Cebu City

Alberto's Pizza

Offers a good and rather affordable locally made thin crust pizza. Has branches all over Cebu.

9AM-11PM

Ayala Mall

Has several department stores, two supermarkets, a movie theater, lots of restaurants and hundreds of stores. The terraces have a central park-like area and several floors of shopping, mostly restaurants, on either side. The mall is in the Cebu Business Park which hosts the Cathay Pacific office, foreign banks a few consulates, and the Seda hotel. There is now a 2nd Ayala mall at the IT park.

Ayala Terraces

Many restaurants including several foreign chains such as Burger King, Army-Navy, Starbucks and TGI Friday's, Filipino chains, and many non-chain places.

Basilica of Santo Niño

Basilica del Santo Niño (Basilica of the Holy Child)

A large and venerable church that traces its history to the founding of the convent of the Santo Niño de Cebu in 1565. It contains a statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) that is regarded as the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. The statue was presented by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana during the baptism of King Humabon and his wife Queen Juana on 14 April 1521. The natives of Cebu were formally Christianized by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Father Andres de Urdaneta on 27 April 1565. However, as they found the natives hostile, the village was set on fire. Later on, in a burnt-out house, a soldier named Juan Camus found the statue untouched. This was proclaimed a miracle. The statue, adorned with gold and precious stones, is in a glass case to the left of the altar. The church sees a constant stream of devotees praying at pews in the sanctuary and in front of statues of saints. The Basilica del Santo Niño Museum (open Tu-Su 8-11:45AM, 1:30-4:45PM) contains the vestments used to dress the Santo Niño and jewellery offered to the Santo Niño for use during his feast on the third Sunday of January.

PHP 30 for museum

Carbon Market

The largest farmers' market in the city — both a shopping area and a tourist attraction.

Casa Gorordo Museum

A well-preserved Spanish colonial mansion constructed largely of wood, set in a pleasant, manicured garden. The lower floor has a collection of old tools, and an A/C room that has changing displays such as art exhibitions. The more interesting upstairs level was the former living quarters of the Gorordo family. It features lovely carved wooden furniture and a wide patio. The kitchen is particularly interesting, as it contains a traditional dirt stove, a wooden food safe, and a traditional dish drying rack fitted to the outside of the window.

Tue-Sun 10AM-6PM·Adults PHP 70

Cebu IT Park

Offices, rental and condo apartments; the area has many foreign employees and a good selection of western restaurants. Not much shopping.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

A church built in 1565 by the first Spanish missionaries in Cebu, seat of an Archbishop who has subordinate Bishops in many cities of the Visayas. It was mostly destroyed during World War II and had been rebuilt a bit differently. Behind the church is a cemetery where several prominent churchmen including Cardinal Rosales are buried.

Cebu Provincial Museum

Museo Sugbo

The museum is housed in the former Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, which was once the Carcel de Cebu. Its four Spanish-era buildings made of coral stone contain artifacts relating to the history of Cebu.

PHP 75

Colon St

Brave the cacophonous traffic to see the oldest street in the Philippines with some nice worn-out classical buildings dating back to the American Era. At night, this street transforms into a market with good buys everywhere. Be wary of pickpockets though.

Elizabeth Mall

Has a supermarket, travel agents, cellphone shops, and lots of places to eat.

9AM-8PM

Fort San Pedro

Fuerza de San Pedro

The smallest Spanish outpost in the Philippines during the colonial era. It has a small museum showcasing the wreckage and treasures from the sunken San Diego galleon from Mexico. The area is scenic with the newly renovated and open-air Plaza Independencia at the entrance.

Adults, PHP 30; students, PHP 20; senior citizens, PHP 24

Fully Booked

A modern bookshop with a good selection of imported fiction and non-fiction books, a smaller collection of books about the Philippines and an in-shop café.

HSBC Bank (UK)

Has the only Mastercard and Visa card ATMs in Cebu without a fee for overseas cards. Also the only ATMs in Cebu where you can take out up to PHP 40,000 per time.

24-hour ATMs

Heritage of Cebu

A massive and particularly detailed monument showcasing the heritage of Cebu from the old Spanish to the American colonial era.

Jesuit House Museum

Yet another heritage house museum, this one the residence of a Jesuit from around 1730. Inside looks like a Spanish galleon.

₱50

Jose R. Gullas Halad Museum

A museum that pays homage to the musical heritage of Cebu. This museum is operated under the Tipiganan sa mga Handumanan sa Kanta ug Kinaiyang Sugbuanon (Treasury of Memories) Foundation. In the old building of The Freeman Newspaper.

Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary And Art Gallery

Where you can go to see Lepidoptera and other entomology exhibits, including a butterfly and art garden, although it's pretty scrunched in to an urban environment.

Magellan's Cross

An octagonal building decorated with murals containing a large wooden cross that commemorates the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan who planted a wooden cross upon converting the original inhabitants to Christianity. A plaque states that the visible wooden cross contains the original cross, but some historians say the original cross was reduced to firewood by local inhabitants when the Magellan fleet headed elsewhere. Take time to appreciate the various candle sellers who dance around during worship and while selling the candles.

Free

Our Place Pub & Restaurant

Established 1978. Meet other expats from all over the world. Good British & European food at a great prices. Sells beer for only PHP 70.

7:30AM-11PM every day·meals from PHP 149

Provincial Capitol

Particularly scenic at night, is by far the largest provincial capitol building anywhere in the entire archipelago. It was built during the American era, and the design is a miniature of the White House.

Rizal Memorial Museum

Paintings and sculptures by local artists and antiques donated by wealthy Cebuanos.

9AM-5PM·PHP 20

Robinson Mall Fuente

A bakery on the ground level is popular for coffee. The mall has a food court and supermarket.

8AM-8:30PM

Robinsons Fuente food court

Lower ground floor near the supermarket. Good bakery and coffee shop.

10AM-8:30PM

SM Seaside

A huge mall with a large department store, bowling center, movie theaters, Olympic-size ice skating rink, and 447 shops and restaurants.

Sky Experience Adventure

Xtreme Rides

The tallest building in the city. Adventure seekers may head to the top floor to experience a breathtaking view of this modern city and its environs. You may also opt to join in the Xtreme Rides that puts you on the edge of the city, or you may walk around the edge of the building (don't worry, safety cables are attached) to experience this for a fee.

Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum

Small exhibit hall on Chinese heritage in Cebu. This building (the Gotiaoco Building), also has a mural of the Magellan's Cross shrine and other Cebu highlights on its backside.

Temple of Leah

Neo-grecian temple built onto the mountainside to memoralize Leah Villa Albino Adarna, the wife of a local entrepreneur family and grandmother of actress Ellen Adarna. Also contains displays of upper-class furniture and souvenirs from their travels.

PHP 120 on weekdays, PHP 150 on weekends

The Chinese Taoist Temple

There are many people of Chinese ancestry in Cebu, and several Chinese temples; one is the Taoist Temple. From there you can see a nice view of the city because it is on a hill.

Tops Lookout

This sits at the top of the Mt Busay and has an unobstructed view of the entire city at night. A few shops and restaurants stand along the way for a short stop. Taxi drivers may want as much as PHP 1000 for a trip to Tops, so the best way to get there is by mountain bike. This is a world class climb and on any given day, Cebu's bikers are humping the 45-minute to 1-hr trek filled with switchbacks and views better than you see actually at the very top. Ask your hotel where you can rent a mountain bike. They may have to ask around a bit, but it's worth it.