The City of Chitre was founded on October 19, 1848 by the Provincial Chamber of Panama,
who ordered in their Article 1, inscription 4 to organize Chitre as a Parroquial District,
in the County of Los Santos, this district was to included the towns of Chitre,
Monagrillo and La Arena, separate from Los Santos District.
The City of Chitre is a place you don't want to miss visiting. People from Chitre are
very friendly and the city offers services you would find in larger cities, including:
hotels, restaurants featuring national and international cuisine, banks, department
stores, supermarkets, telephone services, internet, fast food restaurants, car rentals,
dance clubs, etc.
COMMERCE
The city of Chitre has become the commercial center for the central provinces of the country. Credit cards, such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express are widely used in most of the shopping
centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, hotels and for car rentals.
A visitor can purchase and use international 'calling cards' ( $USD .50, $1, $3, $10,
$20, $50) for easy communication worldwide. Pre-paid calling cards for cell phones are also
readily available starting at about $5.00.
CURRENCY:
The official currency in Panama, including Chitre, is the Balboa, inscribed only on the local
coins. The US dollar is the legal tender used throughout the country, with the local
coins (10 cents, 25 cents and 50 cents) holding the same value as US currency. There
are also banks that can process your transactions and provide reliable service through
teller services or 24 hour ATM's where VISA Plus, MasterCard Cirrus and Clave, among
others, are accepted.
In Chitre can be found branches of the following banks:
ACTIVITIES
During your visit to the city of Chitre, there is a wide choice of activities in the Province of Herrera. In this province, you can find rivers, mountains, flora and fauna. The city of Chitre,
due to its geographic location and cultural richness, offers an unforgettable experience.
Observación de Aves y Flora
Peñon del Cedro - Los Posos
Pedregoso y Camarón - Ocú
Estación Ecológica Humbolt - Chitré
Playa El Agallito - Chitré
Frailes del Norte y del Sur
Refugio Ciénaga de las Macanas - Rincón de Santa María
Cenegón del Mangle - Paris de Parita
Reserva Forestal El Montuoso - Las Minas
Playa El Retén - Monagrillo
Parque Nacional Sarigua - Parita
Cascadas y Ríos
Pedregero - Pesé
Las Trancas - Las Minas
Río Parita - Parita
Santa María - Santa María
Río La Villa - Los Pozos
Museos
Museo de Herera- Chitré.
Martes a Sábados 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lunes: Cerrado
Museo de Arte Religioso - Parita
La Casa del Folcklore - Chitré
Otros Sitios
Parque Unión de Chitré- Chitré.
Club de Golf y equitación
Zoologico de Los Rios
Sitios Arqueológicos
Catedral de Chitré - Chitré
Sitio Mula Sarigua - Parita
Sitio Monagrillo - Chitré
HISTORY
In 1821, with Panama's independence from Spain, the Isthmus was divided into two provinces:
Panama and Veraguas. The province of Panama was over the mayoral Districts of Portobelo,
Chorrera, Nata, Los Santos and Yavisa. Chitre, originally inhabited by a small indigenous
population, was dependant on the mayoral District of Nata, but later came under the mayoral
District of Los Santos.
The city of Chitre was founded on October 19, 1848 with General
Tomas Herrera serving as governor for the province.
In 1855, the city of Chitre went on to form part of the newly created province of
Azuero and changed from a parroquial district to the district of Chitre. Then,
in 1860, with the elimination of the newly created province by the Assembly in
office, and the creation of the province of Herrera, Chitre now formed part of
the province of Los Santos (1864).
It was not until 1915, under the administration of Dr. Belisario Porras, that the province
of Herrera was formally created with the capital being the city of Chitre. The city of
Chitre, under the law No. 103 created on July 12, 1941, went on to be the capital city
of the province of Herrera and Los Santos until December 1944, when this same law was
eliminated, and Chitre returned to its previous status. The following names have been
recognized as being the founders of Chitre, namely: Mr. Ventura Solís, Matías
Rodríguez, José Ríos, José María Benavidez, Ildelfonso Pérez, Blas Tello,
Eugenio Barrera, José Burgos and Carlos Rodríguez.
LODGING
The City of Chitre offers the great choice of quality hotels and restaurants with national
and international cuisine. Many hotels include rooms with air conditioning, cable TV, pools,
single or double rooms, with some even offering folkloric festivals and aquatic recreation.
Hotel Versalles
Hotel Rex
Hotel Guayacanes
Hotel Hong Kong
There are cheaper places to stay such as Pensión Chitreana,
Pensión Chitré, Pensión Central, Pensión Lily, and Pensión Azuero.
RESTAURANTS
The City of Chitre has restaurants with national and international food.
BURGER POLLO:
Cl Melitón Martín y Av Pérez
RESTAURANTE AQUÍ COMPA:
Cl Circunvalación
RESTAURANTE CAFÉ CHIQUITO:
Av Herrera
RESTAURANTE EL CHINO CHITO:
Cl Melitón Martín
RESTAURANTE EL CHITREANO:
Av Antonio Burgos 4046
RESTAURANTE PARRILLADA VICENTE:
Av Herrera Final
RESTAURANTE Y REFRESQUERÍA AIRE LIBRE:
Av Antonio Burgos
RESTAURANTE Y REFRESQUERÍA LA TINAJA:
Cl Melitón Matín
RESTAURANTE Y REFRESQUERÍA LOS PORTALES:
Cl Manuel M Correa
RESTAURANTE YULLY:
Cl Melitón Martín
TRANSPORTATION Para viajar a la Ciudad de
To get to the city of Chitre, you can take a bus with several daily departures from the Gran Terminal de Transporte (Transportation Bus Terminal) in Panama city at Albrook shopping center.
The city of Chitre, located in the province of Herrera, also has a bus terminal where transportation services
are also offered to different regions of the country. From this terminal, you can also catch
a bus to travel to the different parts of the provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Veraguas and Cocle.
The buses traveling from Panama city to Chitre are modern and equipped with air conditioning.
It takes approximately 4 hours and costs $7.50, return trip, per person.
The city of Chitre has two public hospitals and two private clinics offering
specialized medical services, as well as modern equipment. There are also 24
hour emergency services and several pharmacies throughout the city.
WEATHER
In the province of Herrera, the weather varies from hot and humid to mild. In the mountainous
areas, such as Cerro de Tijera, Cerro de Peñon, Cerro Largo, Cerro del Ñuco and La Loma,
you will find milder temperatures. You will find more humid temperatures in the plains of
Santa Maria de Ocu, as well as in the coastal areas, including the city of Chitre. There
are only two seasons during the year: the dry season during the summer (December to April)
and the rainy season during the winter (May to November).
MAP LOCATION
Police
996-4333
Firefighters
103
Hospital
996-4444
Disaster
996-7446
Country Code: 507
Name
Kmts.
Miles
Tocúmen
27
17
Chepo
57
35
Sabanitas
68
42
Colón
80
49
Portobelo
105
65
Arraiján
13
8
Chorrera
33
20
Capira
54
34
Bejuco
75
46
Chame
76
48
San Carlos
193
58
Santa Clara
118
73
Río Hato
123
77
Antón
135
84
Penonomé
151
94
Natá
186
115
Aguadulce
197
122
Divisa
215
133
Santa MarÍa
218
136
Parita
240
149
Pesé
268
166
Ocú
245
152
Chitré
252
157
Los Santos
256
159
Guararé
277
172
Las Tablas
282
175
Pocrí
303
190
Pedasí
324
203
Atalaya
251
156
Santiago
250
155
Soná
296
184
Tolé
350
218
Remedios
391
243
San Félix
369
231
San Lorenzo
398
248
David
440
274
Boquete
480
299
Concepción
457
284
Volcán
498
309
Cerro Punta
514
319
Frontera
494
307
Puerto Armuelles
530
330
General Information
Province name: Herrera
Area: 2,340 Kilometres
Population: 102,465
2000 Census
Language: Spanish
Cities: Chitré (Monagrillo, La Arena, Chitré), Las Minas (Las Minas, Chepo, Chumical, El Toro, Leones, Quebrada del Rosario), Los Pozos (Capuri, Calabacito, El Cedro, La Arena, Pitazola, Los Cerritos, Los Cerros de Paja, Los Pozos), Ocu (Cerro Largo, Los Llanos, Llano Grande, Peñas Chatas, Ocu), Parita (Cabuya, Los Castillos, Llano de la Cruz, Paris, Portobelillo, Ponuga, Parita), Pese (Este, Norte No.1, Norte No.2, Oeste No.1, Oeste No.2, Sur No.1, Sur No.2, Pese), Santa maria (El Rincon, Chupampa, Santa Maria).
Limits: North ( Veraguas and Cocle provinces)
South (Los Santos province)
East (Parita Gulf and Los Santos province)
West (Veraguas province)
Currency: Balboa (American Dollar)
The City of Chitre was founded on October 19, 1848 by the Provincial Chamber of Panama,
who ordered in their Article 1, inscription 4 to organize Chitre as a Parroquial District,
in the County of Los Santos, this district was to included the towns of Chitre,
Monagrillo and La Arena, separate from Los Santos District. 
The city of Chitre has become the commercial center for the central provinces of the country. Credit cards, such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express are widely used in most of the shopping
centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, hotels and for car rentals.
During your visit to the city of Chitre, there is a wide choice of activities in the Province of Herrera. In this province, you can find rivers, mountains, flora and fauna. The city of Chitre,
due to its geographic location and cultural richness, offers an unforgettable experience.
In 1821, with Panama's independence from Spain, the Isthmus was divided into two provinces:
Panama and Veraguas. The province of Panama was over the mayoral Districts of Portobelo,
Chorrera, Nata, Los Santos and Yavisa. Chitre, originally inhabited by a small indigenous
population, was dependant on the mayoral District of Nata, but later came under the mayoral
District of Los Santos.
In 1855, the city of Chitre went on to form part of the newly created province of
Azuero and changed from a parroquial district to the district of Chitre. Then,
in 1860, with the elimination of the newly created province by the Assembly in
office, and the creation of the province of Herrera, Chitre now formed part of
the province of Los Santos (1864).
It was not until 1915, under the administration of Dr. Belisario Porras, that the province
of Herrera was formally created with the capital being the city of Chitre. The city of
Chitre, under the law No. 103 created on July 12, 1941, went on to be the capital city
of the province of Herrera and Los Santos until December 1944, when this same law was
eliminated, and Chitre returned to its previous status. The following names have been
recognized as being the founders of Chitre, namely: Mr. Ventura Solís, Matías
Rodríguez, José Ríos, José María Benavidez, Ildelfonso Pérez, Blas Tello,
Eugenio Barrera, José Burgos and Carlos Rodríguez.
Para viajar a la Ciudad de
To get to the city of Chitre, you can take a bus with several daily departures from the Gran Terminal de Transporte (Transportation Bus Terminal) in Panama city at Albrook shopping center.
The city of Chitre, located in the province of Herrera, also has a bus terminal where transportation services
are also offered to different regions of the country. From this terminal, you can also catch
a bus to travel to the different parts of the provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Veraguas and Cocle.
The buses traveling from Panama city to Chitre are modern and equipped with air conditioning.
It takes approximately 4 hours and costs $7.50, return trip, per person.
