Santiago

The provincial capital, Santiago is usually nothing more than a pit stop between Panama City and the westernmost province of Chiriquí, Playa Santa Catalina, or Isla de Coiba. With a population of 27,000, Santiago is little more than a large town, but as the commercial and administrative center for a large ranching and farming area, it's considered one of Panama's principal cities. Though founded in the colonial era, Santiago has very little historic architecture and lacks charm. Its main street, Avenida Central, runs southwest from the highway to the Plaza Central.