My husband and I will be in Panama for 8 nights in February. We're considering two itineraries and I can't decide how much time I need to allot for Panama City.

Option 1 is that we arrive in PC in the morning so we'd have half a day in the city proper to explore Panama Viejo and walk around the Amador Causeway. The next day we would visit the canal museum then head to Miraflores Locks and continue on the the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, where we'd spend two nights. On our 4th day, we would drive to Azuero where we would spend 4 nights at the Villa Camilla before driving back to PC for our flight out the next morning.

Our 2nd option is to spend our first two nights in PC, then spend two nights at the Gamboa and three nights at the Villa Camilla.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions! Many thanks!

I will decide for 1st choice,you should have to visit the Ancon hill,the better lookouts to see the city,at 200 meters over the sea level,,you will spend just 45 minutes to reach this place from the city and go down from the top.

Thank you nachocabdriver! Is half a day enough time to go to Panama Viejo, Ancon Hill and Amador Caseway? Would it be possible to stop off at Ancon Hill on our way to Miraflores Locks or Gamboa? I am not sure if it is in the same direction.

In the way coming from the airport(15 minutes from the city if u use the highway,$2.65 paytoll) u can stop at Panama Viejo,wich is at the east of the city,spend 1 hour here to visit the main atraction wich is the old bell tower with a good angles to take pictures of the 1st city builded in Panama 500 years ago in the spanish age.
You still have plenty of time to visit Ancon Hill(1 hour more)including 15 minutes driving from Panama Viejo(good way across the modern city to watch the actual Panama City),after this point,you can drive to Cause Way or Amador the official name of this place,wich is at 10 minutes from the top of Ancon Hill,50 minutes more is enought to take around this perfect place(8 kms of artifficial road) to see the city and the Panama Bay from the Pacific view,also u will see the best angle to picture the America's Bridge in the main entrance of the Panama Canal from the Pacific side.
In the four hour(always if is before 3:00pm) u can reach the Miraflores Locks,1 hour here is the average time for tourist to watch the video show(10 minutes),museum with 4 floors of interest history and tools use during the construction of the Panama Canal 100 years ago,(20 minutes more)and finally 30 minutes for watch the vessels cargo going across the Canal,from the balcony in the four floor.
From this point you are at 17 kms from the Gamboa Resort(less than 20 minutes driving)
the final count will be 4 hours and half,if this plan work for u i will very happy to work for u and your husband,for details in my fare u can e-mail me when u need at any hour,day or nigth,you can read good recommendation of my services at L.A.Times,NYTimes,also Miami Herald in the travel sections articles,also u can read my posted articles here,and in many others important travel sites bye!

I forgot to tell u that from Amador to the Canal u will drive 10 minutes,if u are thinking to spend a second day in PC u can visit the 2nd city builded in Panama,called Casco Viejo,where is the Interoceanique Museum of the Canal,you must need a translator guy in this museum because all the history u will read here is in spanish,the fare to get into this museum is $2.00,i recommend u spend 3 hours in this place full in ruins,old buildings with french and precolombinus age,wonder landscapes of the city,and good places to test panamenian food or drink the famous extremely fresh'raspados'(snow ball at panamenian style)in the corner of the French Plaza,you also will find the cheapest souveniers from the kunas or outdoors salers,anyway,you will never get bored in PC,this is a small City,a small country,but with a lot of diversity,also we have a lot of nigth life like big casinos in Via España or Via Venneto and superb restaurants at 48 th street,or why not?a good dicobar for shake the boones,hope u enjoy your trip here!!!