monkey Island & Wildlife Tour.

This is the part I’d completely change from my own day in Panama City.

The tour takes you out onto Gatún Lake and the Panama Canal, where you head toward Monkey Island looking for monkeys and other wildlife before spending some time around Soberanía National Park.

It lasts around five hours, so this is basically your afternoon sorted.

And for me, this sounds so much better than spending another five hours going around Panama City looking at tourist attractions.

You still get to experience the Panama Canal, but you’re also getting out of the city, seeing some of Panama’s rainforest and hopefully finding some monkeys along the way.

One important thing to know is that this particular tour doesn’t visit the Panama Canal locks. If seeing the locks is one of your priorities, you’ll need to fit those in separately or choose a different Canal tour.

→ Book here: Panama Canal, Monkey Island & Wildlife Tour

Evening: Dinner and Drinks

To finish your one day in Panama City, head to one of the rooftop bars around Casco Viejo for dinner or drinks.

There are quite a few to choose from, including:

• Tántalo Hotel & Roofbar
• CasaCasco
• Vista Corona
• Sama Sky Lounge

After spending the morning walking around Casco Viejo, you’ll get to see the area completely differently at night, this time from above with the Panama City skyline in the background.

Is One Day in Panama City Enough?

Yes. For Panama City itself, I think one day is enough.

If I went back, I’d spend the morning exploring Casco Viejo and take the Panama Canal and Monkey Island tour in the afternoon. I personally wouldn’t add another day just to see more of the city.

If I did have more time in the area, though, there are two day trips from Panama City that I’d definitely want to do.

The first is the San Blas Island Hopping Day Tour. If I had an extra day, getting out to the San Blas Islands would be much higher on my list than another full day of sightseeing in the capital.

→ Book here: San Blas Island Hopping Day Tour

The other is the Embera Native Village & Waterfall Tour, which would give me another completely different day outside Panama City.

→ Book here: Embera Native Village & Waterfall Tour & Lunch

And if seeing the famous Panama Canal locks is important to you, having more time would also give you the chance to visit them, since the Monkey Island tour in this itinerary doesn’t stop at the locks.

So for me, one day is enough for Panama City itself. More time would be about what I could do from the city, not about needing more days to explore the capital.

Tips for Spending One Day in Panama City

Don’t try to see everything

Having one day doesn’t mean you need to squeeze three days of sightseeing into it.

Choose the things you’re actually interested in and forget the rest. I’d much rather spend the morning exploring one part of the city and then do something completely different in the afternoon than spend the entire day moving between attractions.

Check the weather

Something we spectacularly failed to do.

We visited during rainy season, and it poured while we were exploring. Considering how much I hate walking around in the rain, finding this out once we were already there wasn’t ideal.

At least check the forecast before you head out so you know what you’re dealing with.

Book the afternoon tour in advance

If you want to follow this itinerary, I’d book the 2 PM departure before your trip.

The afternoon tour is the one part of the day that actually has a fixed time, so once that’s booked, you can keep the morning much more flexible.

FAQs About Visiting Panama City in One Day

Can you visit the Panama Canal with only one day in Panama City?

Yes.

The afternoon tour in this itinerary takes you onto the Panama Canal and Gatún Lake, so you can experience the Canal without giving it a separate day.

If you specifically want to see the Panama Canal locks, you’ll need to organize your day differently since those tours usually run in the early morning.

Can you visit Panama City on a long layover?

If you have a genuinely long layover, you could use it to see part of Panama City.

I wouldn’t try to follow this entire itinerary, though. You need to account for immigration, getting into the city, getting back to the airport and going through security again.

With only a few hours, I’d choose one area rather than trying to see half the city.

Do you need a car for one day in Panama City?

No.

For this itinerary, I’d explore Casco Viejo on foot and use the transportation included with the afternoon tour.

I wouldn’t rent a car for one day just to have another thing to deal with.

What should you prioritize if you only have one day in Panama City?

Whatever you’re actually interested in.

For me, that’s Casco Viejo in the morning and the Panama Canal and Monkey Island tour in the afternoon.

If you’ve always wanted to see the Canal locks, prioritize those instead. If you love museums, spend more time in the city. Don’t waste your only day following an itinerary full of things you don’t actually want to do.

Where to stay if you only have one night in Panama City?

I stayed at Casa Areka during my trip, and it worked well for what we needed.

If I went back now, I’d choose Viajero Casco Viejo because I’ve stayed with the Viajero chain in Medellín and really liked how social it was.

Here are some great accommodation options in Panama City according to your budget:

→ Backpacker: Viajero Casco Viejo Hostel

→ Budget: MARINN Tropical Vibes Hotel

→ Mid-Range:Hyatt Regency Panama City

→ Luxury:Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama City

Panama City in One Day: Final Thoughts

If I went back and had one day in Panama City, I’d spend the morning exploring Casco Viejo, eat at Fonda San Felipe and take the Panama Canal and Monkey Island tour in the afternoon.

For me, that’s enough time in the city itself.

If I had longer, I’d use Panama City as a starting point for places like the San Blas Islands or the Embera village rather than filling another day with city attractions.

Read My Other Panama Guides

Is Panama City Worth Visiting? My Experience Visiting Panama’s Capital

The 5 Best Hostels in Panama City, Panama