Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hotel Dos Continentes
Interamericana, at the junction with Av J.D. Arosemena 997 9325.
The glass-fronted restaurant is justifiably popular, serving a good range of international
dishes and Panamanian staples. Breakfasts are excellent.
Daily 6.30am-10pm.
Mesón de Santa Cruz
Paseo Andaluz, off C Damian Cortes 908 5311.
Delightful restaur-
ant in a converted church, with spacious courtyard, where religious motifs still prevail in the
artwork and decoration. Specializing in Panamanian, Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) and Spanish
dishes, there's plenty of choice and the quality is good. Don't miss the sangria either. Mains
from $10.
Daily 11am-10pm.
El Paisa
Av J.D. Arosemena.
Bakery with a couple of stand-up tables inside and some out-
door seating. Good for a cup of coffee or a fruit juice and a sticky bun.
Daily 6am-9.30pm.
La Pintada
Aficionados of Panama's hats - as opposed to Panama hats, which are made in Ecuador -
should consider making a detour out to the village of
La Pintada
, 15km northwest of Pen-
onomé in the foothills of the cordillera, which is famed for its high-quality palm-woven
som-
brero pintado
or “
pintao
”. It is a major and expanding business in the village and surround-
ing area, involving several thousand individuals. The
Mercado de Artesanías La Pintada
(daily 9am-4pm), which displays the crafts of around a hundred local families, sells a wide
range of hats in addition to decorated gourds, soapstone carvings, pots and various knick-
knacks, though finding the place open can be tricky, especially in the rainy season. Not so
with master hat-maker Señor Quirós, next door, who lives at the back of his shop,
Artesanías
Reinaldo Quirós
(daily 8.30am-7.30pm), and also has a good collection. Both locations are
on the left-hand side of the football pitch and are easy to spot.
Another place of potential interest is the local
cigar factory
, Cigarros Joyas de Panamá
(Mon-Sat 7am-5pm; 692 2582), now garnering an international reputation for its hand-
rolled organic Cuban-seed tobacco cigars. Just drop by and witness the dexterity with which
some workers roll up to six hundred cigars a day. Single or boxed cigars can be bought on the
spot.
