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| Jessica Lavrov in Panama Panama Channel 2025 |
The French, led by Ferdinand de Lesseps; the same engineer who successfully built the Suez Canal in Egypt, were the first to attempt building the canal in 1881, but they failed. Yellow fever and malaria killed 22,000 workers, and the project faced major engineering challenges. Unlike the flat Suez Canal, Panama’s terrain was mountainous, covered in dense jungle, and prone to landslides. Financially, it was a disaster. The project was underfunded, poorly managed, and ultimately collapsed in 1889 due to corruption, scandal, mismanagement, and bankruptcy.
In 1903, with U.S. support, Panama broke from Colombia and leased the zone to America for $10 million plus annual rents. In 1904, the United States took control of the abandoned project under the leadership of President Theodore Roosevelt. They succeeded where the French had failed, largely thanks to Dr. William C. Gorgas, who eradicated yellow fever and malaria by eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. Another key figure was lead engineer John Frank Stevens (later succeeded by George Goethals), who abandoned the original sea-level canal plan made by the French and instead designed a lock-based system based on a concept originally designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century, that raised ships 85 feet over the continental divide using dynamite-blasted rock and massive concrete locks.
When the canal opened in 1914 after a decade of construction that cost $375 million (about $10 billion in today's dollars), it revolutionized global trade by cutting sailing times in half and strengthened the U.S. military strategy. But sadly, no one even noticed when the first ship passed through, because World War I started on that exact same day!
In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which led to the eventual transfer of the Panama Canal back to Panama. On December 31, 1999, Panama officially took full control of the canal, ending nearly a century of U.S. administration. Fears of mismanagement quickly faded, as Panama invested wisely, including a $5 billion expansion completed in 2016 that added new locks to accommodate mega-ships carrying up to 14,000 containers, triple the old capacity.
Trump expressed concerns over the fees Panama charges for U.S. vessels transiting the Panama Canal, labeling them as “exorbitant” and suggesting that the U.S. might reclaim control of the canal if these rates were not adjusted.
So… I’m here to inspect what’s going on.
As of 2025, those concerns have intensified amid ongoing drought-related restrictions that have limited daily transits and driven up fees (now averaging $400,000–$500,000 per large vessel), but Panama has maintained sovereignty through diplomatic channels and infrastructure upgrades. No reclamation has occurred, and the canal continues to handle over 14,000 annual ship crossings, generating vital revenue for Panama while remaining a cornerstone of global commerce.
Ticket Price: $18
Website: visitcanaldepanama.com
Drop-off Location: Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, Balboa (taxi from city hotels, 30 minutes)
2. Stroll the Streets of Casco Viejo
Explore Panama City's UNESCO-listed historic district with its colorful colonial buildings, plazas, cafes, and street art. it's a living museum blending Spanish colonial architecture with French and Antillean influences.
Casco Viejo's tale is one of daring reinvention and timeless allure, a vibrant jewel box of architecture where history whispers from every sun-drenched balcony, inviting you to step into a living postcard of Panama's golden age. Founded by the Spanish in 1519 as a bustling gateway for treasure fleets sailing to Seville, the original Panama City sparkled with promise until a dramatic pirate raid in 1671 when Welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan and his 1,200 cutthroats torched everthing in a three-week rampage of looting and destruction that left 400 dead and treasures worth millions (in today's dollars) scattered to the winds. Undeterred, the Spaniardsboldly relocated just 8 kilometers away, crafting Casco Viejo by 1673 as a fortified masterpiece on a breezy peninsula, its coral-stone walls and sturdy bastions a clever shield for the adventures to come.
For over two centuries, this polyglot paradise pulsed with the footsteps of legends: visionary French engineers dreaming up grand canals over café con leche, shrewd Scottish merchants haggling silks and spices in shadowed arcades, and fiery revolutionaries like Simón Bolívar plotting independence in 1821 under the tropical stars. By the dawn of the 20th century, it was the epicenter of Panama's 1903 uprising, where bold patriots toasted the birth of a free nation amid the clink of champagne flutes. Though time brought quieter days as the world rushed toward modernity, Casco Viejo slumbered like a hidden gem, its baroque filigrees and neoclassical columns waiting for their spotlight.
Then came the thrill of revival: crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 after decades of neglect, it burst back to life in the 2000s with $500 million in loving restorations that unveiled a symphony of styles, from ornate French mansards evoking Parisian boulevards to intricate Spanish colonial ironwork curling like vines. Today, you can wander its enchanting labyrinth of lanes, where ochre and azure walls pop like a painter's dream, splashed with electric murals by trailblazing street artists like the late Róger "El Monje" González, whose vibrant strokes capture the district's irrepressible spirit. Cafés spill onto cobblestones with zesty ceviches and crisp craft IPAs, while the air hums with live salsa drifting from hidden courtyards.
Don’t forget to hunt for treasures like the Iglesia de San José, home to the legendary Golden Altar, a shimmering Baroque marvel smuggled to safety during that fateful raid and cleverly disguised under mud to outwit fortune hunters, now glowing as a triumphant beacon of ingenuity. Swing by Plaza de la Independencia, the lively heart framed by the elegant Palacio de las Garzas (the president's graceful residence, often graced by wandering storks) and the lavish Teatro Nacional, erected in 1908 for a cool $100,000 to echo with the velvet tones of opera icons like Enrico Caruso. Meander through art-filled convents turned galleries, climb to rooftop bars for sunset toasts with rum old-fashioneds framing the glittering bay, and lose yourself in a neighborhood that's tripled its energy since 2000—where echoes of swashbuckling explorers mingle with the laughter of today's global creatives in one exhilarating, unforgettable stroll.
Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Panamá)
Church of San José (Iglesia de San José) – inside is the golden altar at Iglesia de San José.
The Ruins of the Convent and Church of La Compañía de Jesús
Church of La Merced (Iglesia de La Merced):
Church of San Francisco de Asís (Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís)
Church of San Felipe Neri (Iglesia de San Felipe Neri)
Palacio de las Garzas (Presidential Palace)
Neoclassical waterfront mansion from 1673 (rebuilt multiple times), home to Panama's president.
Museum of History of Panama (Museo de Historia de Panamá)
Pink colonial edifice on Plaza de la Independencia, detailing independence from Colombia in 1903
Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Square)
Central plaza ringed by the cathedral, museums, and cafes; site of Panama's 1903 independence declaration.
Plaza Bolívar (Plaza Francia)
Square honoring Simón Bolívar (with a massive statue) and French canal builders (rooster obelisk).
Paseo de las Bóvedas
2.5-km seaside promenade along 17th-century defensive walls and vaults, many locals selling trinkets.
Geisha Variety from Boquete's Volcanic Slopes
Sisu @sisu_coffeestudio Lamastus-sourced
* Geisha pure and simple, honey-processed for silken body, a ritual pour-over.
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: lamastusfamilyestates.com
Café Unido @cafeunido
* Estate Geisha from their own farms, often in AeroPress for bright, bergamot-laced clarity.
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: cafeunido.com
Mentiritas Blancas @mentiritasblancas
* Their rotating Geisha flights highlight single-estate nuances, brewed V60 for floral precision.
Neighborhood: Via Argentina
Website: mentiritasblancas.com
Brew Coffee Company @brewcoffeecompanypty
* Boquete Geisha cold brews, chilled and effervescent, perfect for the tropics.
Neighborhood: Santa Elena
Website: brewcoffee.com.pa
Máncora @mancora._
* Geisha espressos with citrus zing, paired with minimalist pastries.
Neighborhood: El Cangrejo
Six Chocolate Shops or Brands I Tried in Panama City
Nomé Chocolate @nomechocolate
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: cuanto.app/nomechocolate
La Praline Chocolatier @lapralinepa
Neighborhood: San Francisco
Cacao Bar Selection @cacaobarselection
I am a sucker for a good hot chocolate, and they deliver one supremely.
Neighborhood: San Francisco
I Love Panama Chocolate @ilovepanamachocolate
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: ilovepanamachocolate.com
Oro Moreno @oromorenopanama
Neighborhood:
Website: https://oromorenopanama.com/products/barra-de-chocolate-90-caca
Bocao Panama @Bocao_Panama
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: bocaopanama.com
Five Restaurants I Enjoyed in Panama City
Caleta @caletapanama
Cuisine: Seafood
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo - In Hotel Sofitel Legend
Website: sofitel-legend-panama.com/es/restaurantes-bares/caleta
Aya La Vida Restaurante @ayalavidarestaurante
Cuisine: Panamanian
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: ayalavidarestaurante.com
Filomena @filomenarest
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Bella Vista
Website: filomenarest.com
Azahar Cocina de Origen @azaharpty
Cuisine: Fusion
Neighborhood: Bella Vista
Website: azaharpanama.com/en
Maito @maitopanama
Cuisine: Peruvian
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
Website: maitopanama.com
Girls In You Need a Blowout or Haircut
Atempo Hair Concept @AtempoHairConcept
My stylist was @Giampieroscalisi, I did a blowout with him.
Neighborhood: Las Américas
Szabo Salon @szabo_salon
My stylist was @dorinaszabohair, I did a haircut with her.
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
If you need something from the mall
1. Multiplaza Pacific
2. Soho Mall
Panama Hats
Brent Black Montecristi
Website: brentblack.com
5 Hotels in Panama
1. Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo
Neighborhood: UNESCO district
2. Las Clementinas
Neighborhood: Casco Viejo
If you are there for business, you might prefer downtown in the business district:
1. W Panama
2. JW Marriott Panama
3. Waldorf Astoria Panama
If You Have Time to Explore a Bit More
Emberá Indigenous Village Visit @EmberáVillageTours
For an afternoon of refined cultural immersion, you can arrange a private riverboat excursion to an Emberá village, where artisans demonstrate body painting with jagua ink, traditional dances unfold amid thatched huts, and you partake in a communal lunch of fresh fish and yuca. The day begins with a 45-minute transfer from Panama City, includes guided storytelling on indigenous lore, and concludes with bespoke craft selections.
Contact Emberá Village Tours at emberavillagetours.com or +507 6745-7628 for tailored bookings starting at $150 per person.
Pearl Islands Day Trip Indulge in the archipelago's seclusion with a VIP yacht charter to Contadora, where crystalline coves and howler monkey calls await. Depart Panama City harbor at dawn on a private vessel stocked with chilled prosecco and tropical fruits; anchor for snorkeling amid reefs teeming with angelfish, lunch on grilled lobster at a secluded estate, and wander eco-lodges evoking Survivor lore. Return by sunset.
Pearl Islands Day Tours offers bespoke itineraries via info@pearlislandsdaytours.com or +507 6046-8005, from $350 per person; for ultimate exclusivity, inquire about Sea Las Perlas ferries at ferrypearlislands.com.
Island-Hop in the San Blas, Guna Yala Charter a sleek catamaran for an overnight odyssey through 400 palm-fringed isles, where Guna matriarchs share molas, coral gardens yield parrotfish sightings, and hammocks sway under starlit skies. The itinerary: morning sail from Carti with conch ceviche aboard, afternoon snorkel and cultural seminar on Guna sovereignty, evening bonfire with fresh coconut water.
Blue Parallel curates luxury voyages at blueparallel.com or +1 800 633 5035, $1,200 per person including crew; alternatively, Charter in San Blas provides all-inclusive sails at charterinsanblas.com or +507 6676-5432.
Hike Volcán Barú for Sunrise Views Ascend Panama's loftiest peak via a guided twilight trek on the Sendero Los Quetzales trail, a 13.5-kilometer path through cloud forests alive with resplendent quetzals and orchids, culminating in dual-ocean panoramas at 3,474 meters. Outfitters furnish headlamps, alpine packs with thermoses of Boquete coffee, and post-summit brunches of tamales.
Tours Volcan arranges elite overnights at toursvolcan.com or +507 720-1323, $250 per person; Coffee Adventures offers trailhead 4x4 access at coffeeadventures.net or +507 6844-3744.
Soberanía National Park Hike Venture Pipeline Road at dawn for a bespoke birdwatching ramble, spotting 500-plus species from toucans to antbirds amid 22,000 hectares of canopy. Private guides deploy spotting scopes and e-bikes for effortless traversal, with picnic hampers of ceviche.
Birding Panama tailors expeditions at birdingpanama.com or +507 6674-4009, $270 per person; the Canopy Tower provides elevated perches at canopytower.com or +507 314-5000.
Spot Wildlife in Bocas del Toro Embark a private kayak odyssey through mangrove labyrinths and rainforest fringes, glimpsing sloths draped in vines, neon dart frogs on heliconias, and toucans in flight, before beaching on Zapatilla Cays for barefoot idylls. The day unfolds with sunrise paddles, biologist-led hikes, and sunset spa tents.
Tranquilo Bay Eco Lodge curates opulent forays at tranquilobay.com or +507 757-9831, $400 per person; Nayara Bocas del Toro elevates with resort integration at mvntravel.net
