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Cebu City

A Day in the City

By Danica Eliana Ferino

December 23^rd, 2018

Last November 2018, I attended an annual convention of the Actuarial Society of the Philippines in Shangri-la's Mactan Resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu Province. I was with my colleagues during this 2-day event. We had a free day after the convention so my friend/ colleague and I were able to have a look around the famous tourist spots in Cebu City.

I'd like to thank Kaye of Travel World PH. She was the one who arranged our city tour. Everything was organized smoothly and we had a hassle-free adventure that day.

Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa

But before I write about the city tour, let me just post some photos from Shangri-la Mactan. It was the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in my whole life and the best part about it is that it's FREE! Sponsored by the company!

I had a free hour or two on the last day of the convention so I was able to stroll around the resort. It would have been nice if we were able to spend a few more days here.

Lapu-Lapu Shrine

We did our city tour on a Saturday. We started at the Lapu-Lapu Shrine which is also at Mactan Island and is just a few minutes' drive from Shangri-la Mactan. Rain clouds were already threatening and by the time we got to the famous 10,000 Roses Cafe, the rain was pouring hard.

Cebu City

Sirao Flower Garden

There are actually two gardens. The original is just a few minute's walk from the more recent one. Our driver told us that the older one has more flowers. We weren't able to visit the newer garden so I can't confirm if this is true.

The flowers were not in full bloom when we were there. The weather has also cleared up some time during our 30-minute drive from Mactan to Cebu City. But the afternoon sun is just too much. It was too hot; some of my photos here are overblown.

Temple of Leah

Of all the places listed on the tour itinerary, this is the one I am most curious about.

This temple is a mausoleum built by a husband out of his undying love for his late wife. It's like the Taj Mahal of the Philippines. There were still parts that are being constructed. They seem to be building more on the underground floors; I'm not sure when the temple would be fully constructed. The facade, though, is very beautiful despite the building materials scattered on the sides.

Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño

Also known as Santo Niño Basilica. This is Philippines' oldest Roman Catholic church and is built by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. There are paintings and commentaries displayed along the walls of the church so it's easy to learn of its history.

There's also some sort of wishing well in front of the church.

Magellan's Cross

Magellan's Cross is housed in a small shrine just outside the Santo Niño Basilica. The original cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan is actually housed inside the cross you see here. There are several candle vendors outside the shrine. Apparently, you don't light the candles - you just place it beneath the cross. I'm not sure if the color of the candles mean anything; I didn't ask.

Fort Santiago

This is a small fortress built by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The grounds is triangular shaped, symbolizing influential families during the Spanish occupation. I'm not really sure though. But the story on why this fortress was built is described in one of the paintings inside the lobby.

The second wishing well we found is located here. My friend toook an exam a few days after our trip so she was dropping coins on all the wishing wells we found.

The Heritage of Cebu Monument

One of the most prominent art sculptures you'll see here is located in Downtown Cebu and is accessible to public transport. If you pass it, it's really hard to resist not going down to observe this wonderful sculptures up close.

An old caretaker manages the site. He'll happily tell you all about the sculptures; he knows his stuff . He'll even take your photos - he knows the best angles. There's a living compartment underneath the sculptures - that's where he resides. He lives there with his cats.

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

This is one of the oldest houses in the country and it lies just across the Cebu Heritage Monument. Honestly, I'm really scared of this house. I got a severe headache when I went inside, I'm not even sure why. Just even looking at the photos now is hard.

It's a bit more bearable outside on the patio. The last of the wishing wells we saw is located here.

Cebu Taoist Temple

This is our last stop. Despite being a place of worship, the temple is open also to non-worshipers making this one of the famous tourist spots of Cebu City. It is built on the hillside situated inside a residential subdivision.

Looking back at it now, it seems that we only went to a few spots in Cebu City. But then, when we got back to our hotel after the tour, we were so tired. The location of these tourist spots are not really that close with each other. I can imagine how difficult this would be if we were to tour this by taking public transport. We'll need at least two days to cover everything.

That's why I really appreciate how Kaye helped us with this. This is my second time to avail of her company's services. Throughout the tour, she was checking out how we were and how the tour was going. Again, I recommend Travel World PH. They have several packages in different provinces around the Philippines and I can vouch for their credibility.