CHURCHES
Michael the Archangel Church
1. Basilica Minore del Santo Nino.
From where the church
standing, Basilica Del Sto. Nino is believed
to be the site of the first church ever built in
Cebu and where the image of the Holy Child
was found burnt. When we were kids, we
would always hear mass here and we
believe that the miraculous Holy Child Sto.
Nino gives protection, redemption and
guidance. The Holy Child brings pilgrimage
from around the globe as well. Sto. Nino’s
feast, Sinulog, is probably the most
celebrated and grandest fiesta in the
country solemnized every third Sunday of
January. Sinulog is a vernacular word
which means ” imitate the current
movement of the water,” thus explaining
the forward- backward steps in dancing
the Sinulog!
2. Church of San Isidro Labrador in San
Fernando. It was established by diocesan
decree on January 19, 1858 with San Isidro
Labrador as patron saint. Feast celebrated
every May 15.
3. St. Catherine of Alexandria Church
Carcar Cebu. Feast of Saint Catherine is
celebrated every 25th of November. The
church was built by Augustinians from 1860
– 1875 with the use of stones as its main
material.
4. Nuestra Senyora Del Pilar Church
Sibonga Cebu. Construction of the church
started between 1846-1868 and was
completed in 1881 under the term of Father
Enrique Magaz.
5. Simala Church Sibonga Cebu. This is
the house of the miraculous Mother Mary
who is said to grants prayers of her
devotees.
6. St.
Argao Cebu was founded on October 16,
1733 and was constructed by Fr. Mateo
is
Perez from 1803 to 1836. Murals on the
ceiling done by the country’s best painters.
The first part were the murals of biblical
scenes done by Canuto Avila and the
second part on the altar, murals of St.
Michael defeating Lucifer and his followers,
done by Ray Francia.
7. San Guillermo Parish Church
Dalaguete Cebu. The church was built in
1802-1825.
8. Patrocinio de Maria Parish Church.
Built in 1783 and is made of coral and hard
wood. The roof is made of clay tiles with 26
pilasters supporting the walls.
9. One of the oldest standing heritage
structures in Liloan is the Church of Saint
Ferdinand (San Fernando Parish Church),
King of Spain, the fiesta of which is
celebrated every May 29 and 30.
10. Built in 1755, Santo Tomas de
Villanueva Parish Church in Danao City
Cebu is one of the country’s oldest
churches. The church’s bell, San Alipio bell,
was casted in 1845 and Villanueva and
Sagrado Corazon bells were added in 1917.
11. San Guillermo de Catmon Parish
Church was erected by the Augustinian
recollects in November 2, 1835, the third
and final place chosen by its founder after
separating from the Mother Parish Danao.
San Guillermo celebrates its fiesta every
February 10.
12. Our lady of Miraculous Medal Shrine
Bogo is situated on top of the hill, 150 steps
to the holy place.
12 Places to Visit in Cebu City (Things to
do in the Queen City of the South)
The Heritage of Cebu Monument
The City of Cebu is the center for commerce
and trade in Visayas, Philippines. It is also
considered as one of the most livable cities
in the country. I personally love Cebu as a
metropolis because it’s not as crowded and
polluted as Metro Manila. The cost of living
(meals, accommodation, etc.) in the city is
also more affordable than in most urbanized
cities in the Philippines. And in my personal
experience, the Cebuano taxi drivers are
generally more trustworthy than their Manila
counterparts (of course there are also
honest taxi drivers in Manila).
The province of Cebu is known for its
beautiful islands, white sand beaches,
luxury resorts, scuba dive sites, and
historical spots. But before or after you head
to the different tourist spots in the province,
you’ll most likely stay in Cebu City. To make
the most of your time in Cebu, check out the
following places to visit and things to do in
the Queen City of the South.
1. Fort San Pedro
Visit Fort San Pedro or Fuerza de San
Pedro to have a glimpse of Cebu’s rich
history. The work on the fort was
first started on May 8, 1565 by Spanish and
indigenous Cebuanos under the command
of Miguel López de Legazpi. Fort San Pedro
is located in Plaza Indepedencia in the pier
area of Cebu City. With an entrance fee of
only P30, you can already tour inside the
fort and travel back in time to the first
Spanish settlement in the Philippines.
The front entrance to Fuerza de San Pedro
as seen from Plaza Indepedencia in Cebu
City, Philippines.
The view inside Fuerza de San Pedro. The
fort houses well-preserved Spanish
artifacts, such as paintings, documents and
sculptures depicting the Spanish
settlement in the Philippines.
2. Basilica del Santo Niño
Just a quick walk from Fort San Pedro, you
can already reach the Minor Basilica of the
Holy Child, commonly known as Santo Niño
Church. Considered as the oldest Roman
Catholic church in the country, it was built
on the spot where the image of the Santo
Niño de Cebu was found in 1565 by
Spanish explorers led by Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi. For Catholic devotees, the church
is called the “Mother and Head of all
Churches in the Philippines” by the Holy
See.
The front of Basilica del Santo Niño
commonly known as Sto. Niño Church in
Cebu City. Picture taken on October 2,
2014.
The church was damaged during the 7.2
magnitude earthquake that struck Visayas
on October 15, 2013. But it is now
undergoing repair and renovation to
preserve the structure of the church.
Many people, consisting of devotees,
pilgrims and tourists, visit the place
everyday. This picture was taken on
Thursday, 2 October 2014.
3. Magellan’s Cross
Located next to Sto. Niño Church, is the
chapel where the Magellan’s Cross is
housed. The Cross is a Christian cross
planted by Portuguese and Spanish
explorers led by Ferdinand Magellan upon
arriving in Sugbu (the former name of Cebu)
to celebrate the Roman Catholic baptism of
Rajah Humabon, his wife Queen Juana, and
some of their followers on April 21, 1521.
The Chapel where Magellan’s Cross is
housed. The site is located along
Magallanes Street, which was named after
Ferdinand Magellan.
Magellan’s Cross and the paintings at the
ceiling of the chapel. The structure was
undergoing some maintenance when I got
there but it was still open to the public.
Image taken on October 2, 2014.
4. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Still near Fort San Pedro and Sto. Niño
Church is another Catholic church that you
should not miss to visit while in Cebu City.
The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, also
called as The Metropolitan Cathedral of the
Most Holy Name of Jesus and St. Vitalis, is
the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Cebu. The cathedral was
first constructed in 1689, completed in 1909,
and rebuilt in 1950 after it was almost
destroyed during World War 2.
The front of Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
The cathedral is located along Mabini Street
in Cebu City.
The cathedral’s belfry was built in 1836. It
was one of the parts of the cathedral that
survived the bombings of the city during
World War II.
5. The Heritage of Cebu Monument
A short walk from Cebu Metropolitan
Cathedral, you will find the prestigious
Heritage of Cebu Monument. Located in the
original Plaza Parain in Colon Street, Cebu
City, the landmark is a tableau of
monumental sculptures showcasing the
most important events in the history of Cebu
from the time of Rajah Humabon to the
recent beatification of Cebuano martyr
Pedro Calunsod. The monument is a work
of national artist Edgardo Castrillo. It was
started in July 1997 and inaugurated on
December 8, 2000.
The Heritage of Cebu Monument depicts
the significant events in the history of Sugbu
(now Cebu).
The Heritage of Cebu Monument is
accessible by public transport. It’s open for
public but I think it needs to be guarded and
be taken care constantly.
6. Colon Street
Dare to continue walking? From the
Heritage of Cebu Monument, continue
exploring the city and experience walking
along Colon Street, the oldest street in the
Philippines. It was named after Cristobal
Colon, popularly known as Christopher
Columbus. The street was developed during
the Spanish Colonization under Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi, the Spanish navigator
and governor who established the first
settlement in the Philippines in 1565.
Colon Street in Cebu City is considered the
oldest street in the Philippines. Here, you
will find Gaisano malls, a lot of vendors, and
many establishments for your shopping
needs.
Metro Gaisano and the University of the
Visayas are among the notable
establishments along Colon Street in Cebu
City.
7. The Taoist Temple
From Colon Street or Cebu downtown you
can ride a taxi to visit and behold the beauty
of The Taoist Temple. Located in Beverly SM City Cebu is the largest mall in Cebu
Hills Subdivision in Cebu City, the Taoist and the 4th largest in the Philippines.
Temple is one of the most popular tourist
spots in the city. It was built in 1972 by
Cebu’s Chinese community, and is the
SM City Cebu has a wide selection of
center of worship for Taoism. The temple is
stores, boutiques, restaurants, fast food
open for worshippers and tourists. You have
chains, wellness centers, and cinemas. You
to take a lot of steps to reach the temple,
can also try the ultimate movie experience
hence, make sure you still have the energy
with IMAX.
to go on.

10. Ayala Center

Ayala Center is also a great place to shop
The majestic Taoist Temple is one of the
and do your malling time in Cebu City. It is
top tourist attractions in Cebu City.
located in Cebu Business Park. This garden
and park themed mall with the signature
Ayala landscaping can be a perfect place
The Taoist Temple is one of the most for dining, beverage trip or just hanging out
picturesque sites in Cebu City. However, for a great Friday and weekend nights.
tourists and photographers should respect
the sacred site and avoid disturbing the
worshipers.
The relaxing view at Ayala Center Cebu. Its
landscape offers a great ambiance to
8. Cebu Provincial Capitol Building everyone who wants to chill out and break
If you’re in Cebu City, don’t miss paying a free from work.
visit to Cebu Provincial Capitol Building. The
Capitol building is one of the most
beautifully built provincial capitol buildings in
Fountains greet people upon entering the
the Philippines. Hence, don’t miss to take a
park-themed mall.
picture with it as your souvenir.

11. Cebu IT Park

Cebu IT Park is not only an Information
The front view of Cebu Provincial Capitol
Technology and Communication hub and a
Building in the afternoon.
home to major global BPO companies but is
also a major lifestyle and recreation
destination in Cebu City. The park has a
The stunning view of Cebu Provincial great selection of restaurants, cafes, bars,
Capitol building at night. wellness centers and retail stores. Most
employees who are in the BPO industry are
working in the graveyard shift, thus, the
9. SM City Cebu
place comes livelier during the night. So if
If you’re planning to stay longer in Cebu and
you want to experience Cebu’s nightlife,
if you love malling, you can spend some
don’t forget to include the park in your
time to shop, dine and watch movies
bucket list.
(experience IMAX) in SM City Cebu. It is the
fourth largest shopping malls in the
Philippines, next to SM Megamall, SM City
North EDSA and SM Mall of Asia.
The entrance to Cebu IT Park. The Park is I have personally visited the sites above and
just across Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and actually took all those pictures. Except for
Casino. the trip to Mactan Shrine which is outside
the city, I’d been to all the places above in
one day. I know that there are still many
other beautiful tourist attractions and
The Walk at Cebu IT Park is a great place
interesting sites to enjoy in Cebu City that I
to eat, drink, zip a coffee, and just relax.
haven’t visited yet. I believe that the Queen
There are also many people who jog here at
City of the South truly deserves a lot of my
night.
comebacks. Thus, if you think I’ve missed
some great spots in the city, don’t hesitate
12. Mactan Shrine. to share them in the comments below.
Mactan Shrine is not located within Cebu
City but don’t miss the opportunity to visit
the 20-meter tall monument of Rajah Lapu-
Lapu, the first Filipino hero who was
responsible for defeating the Spaniards and
killing Spanish Conquistador Ferdinand
Magellan during the battle of Mactan in April
27, 1521. Mactan Shrine is located in Punta
Engano Section of Lapu Lapu City in
Mactan Island.

The 20-meter bronze statue of Rajah Lapu-

Lapu located inside the Mactan Shrine Park
in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines

Sutukil is a famous food trip and destination

near Mactan Shrine. Sutukil means Su
(Sugba or grill), Tu (Tula or stew) and Kil
(Kilaw or raw).

Don’t forget to buy pasalubong

Cebu offers several delicacies for your
pasalubong back home. You can visit any of
the branches of Shamrock to buy Cebu’s
top native delicacies, such as Otap, dried
mangoes and Rosquillos. Cebu also takes
pride as the home of the country’s best
Lechon makers. Cebu’s Lechon, especially
Lechon Belly (the Boneless Lechon) is also
one of the specialties you shouldn’t miss to
try during your visit in the city.

Otap is one of the most famous native

delicacies of Cebu.