Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Cebu City - The Philippines' Queen City Of The South - What To Do And Where To Go




Cebu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets.  Its capital is Cebu City, "The Queen City of the South", the oldest city and first capital of the Philippines.  The city is a significant center of commerce, trade and education in Visayas. It is the Philippines' main domestic shipping port and is home to about 80% of the country's domestic shipping companies.   Located in the middle of the eastern side of Cebu Island, it is the center of Metro Cebu, the second largest metropolitan area in the Philippines by population, economy and land area.  This historic city is one of the most popular jumping off-points in all of the Philippines for foreign visitors, with the busiest sea port in the Philippines and the second largest air hub.  

There are a lot of tourist attractions in the province of Cebu, but Cebu City also has a lot o them that's why many visitors stay here first before exploring the rest of the province.  Here are some of the many attractions here in Cebu City:







SIRAO PICTORIAL GARDEN

Sirao Pictorial Garden is one the famous attractions in the mountainous area of Cebu known for colorful flowers and Bali-inspired structures.  Sometimes also called as the Mini-Amsterdam of Cebu City, the site is perfect for wedding pre-nup pictorials or simply those FB and Instagram worthy pics.  














Watch this YouTube Video of Sirao Pictorial Garden:



Sirao Pictorial Garden:
Cebu Transcentral Hwy, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: Php60
Opening Hours:  8:00AM - 5:00PM Daily







TEMPLE OF LEAH

Another attraction that is being famous in Cebu is the Temple Of Leah.  It was built in 2012, this Greco-Roman archicectural shrine was dedicated to Teodorico Soriano Adarna's undying love for his late wife, Leah Albino Adarna.  This is also the reason why it is considered as Cebu's Taj Mahal.  Teodorico and Leah Adarna are grandparents of the well knowned Filipina actress, Ellen Adarna.
















Watch this YouTube video of Temple Of Leah:



Temple Of Leah
Cebu Transcentral Hwy, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: Php50
Opening Hours:  6:00AM - 11:00PM Daily







CEBU TAOIST TEMPLE

Cebu Taoist Temple is a Taoist temple located in Beverly Hills Subdivision of Lahug Cebu City, Philippines. The temple is built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community in 1972 with lots of carved dragons and colours and it has great views of Cebu being so high up a mountain. Because the temple is open to both worshipers and non-worshipers, it has now become a tourist attraction in Cebu.














Watch this YouTube video of Cebu Taoist Temple:



Cebu Taoist Temple
Lahug, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: FREE
Opening Hours: 9:00AM - 5:00PM Daily







LA VIE PARISIENNE

“La Vie Parisienne" means something in Paris or life in Paris.  It is also considered “The Little Paris in Cebu”. Little Paris because it resembles the view with a perfect blend of design that will surely replicate a design from Paris. From its name alone.  La Vie Parisienne offers not just some of the best French pastry, wines and deli products in the entire country but an authentic French experience – a dining experience that is as traditionally French as in a genuine Parisian bakery and deli shop. It is a place where you can rest and get away from the busy city life.















Watch this YouTube video of La Vie Parisienne:



La Vie Parisienne
371 Gorordo Ave, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: FREE
Opening Hours: 9:00AM - 2:00AM Daily







YAP - SAN DIEGO ANCESTRAL HOUSE

Dating back to the Spanish colonial era of the 1600s, the Yap Sandiego Ancestral House is a museum that sheds light on the Chinese settlements of the city. It is said to be among the first Chinese houses to be built outside of the country. Find out about the unusual blend of Spanish and Chinese cultures that infiltrated the Philippines centuries ago.  Presently, it is considered as one of the oldest existing residential structures in the country and a proof the Parian district in Cebu City was a bustling barangay where houses are often designed with a second storey.













Watch this YouTube video of Yap-San Diego Ancestral House:



Yap - San Diego Ancestral House
Mabini St, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: Php50
Opening Hours: 8:00AM - 7:00PM Daily








STO. NINO CHURCH & MAGELLAN'S CROSS

The Basílica Menor del Santo Niño de Cebú (Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebú), commonly known as Santo Niño Basilica, is a minor basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in the 1565 by Fray Andrés de Urdaneta, O.S.A. and Fray Diego de Herrera, O.S.A.. The oldest Roman Catholic church in the country, it is built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú was found during the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi. The icon, a statuette of the Child Jesus, is the same one presented by Ferdinand Magellan to the chief consort of Rajah Humabon upon the royal couple's christening on April 14, 1521.











Magellan's Cross (Spanish: Cruz de Magallanes, Tagalog: Krus ni Magallanes) is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines 17 March 1521. This cross is housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Menor del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street, just in front of the city center of Cebu City. A sign below the cross states that the original cross is encased inside the wooden cross made of tingalo wood. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for souvenir purposes in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers. Some people, however, believe that the original cross has been destroyed or disappeared after Magellan's death and the cross is a replica that was planted there by the Spaniards after they successfully Christianized the Philippines.









Watch this YouTube video of Sto. Nino Church & Magellan's Cross:



Sto. Nino Church & Magellan's Cross
Pilgrim’s Center, Osmeña Blvd, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: FREE
Opening Hours: 8:00AM - 6:00PM Daily








FORT SAN PEDRO

Fort San Pedro is a military defense structure in Cebu (Philippines), built by the Spanish under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi, first governor of the Captaincy General of the Philippines. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the pier area of the city. The original fort was made of wood and built after the arrival of Legazpi and his expedition. In the early 17th century a stone fort was built to repel Muslim raiders.  The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land.  Today, it is a famous tourist attraction frequented by visitors on a daily basis.















Watch this YouTube video of Fort San Pedro:



Fort San Pedro
A. Pigafetta Street, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: Php30
Opening Hours: 7:00AM - 7:00PM Daily







10,000 ROSES CAFE AND MORE

The 10,000 Roses Cafe & More is one of the latest attractions in Cebu City in the Philippines.  This Korean Cafe in Cordova, Mactan features 10,000 led powered, artificial roses that turns the cafe to a spectacle when lit up in the evening.  At the edge of the property is the cafe, and beyond that is already the ocean with a city view across it. So expect a nice breeze and an additional sight to see while you’re there.  The ground floor has an indoor and alfresco dining spaces with modern and stylish seating areas, and surrounded with white roses. It is also overlooking the unobstructed vista of the skyline of Cebu City and its neighboring cities and municipalities, all in the backdrop of the island’s mountain range.




















Watch this YouTube video of 10,000 Roses Cafe & More:



10,000 Roses Cafe And More
Day-as Barangay Rd, Cordova, 6017 Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: Php20
Opening Hours: 11:00AM - 11:00PM Daily











LAPU-LAPU SHRINE / MONUMENT

The Lapu-Lapu shrine is a 20 metres (66 ft) bronze statue in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines, erected in honor of Rajah Lapu-Lapu, a native cheiftain who defeated Spanish soldiers led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 1521 Battle of Mactan.  The Lapu-Lapu memorial statue is on top of a pedestal surrounded by a low-level fence and shows the Cebuano hero in his native costume with a sword on his right hand and a shield on his left.










Lapu Lapu Shrine / Monument
Punta Engaño Rd, Lapu-Lapu City, 6015 Cebu, Philippines
Entrance Fee: FREE (Might ask for donations for maintenance purposes)
Opening Hours: Always Open but advisable to go between 8:00AM - 6:00PM













EDGE COASTER AT CROWN REGENCY 

The Edge Coaster is located on top of the 38th floor of the Crown Regency Hotel in Cebu, Philippines. The ride includes four cars that seat two people each. The ride opened December 10th, 2008. The passengers inside the vehicles can tilt forward up to 65 degrees while moving sideways down the track. When this tilt occurs the passengers are looking straight down at the ground over 430 feet below. The tilt of the vehicles is controlled by the passengers by two levers which are mounted on top of the lap bars restraint. The two passengers have to move the lever up or down based on what they want to happen and the levers also have to be in agreement in order to make the vehicle rise and tilt them towards the ground. This ride offers a truly interactive experience, accompanied with a great view of the beautiful city of Cebu.  This ride is the first of its kind in the world, so it is highly recommended specially to thrill seekers.










Edge Coater At Crown Regency
Osmeña Blvd, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines

Check out more offers and pricing in the link below:

Entrance Fee: 
            Entrance Only: Php300
            Entrance + 1 Sky Experience:  Php600
            Entrance + 2 Sky Experience:  Php900
            Entrance + 3 Sky Experience:  Php1,150
Opening Hours: 
            Monday to Friday - 2:00PM to 12:00MN
            Saturday and Sunday - 10:00AM to 12:00MN










Here are some tips if you visit Cebu, Philippines:

  1. Cebu Philippines is a really cool place and has a lot to offer.  The city itself has a lot tours and activities, not to mention the wonderful places to visit in the Northern and Southern areas of the province.  To truly experience the whole of Cebu, alot at least a minimum of 5 days.
  2. When going to Cebu, you should plan your trip accordingly to avoid hassles and wasted time.  I recommend availing join-in tours because not only it will save you time and money, it will also take away the stress and hassles.  There are a lot of budget friendly tour operators in Cebu.  In my trip, I availed CEBU TOUR KUYA KEVS.  To know more, just visit their facebook page:
  3. The Philippines in general is a very humid place so make sure wear light clothing and don't forget to bring sunscreen.  In addition, bring insect repelant and bottled water when travelling.
  4. Some places you visit may not be credit card or debit card ready, so always bring enough cash.  Also, ATM's may not be available in the provincial areas, so withdraw ahead of time when you are in the city.
  5. You do not need to go via Manila if you are flying to Cebu for overseas flights.  Cebu has and International Airport, so if the flight is available going to Cebu (Mactan International Airport) is available, take the direct route.
  6. In the Philippines, even if the facility accepts foreign currency like Dollars, Euros, etc.,  it is still better to pay in local currency, Philippine Pesos.  Most facilities charge a higher exchange rate so you can have more savings using the local currency.  



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