Gelaterias in Panama
Travel Info & Culture
Basically, Italian citizens can reside in Panama indefinitely, and apply for citizenship with nothing more than an Italian passport. Also, there are incentives for Italian citizens to start businesses in Panama. What this agreement means as a traveler is that there is delicious Italian food available throughout Panama!
First, we spent a fun and musically entertaining evening at Helados JTO near the bridge in downtown Boquete. We were tickled by the little boy’s reaction to the music. Check out the video. I had the coconut, mango, and strawberry gelatos. They’re homemade and so good. Panamanian strawberries are a revelation!
In Las Lajas, a beach town on the Pacific Coast, there is Heladeria Artesanal Italiana Chiricream. Try their tropical fruit flavors sourced from local ingredients. Plus, there are always chocolate and other traditional flavors for people who are less fruitarian than me.
One surprise about Panama is that Italian food and gelato are widely available in places you wouldn’t predict. I decided to do some research because Panama seemed so unlikely as a center for pizzas and gelato. Here is the lowdown: There has been a bilateral agreement between Panama and Italy since 1966 and that agreement was greatly expanded when a Panamanian of Italian descent was elected President of Panama in 2009.
Food Travel Guide
This brings me to a favorite topic: Gelato! Panama’s weather and wonderful fruits make gelato the perfect decadent choice for a snack. In Boquete, there are two gelaterias. You can’t go wrong with either of them.
Also in Boquete is La Ghiotto Gelateria. It’s rated number one on Trip Advisor. Unfortunately, I missed it because when we were there, it had limited hours. All the Gelato here is homemade and there are many original flavors.
Gelato in Panama! What an unexpected pleasure!
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