Cebu City Cebu Island Philippines
Philippines
Frequently Asked Questions
At the deepwater berths of the international port, right on the edge of the old centre. Depending on the berth assigned, the first monuments are either walkable or a few minutes by vehicle.
The historic circuit is compact: Magellan's Cross, the Santo Niño basilica, the cathedral and Fort San Pedro. That still leaves time for lechon or a trip up to the Taoist temple.
The monument marking where Magellan's expedition planted a cross on the shore in 1521, the founding act of Christianity in the archipelago. It stands under an octagonal pavilion in the city centre.
The church that holds the statuette of the Holy Child given to Queen Juana in 1521, venerated as the country's oldest Christian relic. The crowds of worshippers and prayers murmured in Cebuano often surprise visitors.
One of the smallest and oldest forts in the country, with triangular coral-stone walls raised by the Spanish in the colony's early days. You can climb the ramparts, and the inner garden makes a welcome pause.
Lechon, the roast suckling pig with crackling skin for which Cebu is famous across the archipelago. The specialist places are a short taxi ride from the centre. Dried mangoes are the other local pride.
Cebuano day to day, but English is an official language and is used everywhere. You will have no trouble being understood.
Every January. It celebrates the Holy Child in a flood of drums and costumes, and ranks among the largest festivals in the Philippines.
Water and an early start. Humid heat and heavy traffic are part of the experience: better to set your own pace than fight it. The air-conditioned malls double as refuges.
The hillside Taoist temple, a mark of the large Chinese community, with views over the city and the Mactan strait. Or Mactan Island itself, with its guitar workshops and beaches.
