The Best Markets In Panama City

Visiting Panama City‘s markets is one of the best ways to get to know the culture of the country. From tropical vegetables you’ve never seen before, to the special fabrics woven by the Guna Yala indigenous people, you’ll be staggered by the heritage of a land that is still widely undiscovered. Here’s our guide to the best.

1. The fish market

Market, Restaurant

Panama City’s fish market is open every day from 6am-5pm. Sitting outside at any number of the little restaurants that serve cheap and delicious ceviche, you can spot the fishermen’s boats as they reach the harbour of Panama and prepare to unload the catch of the day. The mercado de mariscos is a place full of character that brings together people from all walks of life, and it is one of the most authentic experiences you can have in Panama City.

Calle 15 Este, Panama City, Panama

Fish | © Chuttersnap / Unsplash

2. The wholesale market

Market, Vegetarian

The mercado de abastos is the wholesale fruit and vegetable market of Panama City. Toiling under a relentless sun, farmers and customers elbow each other as they unload boxes, exchange money, fill bags and bargain over the price of avocados and yucca. The market is a muddy, lively and colourful place that smells of soil mixed with pineapple and that pulsates like the heart of the tropical city.

3. The National Handicraft Market

Market

The Mercado Nacional de Artesanías (The National Handicraft Market) is located next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Panama Viejo and is a great place for buying souvenirs. Besides Panama hats, local sellers also present typical Panamanian pre-Columbian and pre-Hispanic artefacts. Some of them are copies of the masks and jewellery that were made by the indigenous people who lived in Panama before the Spanish conquest, while others are woven Embera bowls or masks.

El Mercado pop-up market

This pop-up market was created to provide an alternative artisanal and flea market in a city that seems to have lost itself in the concept of the ‘mall’, and is frequented by everyone, from young people through to families and the elderly, who come here to buy and sell, to explore, to eat, or simply to take a walk. This market, which takes place in the City of Knowledge, hopes to promote the sale of handmade products, local and alternative foods, antiquities, second-hand items and arts.

City of Knowledge, Panama City, Panama

Mi Pueblito

Located on Ancon Hill, Mi Pueblito is a crafts market that sells replicas of items typically produced in the Panamanian interior by Caribbean communities and in indigenous villages. Setup like a mini village, with little plazas, churches, fountains, and colourful folklore shows, it opens everyday from 9am-5pm.

Panama City, Panama

5. Mercado de Artesanías de Balboa

Market

Balboa’s Handcrafts Market was created by the city of Panama in 1998 to meet the needs of a group of artisans who lacked a space to sell their products. Located in the neighbourhood of Balboa, nearby the Canal Zone, the market features artisanal crafts that are representative of the entire country, with paper masks, woven handmade dolls and baskets made out of natural fibres and dyes by the Emberá people, Guana Yala’s fabrics (the molas) as well as stuffed dolls, Panama hats and jewellry.

Avenida Amador, Panama City, Panama

Panama hats I © DEZALB / Pixabay

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.