San Francisco de Asis, the Best Viewpoint in Panama City, Panama

jana meerman casco viejo panama city panama-44

My Central America trip would turn out to cover five countries in five weeks; the first three (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua) with my partner Tobi and the last two (Guatemala, Belize) with Ina, one of my best friends from Salzburg.

Our first stop was in Panama City, the furthest east we would be, from where we would then start making our way northward through the continent.

I can wholeheartedly say that Panama City is one of my new favourite cities in the whole world; it's clean, safe, vibrant, beautiful and full of so much life and culture. We only had 24 hours to spend in the city, what with our limited travel timeframe, but would happily come again and spend much more time discovering the city's secrets.

→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Panama City!

One of the absolute best highlights from our time in Panama City was a visit to the best viewpoint in the city at the top of the San Francisco de Asis Church.

How to Get to the San Francisco de Asis Church

You can find out how to get to Panama City in my detailed travel guide. Below, I've outlined specific information for reaching the San Francisco de Asis Church in Casco Viejo, the old town of Panama City:

By foot: The San Francisco de Asis Church is located in the heart of Casco Viejo, on the edge of the Plaza Simón Bolívar, making it a perfect stop while exploring the old town. You can check out my Strava for the route we walked in Panama City.

By taxi: Yellow taxis are readily available in Panama City. We didn't take any taxis but if you choose to take one, this guide might be useful.

By bus: The closest bus station to Casco Viejo is 5 de Mayo, from where you will need to walk about 25 minutes to the church.

By metro: The closest metro station to Casco Viejo is also Estación 5 de Mayo, a 25-minute walk to the church.

By guided tour: While researching, I found a number of guided tours of Casco Viejo including walking tours, bike tours and even a tour in a VW classic car!

How to Visit the San Francisco de Asis Church

Albiet, I have not visited every viewpoint in Panama City, but I can wholeheartedly say this one took my breath away.

The San Francisco de Asis Church is situated on one edge of the Plaza Simón Bolívar. Visiting the main part of the beautiful white plaster church is free and stepping inside, you'll find a lofty chamber in peaceful white.

I absolutely recommend paying the USD $5 to climb up to the viewpoint. It's arguably one of the best viewpoints of a city I've ever been to, with 360-degree views in every single direction including the skyscrapers of the new city, beautiful angles of the houses of Casco Viejo, looking out toward the Amador Causeway stretching into the ocean and even the majestic Bridge of the Americas gracing the skyline near the Panama Canal.

→ Check out my reel about visiting the best viewpoint in Panama City!

What Else to Do in Panama City

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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