72 Hours in Panama: Food, Flavors & A Few Honest Thoughts

The second that finals ended, we basically speed-ran packing, jumped on a plane, and headed straight to Panama to meet up with my Nana while she attended the Serandipians conference. There are worse ways to recover from finals week, trust me.

And when I say we landed running… I mean RUNNING. We had exactly one hour from the moment our plane touched down to get through the airport, get to the hotel, completely change clothes, and somehow make it to A Taste of Panama: Where Cultures and Flavors Meet at The Santa Maria Hotel & Golf Resort looking halfway presentable. Absolute chaos. At one point I was changing in the bathroom while my mom panic-organized outfits, and somewhere in the madness I lost my concealer. RIP to my NARS concealer—you served me well. But completely worth it, and I wouldn’t change a thing

Before I even get into the food, I have to talk about the airport, because I noticed something interesting right away. Panama City’s airport was clean, modern, and easy to navigate, but what surprised me most was how differently arrivals worked compared to a lot of other international destinations I’ve visited. Usually when you land internationally, you clear customs and immigration before entering the main terminal area. In Panama, we walked directly from the plane into the terminal first, which completely threw me off because I kept waiting for the usual customs line. Turns out immigration was just arranged differently than I was used to—but it definitely caught me off guard at first.

Another thing I noticed pretty quickly? Even though Panama has a large expat community, English wasn’t spoken nearly as much as I expected, and in that moment I was FULLY regretting skipping a language class this year. Thankfully I survived with the few Spanish words I know, lots of smiling, and the universal language of pointing at food. But it actually made the trip feel more immersive. It reminded me that when you travel somewhere new, you should try to connect with the culture instead of expecting everything to adapt to you. And if nothing else, Panama definitely convinced me I need to work on my Spanish.

Within hours of arriving, we were already stepping into one of the most unforgettable culinary nights I’ve ever experienced. If you know me at all, you already know this was basically my Super Bowl—because it involved food. The dinner brought together some of Panama’s top chefs, hotels, and travel companies, and the entire evening felt like a celebration of culture through flavor. Every station offered something different, and I loved hearing the stories behind the dishes almost as much as tasting them.

One of the highlights was meeting Chef Charlie Collins. If you’re not familiar with him, Chef Collins is one of Panama’s most recognized chefs and has spent years helping introduce Panamanian cuisine to the world through his restaurants, television appearances, cookbooks, and culinary advocacy. As a major foodie, getting to talk with him was incredible. We chatted about cooking classes, local ingredients, and how food can tell the story of a destination—which is something I’ve always loved about travel. You can learn a lot from museums and history books, but food tells its own story too. And trust me, Panama knows how to feed people. From fresh ceviche to rich sauces and warm empanadas, I was fully committed to trying as much as possible over the next 72 hours. My mom may call it vacation. I call it research.

Another unexpected part of the trip was getting to meet so many hotel leaders from across Central America. Through Nana and the Serandipians conference, I found myself talking with general managers from hotels all over the region. It’s kind of funny—most teenagers spend their summer breaks hanging out with friends, while I somehow ended up discussing travel and food with people who run some of the region’s top hotels. Definitely not your average start to summer break.

For the first two nights, we stayed at the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, in an amazing location in Old Town Panama. The streets around the hotel are beautiful—colorful buildings, balconies overflowing with flowers, little cafés, and shops everywhere. As a teenager, I loved being able to walk around and explore safely; there were police officers on practically every corner, which made the whole area feel secure and easy to navigate. I’m pretty sure I walked into every single store possible.

The streets of Casco Viejo are honestly a photographer’s dream. Everywhere I looked there was another photo op waiting around the corner—colorful colonial buildings, flower-covered balconies, historic churches, and open plazas that make the entire neighborhood feel like a movie set. Some streets even have colorful hats hanging overhead while others are lined with flags stretching between the buildings. Naturally, this turned into an impromptu photoshoot, because there was absolutely no way I was walking past all of that without stopping for pictures. I completely lost track of time wandering through the streets—between the beauty, the history, and the shopping, there was always something pulling me around the next corner.

I managed to come home with a few treasures of my own, including some new jewelry, charms for my charm bracelet, and a couple of dresses. If you’ve ever traveled with me, you know I love bringing home things that remind me of a destination long after the trip ends. One thing visitors should know is that prices in Casco Viejo tend to be higher than what you’ll find outside the historic district. That’s pretty common in most major tourist areas, but what you’re paying for is the atmosphere, the history, and access to unique boutiques and artisan shops you won’t necessarily find elsewhere. For me, it was worth every minute.

The weather couldn’t have been more different from sitting inside taking finals. Most days were hot, humid, and sunny, which felt perfect for exploring. We did get caught in one impressive afternoon downpour while shopping, but it passed almost as quickly as it arrived—about thirty minutes later the sun was back out, the streets were drying off, and everyone carried on like nothing had happened.

Our view from the Sofitel felt like the perfect representation of Panama itself—old and new existing side by side. We were physically staying in Casco Viejo, surrounded by centuries-old architecture, historic churches, and cobblestone streets, and I have to give the hotel credit because it does a beautiful job incorporating historical touches into the design instead of making everything feel overly modernized. Casco Viejo itself is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, founded in 1673 after the original Panama City was destroyed by pirate attacks. But then from our balcony, we could look directly across the water and see Panama City’s massive modern skyline filled with glass skyscrapers stretching into the clouds. It genuinely felt like watching the progression of civilization happen in real life.

And honestly, standing there made my 8th grade history lessons suddenly feel very real, because Panama became one of the most important places in the world thanks to the Panama Canal. When the canal opened in 1914, it completely changed global trade by creating a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Before that, ships had to travel all the way around the southern tip of South America, adding thousands of extra miles and weeks to their journeys. Seeing ships moving through the water while I stood between the old city and the modern skyline made me realize just how much Panama helped shape the modern world. Our balcony became one of my favorite places to pause and take it all in—look one direction and you see centuries of history, look the other and you see a skyline that represents Panama’s future.

Now, I do have to give some honest thoughts, because that’s part of what Harper’s World is all about. While the hotel itself is beautiful, there were a few things that didn’t quite feel aligned with being a true family hotel. Since there were three of us staying in the room, we had to add a rollaway bed, which definitely made the space feel tighter. We made it work, but it wasn’t the most comfortable setup.

What disappointed me more, though, was something smaller. There was a children’s amenities menu in the room that mentioned complimentary bath salts for kids, and I immediately got excited because the rooms have these gorgeous soaking tubs that practically beg for a bubble bath moment. But when my mom called to request them, we were told they were only complimentary for guests staying in suites. And I just kept thinking… then why put the menu in every room? It felt like such a simple opportunity to create a memorable moment for younger travelers.

Another thing that stood out was the room service menu, which mostly offered western cuisine. And if you know me, you know I LOVE room service. But one of the best parts of traveling is experiencing local culture, and food is one of the easiest ways to do that, so adding authentic Panamanian dishes feels like such an obvious opportunity. Instead, I made it my mission to try as many empanadas around Casco Viejo as my mom would allow. Zero regrets.

My favorite stop was Super Gourmet, where I tried both the beef and chicken empanadas—the beef version completely won me over, though my mom preferred the chicken. We’ll just agree to disagree on that one. If you’re wandering around Casco Viejo, do not skip this stop. Another favorite was Paladar Negro, which offered both Panamanian and Argentinian-style empanadas, so naturally I ordered one of each (it seemed like the responsible thing to do). I tried the chicken, beef, and sausage, and my favorite by far was the Argentinian beef—crispy, flavorful, and everything I wanted it to be. But as amazing as they all were, none of them could compare to the empanadas Chef Charlie Collins prepared the night before. Those were absolute perfection: the pastry was flaky, the filling was packed with flavor, and every bite somehow balanced tradition with creativity. Days later, I’m still thinking about them.

One thing I absolutely cannot stop thinking about, though, wasn’t food. It was the tide. We had an ocean-view room, and every morning the water stretched beautifully across the bay. By afternoon? Gone. Completely gone. The first time I saw it, I genuinely thought a storm had pushed debris into the bay overnight because the entire landscape looked different—then I realized the tide had simply gone out that far. I stood at the window staring in complete confusion. I’ve traveled a lot, but I had never seen anything like it.

Before heading home, we decided to spend one final night at The Santa Maria, a Marriott Luxury Collection property, and it ended up being a completely different experience from Casco Viejo. While the Sofitel immersed us in Panama’s history and culture, The Santa Maria felt much more westernized and geared toward the expat community and international travelers living and working in the area. The property is centered around a beautiful golf course and has a polished, residential feel to it.

One thing I can say with absolute confidence? The beds were incredibly comfortable. After three days racing around Panama, walking miles through Casco Viejo, and conducting very serious empanada research, I was more than happy to climb into bed that night. The food throughout our stay was decent, but overall it felt very familiar—a lot of the menu items were things I could easily find back home in the United States. By this point in the trip, I had fallen in love with discovering Panama through its food, so I found myself wishing there were more local flavors featured throughout the property. There was one thing that immediately caught my attention, though: traditional Chinese dumplings. If you know me, you know I am physically incapable of ignoring dumplings when they appear on a menu, so obviously I had to try them. They did not disappoint.

Directly across from the resort, an entire lifestyle district is taking shape with shops, restaurants, and a food hall currently under construction. But my favorite discovery wasn’t a restaurant at all—it was a grocery store. Yes, really. Foodie Market Santa Maria might be the chicest grocery store I have ever seen in my life. The design, the displays, the coffee bar, the overall aesthetic—it was all so beautiful that I genuinely wished every grocery store looked like this. I probably spent more time exploring it than any normal person should.

That said, if you’re visiting Panama for the first time and want to experience the culture, history, architecture, food, and energy that make the city special, I would still recommend staying in Casco Viejo. There’s something magical about being able to walk out of your hotel and immediately find yourself surrounded by colorful streets, historic buildings, local cafés, hidden boutiques, and incredible food. The Santa Maria is comfortable, convenient, and relatively close to the airport, but you’ll likely find yourself relying on Uber to get around. Casco Viejo lets you step directly into the heart of Panama’s story, and for a curious traveler like me, that’s where the magic was.

Looking back, Panama surprised me in all the best ways. I came expecting a quick trip after finals and left with a deeper appreciation for a country that somehow blends centuries of history, incredible food, and modern city life all in one place. From racing across the city after landing, to meeting Chef Charlie Collins, hunting down the best empanadas in Casco Viejo, getting caught in a tropical rainstorm, shopping for charms and dresses, watching the tide completely transform the landscape outside my window, and accidentally becoming obsessed with a grocery store—every single day brought something unexpected.

If there’s one thing Panama taught me, it’s that some of the best travel memories aren’t the things you plan. Sometimes they’re the conversations you didn’t expect to have, the food you stumble across, the street you decide to wander down, or the grocery store you accidentally spend way too much time exploring. Not bad for a 72-hour trip that started with a lost concealer and a race against the clock.

And yes… I’m still thinking about those empanadas.

Until the next check-in… XOXO, Harper