A Nativa Tours representative will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Casco Viejo, where the gastronomic tour will begin.

Discover the family story of a Panamanian coffee collective and sample a variety of coffees, including the renowned Geisha and Catuai, while learning about their unique characteristics.

Accompanied by a professional chef, set off to explore two of Panama City’s most iconic markets: the Panama Fish Market, located on Balboa Avenue, and the San Felipe Neri Market.

At the Fish Market, you’ll discover the rich diversity of Panamanian seafood, enjoy a tasting of the famous local ceviche, and select the finest ingredients to prepare a traditional Panamanian dish.

The San Felipe Neri Market, on the other hand, offers a wide array of fresh products: fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, pork, as well as spices and small traditional eateries.

Then, cook alongside your chef, savoring a delicious traditional dish you’ve prepared yourself!

In the afternoon, enjoy a hands-on experience by crafting your own artisanal chocolate bar. Learn about the entire chocolate-making process—from cacao bean to finished product—using cacao sourced from the province of Bocas del Toro, on Panama’s Caribbean coast.

To wrap up this flavorful Panamanian experience, treat yourself to a refreshing raspao—a shaved ice dessert flavored with colorful syrups and topped with condensed and powdered milk.

INCLUDED

Guide

Visit and chocolate tasting

Visit and coffee tasting

Ceviche tasting

Cooking and Tasting of a typical dish and a drink

Raspao tasting

Round-trip transportation from/to your hotel

NOT INCLUDED

Not mentioned drinks and food

Tips

A representative of Nativa Tours will pick you up at your hotel to start a very interesting tour: getting to know the cultural side of the city: we propose you to visit some museums in the Casco Antiguo (Old Town) and Panama City.

Museum of ¨La Mola¨ (MUMO)

MUMO has been conceived as a space to appreciate the molas as cultural works of art, which transcend their utilitarian function, as part of the traditional dress of Guna women, and become pieces of contemplation, reflection and admiration.   

The visitor to the MUMO will be able to learn about the evolution of the mola, will explore the aesthetic values, will know how they are made, their meaning, and at the same time, will allow them to make their own mola.

Museum of the Interoceanic Canal

The building that houses the Museum of the Interoceanic Canal of Panama was built in 1874, like the Grand Hôtel by the Alsatian George Loew. It was later bought by Count Ferdinand de Lesseps to install the offices of the Universal Company of the Interoceanic Canal; The New Canal Company operated here and was later sold to the United States together with the concession for the construction of the Panama Canal. In 1915, it was bought by Dr. Belisario Porras, president of Panama, and ministerial offices were installed. It was the headquarters of the Posts and Telegraphs and the mosaics with this name can be seen at the entrance of the building. In 1996, the Board of the Canal Museum rehabilitated the building to inaugurate the Museum of the Interoceanic Canal of Panama in 1997.

It has eleven exhibition rooms that have an audio guide system, which has been accompanying you since the beginning of this, the story of one of the greatest feats of engineering of all time, through its multiple changes where it is includes the France – United States transfer; You will witness the life that Americans adopted as citizens living in the Canal Zone, likewise the direction that the North American country gave to this great system, is reflected in different media, such as images, computers, treatises or videos.

Museum of History

The Museum of History of Panama exhibits documents and pieces from the colonial, departmental and republican period. 

The future of the country can be followed in this museum, where the tour of its four rooms covers the colonial era in its most political essence (1501-1821), the departmental period (1821-1903) and the founding of the republic (1903) until the present.

Afro-Antillean Museum

The Afro-Antillean Museum has as its headquarters the old Chapel of the Christian Mission; built in 1910 in the El Marañón neighborhood, existing since 1850 and was inhabited by immigrants from rural areas of Panama and by Antilleans. In 1971, the Ministry of Housing, owner of the land, offered to the National Directorate of Historical Heritage of the National Institute of Culture the safeguarding of the property as a vestige of an era.

Its purpose is to spread the Antillean Culture, highlight the participation of the Antillean group in the construction of the railroad, the French Canal and the Panama Canal, highlight the contributions to our national culture and increase respect for the ethnic group.

It has a single permanent exhibition room.

Museum of Biodiversity or Biomuseum

Designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry, the Biomuseum is his first work in Latin America and the tropics. The building was designed to tell the story of how the Isthmus of Panama arose from the sea, uniting two continents, separating a great ocean in two and changing the planet’s biodiversity forever.

The 4,000-square-meter museum contains eight permanent display galleries designed by Bruce Mau Design.

In addition to the main spaces, the museum includes a public atrium, a space for temporary exhibitions, a store, a cafeteria and multiple outdoor exhibits arranged in a botanical park.

The permanent exhibition is a combination of art and science, which will give visitors the sensation of being before an amazing phenomenon.

It is recommended to bring

Comfortable shoes

Sunscreen

Photographic camera (in some museums they allow taking photos)

Includes

Transfers

Lunch

Entrance tickets to the mentioned museums

Not included

Guide

Drinks

Tips

A representative of Nativa Tours will pick you up at your hotel to start a very interesting tour: getting to know the religious art that we have in our churches since the colonization period.

In the Old Town of Panama (Casco Antiguo) there were many congregations that built churches and convents. First of all, the old Panama City was in what is now Panama la Vieja, but after the looting by pirates and burning with an attempt to save the city from looting (1671), a New City was erected in what is today the Old Town (Casco Antiguo). Some of the churches and convents were moved to the new city, others were built later.

Santa Ana Church

The Church is in the Plaza de Santa Ana, historically the center of the suburb of the city. It was built in 1678 and consecrated in 1764, with the name of the Hermitage of Santa Ana in the new city.

In 1980 it was declared a National Historic Monument.

Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Nuestra Señora de la Merced)

This Colonial Church was the only one that did not burn down during the pirates’ looting, this is because it was the headquarters of the pirate Henry Morgan and he protected it from the flames of the city of Panama La Vieja. When a new city was built in 1680, the temple was carried stone by stone and maintains the same structure as its predecessor. It is a National Historic Monumentk since 1956.

The church also has a museum with religious documents and objects.

Church of San José

Colonial Church, founded in 1612 (Old Panama), was totally burned in the attack by pirates and built between 1671 and 1675 in the New City. She belonged to the order of the Augustinian Recollect Religious.

What stands out most of the temple is its main altar or as it is commonly called the Golden Altar, which is a wooden ornament with gold (baroque altar carved in mahogany), there is talk of a legend of the period of the attack on Old Panama by Henry Morgan. According to one of the legends, a friar covered the altar with paint to mislead the pirate Morgan, when he arrived, he thought the place was poor and even the friar asked him for alms, to which the pirate did not refuse.

Church and Convent of Company of Jesus

The Company of Jesus was run by the order of the Jesuits, this beautiful complex is made up of the church and the convent, its architectural composition highlights numerous niches in the shape of a snail, which in turn represents the marine wealth of Panama. The first University of the Republic of Panama “La Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Javier” worked here, it was founded in 1749 thanks to the help received from the Bishop of Panama Francisco Javier de la Luna Victoria y Castro, the site worked until year 1767, when the order was expelled from all Spanish lands.

Cathedral Basilica Santa María la Antigua (Metropolitan Cathedral)

The Cathedral Basilica Santa María la Antigua de Panamá is a Catholic temple located in the Old Town. It was consecrated in 1796, although construction work began in 1688, 108 years earlier. The cathedral is the episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of Panama.

In 1941 it was declared a National Historic Monument.

Fun facts: it contains the cross of Pope Leo XIII (promises 100 days of indulgence to those who pray an Our Father and kiss it), the 7 steps recall the capital sins and the entrance to the temple recalls repentance, its towers became the highest in Latin America.

Church and Convent of Santo Domingo

The Santo Domingo Convent was one of the first to be built in the new city of Panama, in 1678. It was devastated by two fires in the 17th century, which brought down the tower and its interiors. Walls and arches were kept standing, with special mention of the lowered arch, known as “chato”, built to support the wooden choir. This arch served to demonstrate the seismic stability of Panama during the canal negotiations. The current arch is a reconstruction of the original, which collapsed in 2003.

The current site of the Museum of Colonial Religious Art was formerly a chapel, which was built after the fire that destroyed the original temple and convent.

San Francisco de Asis Church

Built in the 17th century, almost destroyed by the fires of 1737 and 1756, its current structure dates from 1918, like many churches in the Old Town, it had a monastery.

At first it was made of stone, then with time and remodeling it became what it is today, however, it maintains the original foundations, some elements and walls.

Occupied by: the Franciscans and the Jesuits

It was used as: hospital of the Amphitryonic Congress, general headquarters, Augustinian school and the Bolívar Institute. The first Constituent Assembly was also held there.

San Felipe de Neri Oratory

Its construction dates from 1688. It is saved from the fire of 1737 and provides teaching services but has considerable damage in the fire of 1756. After being restored, it became the Tabernacle of the Cathedral. It was burned 3 times: 1756, the end of the 18th century and 1854. In 1960 a construction was made that gave the shape to what is today, a school concealing its facade. It is a National Historic Monument since 1980.

It can be seen, its pulpit that is from the colonial era, you can still see what were its floors and paintings on the wall, the bell tower is made of mother of pearl, the design on the ceiling has been restored. It has a permanent nativity.

It was occupied by: Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, The Chaplains and Catholic Action, The Missionary Catechists of the Miracles Medal, Missionaries of Mother Laura and Congregation of the Oratory Fathers.

It was used as: College Seminary of the Cathedral, hospital for priests, boarding school for orphans, San Felipe youth center, university residence and home for the elderly.

Important: the dress code must be respected to enter the Churches.

It is recommended to bring

Comfortable shoes

Sunscreen

Photographic camera

Includes:

Transfers

Lunch

Guide