• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

You’ve probably heard that Panama City is well-known for the Panama Canal & the Locks, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!

Destination

Panama City, Panama

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Português

Included

• Private guide
• Taxi Transport to Miraflores Locks v.v.
• Entrance to Visitor Center (group tour included)
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Ships are passing the lock between 9h00 and 11h00 am and 15h00 and 17h00 if you wish to see this phenomenon

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of the main entrance of Sheraton Grand Panama - Panama City to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Culture of the City

   On this private tour, you’ll experience and discover Panama City through its culture. Whether it’s focused on a tradition, a special part of town with a story to tell, cultural beliefs, or around a cultural activity that shaped the city into what it is - this tour will be a cultural awakening you can’t miss!

4. the Panama Canal & the Locks in Panama City

   Your tour will focus on the Panama Canal & the Locks, a very important cultural subject in Panama City. Thanks to your local host, you’ll learn and see how the Panama Canal & the Locks made an impact in Panama City, making you experience the city from a different perspective.

5. Cultural Highlights

   As you deep dive into the subject of your tour, you’ll make stops to visit unique spots that will give you a full picture of the city. Visit Miraflores visitor Centre, Miraflores locks, observation deck, and more and see how these cultural highlights are part of the local life but have so much history behind them!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the cultural side of Panama City, you’ll be able to embrace it thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time.

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Julia

(About local Daly)

17 February 2025

We greatly enjoyed our two tours with Daly. She has great knowledge of Panama history and knows her city well. We tried lots of delicious food and saw Panama from her eyes which is much more interesting than sitting on a tour bus. Visiting the locks was very interesting. Panama has a rich culture and we tried so many different foods. I highly recommend her tours. Exploring Panama

Cathy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

1 February 2025

We had a wonderful day with Daly. We started with a food tour in the old part of Panama City. Not only did we get to experience true Panamanian food, but Daly also educated us on the history of the area, her country and culture. We went into a wonderful small town/city museum and learned so much about the history of the city and the canal. She took us to local restaurants and helped us select dishes which were delicious and truly local. The food markets she took us to at the end of our day were amazing too. We also added the Panama Canal tour which was absolutely incredible to see. It was great to go there with a local- it really added so much more to the experience than had we done it alone. We highly recommend booking any tour with Daly. She’s very knowledgeable and super fun too!Fantastic day in Panama with Daly!

Monique

(About local Fernando)

24 September 2024

Without gushing, I will say that Fernando was just excellent. He has the perfect blend of giving a group plenty of information and also knowing when to let us enjoy the sights without rushing us along. He answered all of our questions and gave us a wonderful drive around after we visited the locks. Our lunch with Fernando was amazing and relaxed. He was genuine and kind and a person that’s nice to be around. I would recommend this tour and Fernando 100%.Easy going and informative

Missy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Milton)

16 May 2024

We recently had an incredible tour of Panama City with Milton, our wonderful guide, Milton was not only knowledgeable but also exceptionally friendly, making our experience truly memorable. He took us through the town of Casco Viejo, where we soaked in the historic architecture and vibrant local culture. A highlight of our tour was the visit to a geisha coffee experience, which was an exquisite treat for all coffee enthusiasts. Milton's insights into the coffee-making process enhanced our appreciation significantly. Additionally, the tour of the Panama Canal at the Miraflores locks was a standout. Seeing the engineering marvel up close was awe-inspiring, and Milton's detailed explanation helped us understand its monumental importance. Thanks to Milton, our trip was filled with laughter, learning, and unforgettable views. If you're planning a trip to Panama City, we highly recommend booking a tour with Milton!Book this tour with Milton!!

Sonja🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

10 March 2024

We really enjoyed our visit to the Panama Canal and especially the services of our guides. They did a great job and were extremely helpful even after the tour!Fernando went above and beyond

Beverly🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

2 March 2024

Fernando is friendly and professional. We were very comfortable and enjoyed our experience. He is flexible and knowledgeable. He took the time to ensure our timing at the canal was an unforgettable experience.Panama Canal with an expert

Robert🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

15 February 2024

We had an amazing tour experience with Daly at the Panama Canal. She was a a joy to be with and spoke perfect English and Spanish. Her knowledge of Panama and the canal was incredible and made for a great time together . She customized the tour for us and I cannot say enough good things about the time we spent touring Awesome tour expeirnce!!!

Karen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

1 February 2024

Daly was a great guide. She picked us up at our hotel and immediately started to tell us about the history of the area. She was very energetic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I would recommend touring with Daly!A Private Tour of the Panama Canal

Byron

(About local Daly)

25 February 2025

We had a wonderful tour with Dale. She is very knowledgeable about Panama and Panama City and is very energetic. I thought this is primarily going to be a food tour but it is equally about food, the culture and the history of Panama.An excellent tour

Coiffier

(About local Daly)

22 February 2025

We went to San Blas Islands with Daly. She has been a very efficient guide and a wonderful partner for that adventure! I definitely recommend her!Just perfect

debhughan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Daly)

19 February 2025

We had a wonderful experience with Daly on our tour . She was informative and very entertaining company . We were shown some interesting places to eat and shared some amazing food during the day . I would recommend Daly 100% . A truly memorable experience with a passionate Panamanian xExceptional tour

Unknown

(About local Daly)

18 February 2025

Our guide, Daly, is a delightful person, fully knowledgeable about not only the city, but the history and politics surrounding Panama from the early days to the present. She showed us the real pulse of the Casco Viejo and we fell in love with the way she described the people, their culture, their aspirations and their love of country. Simply wonderful. Daly is delightful!

Susan 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

18 February 2025

It was such a treat to have Daly be our guide and getting to experience such unique food. Went to local vendors, the food variety was great. Her knowledge of Panamá was an added bonus. Thanks for a great time!!!! Awesome time!!!!!

Nick

(About local Daly)

14 February 2025

Daly have s thorough and informative tour of Old Town Customized yo out request to dee the markets Booked as a walking tour she used her own car yo dhow is the surrounding areas Best however was our exchange of current events in the country Highly Recommend!! Daly was fantastic!

Jeremy🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Fernando)

26 January 2025

Gustavo stood in for Fernando on a 2 hour walking tour of Casco Viejo in Panama City. He was knowledgeable and well connected and great fun to chat with for the whole tour. I would recommend Gustavo and use him again if I return to Panama City which I have found impressive Delightful tour with Gustavo

vicki

(About local Alexander)

25 January 2025

We arrived outside the cathedral address given to meet at 10:00 AM and waited till 10:35 AM and never found our guide Alexander. We texted him numerous times on the app that we were instructed to use for contact with but never received a response. The tour guide company had our phone number and email and never attempted to contact us. I am hoping that the company refunds our tour money. My husband hopped in a taxi cab and went to the steps of all the surrounding churches just to see if we could find him without success. Can’t say the experience was worth the price as we lost two hours to wait for our hotel to provide us a guide.Never found him

Sharon

(About local Daly)

24 January 2025

Based on the description of a three-hour tour with “10 delicious and typical tastings,” we were disappointed with this experience. The tour, scheduled from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, ran over two hours later, and we only visited four food stops instead of the promised ten. The first hour was spent in a history museum, which, while interesting, seemed unrelated to a food tour. Our first food stop was at a “La Fonda,” but many dishes were unavailable or had been sitting out too long since we arrived after the lunch rush. Daly, our guide, suggested coming back another day before the lunch rush, which made us feel like we may have missed out on the best items. Daly asked if we had any hard time constraints, which we appreciated, but we didn’t anticipate how much longer the tour would extend beyond its scheduled end time. Afterward, we walked to Chinatown. Along the way we stopped into another La Fonda but didn’t get any food – most of the food service line was empty since the lunch rush was over, so we’re not sure why we stopped here. The next stop was a Chinese restaurant, which served dishes similar to those found in the U.S. rather than uniquely Panamanian. By this point, only 30 minutes remained of the scheduled three-hour tour, yet we had visited only two tasting stops out of the advertised ten. We then headed to the meat, produce, and fish markets, arriving after 3:30 PM. Most of the market stalls were closed, leaving us to see workers cleaning up rather than a vibrant market of fresh goods. At the juice stall, we had a fresh drink that was tasty. The fish market was unappealing, with flies, birds, and visibly poor cleanliness. Despite this, we were taken to a seafood restaurant attached to the market, which we chose to skip after seeing the fish market. We ended the tour with coffee, which was excellent, but skipped the brewery stop as it was past 5 PM by this point. In summary: Time management was a major issue, and the tour did not deliver the advertised ten tastings. While Daly was friendly, the experience felt disorganized and underwhelming. It’s possible some of this could be addressed by updating the tour description to properly set expectations, as well as clearly setting expectations at the beginning of the tour.Disappointing

Lee🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

20 January 2025

we went on a food tour the other day of Panama city and Fernando was a great guide. We had a ton of fun. only critique was in our group we had a few that did not eat pork and we had a fair amount of it. The tour was fun, the food was great and we got some insight of the fish market and the surrounding old town and finished it off with some great gelato. thanks fernando great guy and friendly.

Erik🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

14 January 2025

Layla was terrific. She was kind and knowledgable and very relaxed. She took me to four different stops each with some delicious food that I would not have discovered without her and was generous and engaging throughout. The food in Panama is fantastic!Teriffic way to eat through Panama City

Pepe🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Layla)

5 January 2025

Desgraciadamente el tour fue un fiasco, duró una hora menos de lo que debía y no nos enseñó nada del Casco Antiguo, se limitó a darnos un paseo en bicicleta por la cinta costera (es bonito pero para eso no se necesita guía) la presentación que hace Layla en la web de sí misma es falsa, no tiene conocimientos de Panamá ni de su historia. En fin, es una pena porque With Locals hasta ahora no nos había fallado nunca.Decepción total

Richard🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Daly)

23 December 2024

We took an early afternoon booking and skipped lunch so we were pretty hungry by time we got to the food tasting. However, by time we got to the food and drink it was abundant and excellent. In between food stops we walked and listened to Daly's stories about the local and regional history. It was all very tasty and interesting. A great afternoon with Daly

TA🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

18 December 2024

Daly did a nice job giving us a walking tour around the older part of Panama City (Casco Viejo), looking at the beautiful old buildings and the ones that are in poor shape. In addition, we visited a museum treating the political history of Panama. Also saw a couple of churches and Daly explained their role in Panamanian history. Our walking tour also took us into a commercial area where the local community have their markets and other business establishments... very interesting to see this. We would have like learned more about the modern part of Panama City, but given the large size of the city and traffic, it wasn't possible in the short time available. Daly is enthusiastic and eager to give an "up close" perspective of Panama City! Her car was comfortable and the a/c worked great! :-)Panama City tour

jeff🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

15 December 2024

What was plan on being a food tour became an afternoon of learning about the culture and history of Panama with food being the icing. Daly will be the reason when we plan another trip to this beautiful country.Enjoyable afternoon

Wilder🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

1 December 2024

We had a great evening food tour with Fernando. We met at a local restaurant for ceviche and a beer, where we talked about Panama and got to know each other a bit. He asked if we had any food preferences so he could tailor the tour to our needs. After that, we walked to the Coca Cola Cafe for a delicious fish dinner and more conversation. Our final stop was for refreshing gelato. Because we didn't want any additional food stops, Fernando gave us a walking tour of Old Town explaining the sights. The experience was delightful in every way. Fernando is very personable and eager to share information about life in Panama. We returned to our hotel happy and fed.Wonderful!

Leela🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

29 November 2024

Fernando was helpful and it was a great experience. He tailored it to the group and was patient throughout the entire experience. Highly recommend!Great experience!

Sachin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

28 November 2024

Amazing historical and food tour combination! Daly is very knowledgeable, nice, and a lot of fun! Panama City Must Do!

Amy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

27 November 2024

I have a very mixed review of this experience. We loved the food tour and trying different dishes, but was disappointed that the tour was not as advertised. I needed to change the tour date and appreciate Layla was accommodating to the change in our schedule. The tour is advertised to meet at Panama Canal Museum which was a very close to where we stayed. Layla asked us to meet at the Mercado De Mariscos instead (20 minute walk away). I was okay with the change because we wanted to visit the Fish Market. But, it was closed that day for cleaning so we went to Cevichera La Bendicion instead. They had ceviche and calamari (spiders), which we enjoyed. Then we walked to the meat market and tried chicken, plantains and pork. Third was En La Fonda, which was super touristy and a fun vibe where we tried a pork dish on a fried tortilla which was flavorful. Lastly, we walked to Coca Cola Café and tried fresh fruit and traditional garlic fish dish. It was fun to see different places and try the foods. Where the tour did not align to advertised is the tour was not in the Old Quarter (Casco Viejo) it was just outside and on the border of this neighborhood. Our guide provided some but not much as far as cultural insights to the foods. Layla was distracted during the meals, was on her phone searching things and on WhatsApp. She would look up and answer our questions as we asked. We did ask a lot about her family and background, which she shared. I loved the idea of this tour in the Old Quarter with highlights of historical spots, given we didn’t have the tour in the Old Quarter we did not get this history outside of the Coca Cola Café. When asking questions about the Coca Cola Café we were handed the menu to read rather than learn from our guide. At the end of our tour, we walked a block into the Old Quarter where Layla pointed out the grocery store, Café Unidos and Cathedral then said goodbye outside the coffee shop. Though we enjoyed this adventure, I think the cost was high for what was delivered. Mixed Experience

Deborah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Fernando)

19 November 2024

We did a biking tour with Fernando on the Cinta Costera and through Casco Viejo. We enjoyed the tour and his company so much we scheduled a second tour with him. We had a private tour of the Miraflores Locks and a boat ride on Lake Gatun including a visit to Monkey Island. Unfortunately, no ships were passing through the locks that day but the IMAX movie and tour of the locks were great. It was awesome to be on the lake passing container ships and seeing the groups of monkeys on the island. Fernando is a very good guide -- knowledgeable, engaging, attentive and all round good guy anyone would enjoy spending time with.

J🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

18 November 2024

Excelente tour de Panamá. Mil gracias. Saludos. Excelente

lisa

(About local Daly)

12 November 2024

Due to holidays we couldn't do the usual tour. But Daly adapted and we still got to see a lot of sights and got loads of history and insight of Panama. Sadly due to circumstances out of her control, we didn't get to really experience the total food tasting. Am looking forward to doing this again with Daly, on a non holiday!Not as planned

Olga

(About local Fernando)

12 November 2024

There were 6 of us from the US, looking forward to the tour. We have done many food tours in different counties, and knew what to expect. However, this tour was not at all what we expected. We stopped at 3 places to try ceviche, a plate with local variety of fried foods and then coffee and fruit. We did not learn anything from our guide, Fernando. We had to ask for the information and even then, he did not share much (no stories about food, traditions, history, etc). I could go into more details but will stop here and hope that it will help others make a better choice! Food Tour in Panama City

Journeying With🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

3 November 2024

Daly was hands-down the most knowledgeable, energetic, and genuinely kind guide I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Her depth of local food knowledge and her vibrant personality transformed a simple afternoon into one of my favorite experiences in Panama!! She made every stop engaging, shared insider insights, and radiated warmth throughout. Spending time with her felt like hanging out with a friend. Daly is the best!

Ronald🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

21 October 2024

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Daly! It was the perfect jumping off point to become acquainted with the Casco Viejo neighborhood from both a history and food perspective. Our day was upended by some rain (welcome to Panama ;-) ) but Daly was able to change up the original plan to make the tour very enjoyable. Can’t wait to come back and would HIGHLY recommend Daly for your visit!Fantastic Mix of Food and History!

David🇺🇸 United States

(About local Milton)

10 October 2024

Milton was a perfect tour guide. He is knowledgeable and friendly. It was a very varied and interesting tour. Definitely worth taking!Wonderful and interesting tour

Elise

(About local Fernando)

26 August 2024

We had an incredible experience with Fernando! He did a phenomenal job guiding us around Casa Vieja, answering all our questions with great insight. We only wish we had more time to spend with him. Highly recommend starting your trip with Fernando!Fantastic

Michelle 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

23 August 2024

Layla was such a great host during our tour. She was easy to coordinate with, flexible with our schedule and fun to hang out with. It felt like we were exploring with a new friend! The food was great! Loved the tour and would def do it again with Layla next time we visit! Wonderful tour!

Meaghan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

14 August 2024

This tour was fantastic! We tried a variety of foods, and learned all sorts of culture and facts we wouldn’t have known on our own. Layla was wonderful, accommodating and kind. Highly recommend! Absolute must!

Rajini 🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Daly)

5 August 2024

It was great to experience the real culture and heritage of Panama with Daly. Daly was a fantastic host. Her passion and knowledge for her country was very evident. She even took the time to show us a hidden gem of amazing art at a gallery. The REAL Panama

Frank🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Fernando)

10 July 2024

Lieber Fernando, ich schreibe die Bewertung auf Deutsch, damit Du mehr Gäste aus Deutschland bekommst und die Sprache weiter sprechen kannst. Du hast uns herzlich empfangen und den Abend hervorragend begleitet und unvergesslich gemacht. Wir alle sagen DANKE und werden wiederkommen. Und an alle, die einen Guide suchen: ihr habt ihn mit Fernando gefunden! 10+++++++++

Zachariah 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

20 June 2024

We had such a great time on our tour with Daly! We had the chance to stop in Panama on a long layover and had a wonderful time walking around the old quarter. It's too bad we had to leave so quickly. Daly was very accommodating to our schedule and she still had time to share some history and cultural influences along with the tasty treats. Highly recommend if you have the chance.Awesome Experience

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

9 June 2024

We had such a fun time touring and tasting with Daly. She was very generous with her time and knowledge of Panama. After visiting the Canal Museum, we headed to Chinatown for lunch and then on to markets and the seaside for local juices, ceviche, pastries, and other treats. And along the way we discovered a hidden art gallery and local crafts people. We ended the tour totally satiated and gratified. Thanks Daly!Tasting Fun!

David

(About local Daly)

2 June 2024

my two sons and I had a great tour with Daly. She is very knowledgeable regarding history culture politics and all things Panama. Very helpful and FUN also.Daly is GREAT

Crystal🇺🇸 United States

(About local Layla)

2 June 2024

I recently took a girls trip to Panama City, Panama and chose the Food Tour with Layla as our host. She was so accommodating to reschedule our event due to airline flight delays. How cool was that! She even agreed to change the pick-up location to our hotel! We had such a great time. She introduced us to Panama's delicacies like fresh ceviche, fried fish and amazing coffee. As we drove through town, she gave us history and common tips like do's and don'ts of the country. She is truly a delight! We felt very safe and comfortable in her hands. The tour was one of the highlights of our trip. Layla is our girlfriend and we will be reaching out when we return! Don't hesitate, Layla is your host choice!

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alexander)

1 June 2024

Alexander was a GREAT guide for our first introduction to Panama and Casco Viejo. We loved him, and it was great to pick his brain on other things to do in Panama City as well! Highly recommend!! Highly recommend!

Lynn🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Fernando)

26 May 2024

Pleasure to have him guiding us for the day.Planned it around our needs & felt he was a friend showing us around not a guide.Even took us to a “secret” bar behind a shop to finish the day!! Book him now!!

Marge🇺🇸 United States

(About local Daly)

9 May 2024

Daly was a fantastic tour guide and wonderful host. Our first stop was the museum where we learned about the indigenous people, the building of the canal and the US invasion. Since there were only 2 of us and it was starting to rain, she took us in her own personal vehicle and we went to the meat market and vegetable market where we had some wonderful fresh squeezed juices. We saw some of the real Panama and how the less fortunate live on the outskirts of town and also went up to the area that used to be housing for the US canal workers and the administration building. We came back in to town and visited the Church of Saint Joseph with the golden altar and a nativity scene like no other! Daly was very generous with her time, as our tour lasted about 4 hours and she even drove us back to where we were staying in Marbella. She was so nice that I hesitate to say anything negative, but what fell short for us were the expectations of the tastings. The 10 tastings experience boasts of local classics like ceviche and empanadas and locals favorites. It also mentions drinks like coffee, unique beverages, alcoholic cocktails, beer and wine. Although we did have the fresh squeezed juices, we envisioned tastings like empanadas, ceviche, patacones, ropa vieja, coffee, a rum cocktail, sangria, wine or local beer and any other must-have favorites at various locations. Maybe our expectations were too high, as we were not expecting a cafeteria style lunch but that is what made the tasting a bit of a disappointment to us. Daly is fantastic but tastings are mixed!

Tee

(About local Daly)

8 May 2024

Daly is the ultimate woman about town! I had some time to spare during a layover and chose her food tour experience. She was such a wonderful ambassador to the country! Showing me around town, highlighting bites, and giving me insight to the local culture. Everything we ate was so delicious and it was nicely spread out with walking in between to make room for more treats! By the end of our time together, it felt like we were old friends and it was a little sad to part ways. This was the best way to spend my limited time. Daly is such a gem! Highly recommend! Solo traveler - Maximum Vibes

Tiffany

(About local Daly)

5 May 2024

1

Daly (pronounced Dalí) is a firecracker!!! She has decades of experience in Panamanian tourism and a deep love for her country’s culture and history. I appreciated her commitment to showing me authentic experiences, rather than a diluted and comfortable tourist tour/explanation. I felt very comfortable and at home with her and would recommend her highly. Authentic Experience, Passionate Guide

Frank

(About local Mauricio)

4 May 2024

Booked online a tour in Panama City. Communication looked fine, but after all it was all computers. Guide never showed up. When I wanted to contact withlocals it was impossible and when filing a report about the guide the system said my report was not detailed enough and could not be processed for that reason. What more can I say then that the guide never showed up!!!! No I am going to try to get my money back, which most probably will not be easy. Anyhow; avoid this service!!!A total scam; guide never showed up

Robert W

(About local Milton)

18 April 2024

I cannot state stronglly enough that Milton was THE BEST !!! Milton took excellent care of us during the whole trip, explain in details all the history of PanamaSo glad we chose this tour