Panama City: Panamas historic and welcoming capital city

Angelo Martinez

By Angelo Martinez

Panama City is beautiful, modern and captivating. This is the reason why in 2022 millions of tourists chose this city as a holiday destination. Incredible, isn’t it?

Not only is it hailed by travelers worldwide as a temporary idyllic paradise, but an increasing number of retirees are also selecting it as their ideal destination for retirement enjoyment.

If you are about to retire and are interested in the best places to do so, we recommend this attractive city.

In this post we offer you a tour of its historical and touristic places and its colorful streets. In addition, you will learn about the advantages of settling as a retiree in Panama City.

Map of Panama's provinces with Panamá highlighted.

General information about Panama City

Panama City is located between the Pacific Ocean and the Panama Canal’s mouth and has a tropical climate of around 86° F. The city was founded on 15 August 1519 by Spanish nobleman and politician Pedro Arias de Ávila.

Over the years, the wooden houses have been replaced by more modern buildings. However, there are still areas where you can admire the beauty of the oldest part of the city.

Compared to other world capitals, its population is less than 2 million. The small metropolis makes it easy to get around even if you don’t have transport.

As the capital of the Panamanian Republic, it is the main cultural and economic centre of the country. Its skyscrapers combined with the sea and the friendliness of its people make it unique in the whole of America.

view of Panama city

What are some of the benefits of enjoying your retirement in Panama City?

1- You will be able to integrate quickly

Generally speaking, Panama is a foreigner-friendly country, currently 6% of its population are foreigners. Therefore, you will be able blend into this nation easily and worry-free.

Panama City will probably be the place where you will be able to do this most quickly. Of the 10 provinces, 79 municipalities and 3 Comarcas that make up the country, Panama City is the largest and most populated.

One of the reasons for this is that Tocumen International Airport is located in this city. Therefore, it has an influx of foreigners with whom you can interact. A large part of them are tourists who enter the country every year.

The other reason is that the capital has a large community of pensioners. Attracted by its beauty and modernity, they decided to settle here.

So you will not be the first or only one to choose to retire in Panama City, but you will be one of the ones who will benefit the most. You will be surrounded by other pensioners to interact with in your own language.

2- You will benefit from an amazing programme for pensioners

Did you know that Panama has one of the best pensioner programme? This is one of the reasons why the country is among the top 10 best places for retirees.

All those who want to retire in Panama and are eligible for the programme can enjoy enviable tax exemptions and discounts.

In Panama City there is a growing community of pensioners who are affiliated to this beneficial programme. Many of them have chosen to settle in this city because of its modernity and the advantages it offers.

If you need more information on this topic, you can consult our other related posts or request our help from this website.

3- You can live the life you want!

Many people reach retirement age complaining about not having been able to live the life they wanted. If this is your case, we have good news for you.

Retirement is a new stage in which you can choose to live in a place different from your own. Those longings that for one reason or another you had to postpone, now you can see them come true and become a retiree in Panama City.

If you have already decided on this enchanting city, you just have to make the most of every second of your new life and decide where to start. All those attractive places that many tourists around the world are eager to see will now be part of your everyday life and you will be able to visit them more than once.

Furthermore, if you have always wanted to learn a new language, living in Panama City will allow you to achieve this desire: you will be able to take Spanish classes and communicate in this language with native speakers. You can also incorporate new activities such as writing, reading, music or make a travel plan to get to know Panama.

Your agenda will no longer have the same activities and schedules as before, so you will need to reorganize it according to your new interests. Panama City offers you a number of tourist and cultural sites to visit, so many that you won’t find time to get bored.

Street in old town panama

Places in Panama City that you should definitely visit:

1. The Old Town

The Old Town is a reminder of the Spanish influence in the country. The narrow streets and churches with their bell towers connect you with its past. It also has four main squares, numerous religious monuments and buildings of great architectural and cultural value.

The Old Quarter has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. If you are passionate about history, art or architecture, you should discover this fascinating place. Are you up for it?

2. The Panama Canal

This is the most representative engineering work of the country and one of the reasons why Panama is so well known and visited. This monumental structure has a reach of 170 countries, 180 connected sea routes and 1920 ports involved.

But the Canal is not only useful for navigation and trade, it is also surrounded by enchanting natural beauty. Many cruise ships make a visit to this place a part of their itinerary.

Can you imagine knowing two different oceans in just under 10 hours? It is not in vain that the Panama Canal has been considered one of the wonders of the modern world and a source of pride for Panamanians.

3. Panama’s Presidential Palace

This palace is the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Panama and has a colonial style. The building has a view of the bay and an interior courtyard adorned with herons that give the place its name.

The so-called Yellow Room is one of the most significant rooms in the palace, as it is where official state ceremonies are held. The Presidential Palace of Panama has hosted national and international events and summits and is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Just as the Old Town will connect you to the country’s past, the Presidential Palace will connect you to the present. It is always beneficial to learn about the political organization of the country, its political leaders and main laws. Especially if you are thinking of retiring to Panama.

Panama City is a place where you can easily join the growing community of retirees. You can also benefit from tax exemptions and discounts through the pensioners’ programme.

Here you will find modernity and its coastline mixed with the warmth of its people and its history.

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