News

One of Panama City’s favorite local landmarks is about to get a makeover. The city is going to spend $3.7 million to upgrade the popular seafood market, Mercado de Mariscos, including a wide variety of modernizations and renovations.

In many ways, the market is getting a freshening up. One of the key priorities will be to install an underground waste disposal unit, to help address the smell of rotting fish, Newsroom Panama reports.

The upgrade will also include additional parking, pedestrian walkways, hot water lines, and solar panels, as well as more lighting and security, Mayor Jose Isabel Blandon announced.

The seafood market is one of the authentic Panama spots that attracts both locals and tourists. It’s a great place to buy fresh octopus, tuna, and lobster right off the boats, usually at much better prices than found in the stores.

The market is also a great place to grab a lunch of tangy ceviche, fried fish, or crabs. The plastic chairs and market setting aren’t fancy, but the food is tasty, inexpensive and the ambiance is purely local.

In many ways, the seafood market has been a neglected attraction,  but that is about to change.

“The market which has lacked full maintenance for decades,  has seen declining sales because of lack of parking space and that problem will also be addressed along with improved pedestrian walkways,” Newsroom Panama reports.

Work is set to begin right away, which is good news for Panama City seafood lovers.

Duncan McGowan is president of Punta Pacifica Realty, a Panama real estate agency focused on Punta Pacifica, the exclusive neighborhood of 18 towers perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.