Finding Panamá City’s Coolest Neighborhoods

From 17th-century pirate wars to modern-day speakeasies, Panama's capital has a personality all its own

Avenida Balboa at dusk in Panamá City. Rodrigo Cuel/Shutterstock

Seen from the sea, this Latin American city glitters, its wall of white towers shimmering as they rise, Miami-style, over the blue waters of the Pacific. Getting closer, you can feel the heat of it all, a capital city in the heart of the Americas that pulsates with the rhythms of the two continents it connects.

Busy, and sometimes gritty, the traffic and the humidity and the always-packed pedestrian spaces can combine to make this place a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. That is, if you know where to go.

Sparkling, Seaside City

Located right next to the country’s famous namesake Canal, the Panamá City area is home to about 2 million people, a little under half the country’s population. Long a port city, the city has for centuries had different cultures and flavors sailing in from all over the world. It makes for a fascinating mix, and a place primed for exploration.