Cebu has always taken pride on being one of the most historical cities in the country. From the arrival and discovery of the Philippines by Magellan, to the great milestones of civilization of our country, Cebu has undoubtedly played a huge role in our history. Last week, Cza and I had the chance to explore the city and indulge ourselves into its beauty and history.
 |
Plaza Independencia
Once we landed safely on the airport, we decided to go straight ahead and explore the city. Our first stop: Plaza Independencia in Cebu City. Travel time from the airport is around 30 minutes, including the traffic. As we go around, I realized that Cebu is really reminiscent of Manila, except that there are no pesky MRTs or LRTs around, and there are no buses that hog the highways.
Thanks to our friendly taxi driver, Kuya Jeff, for helping us out and giving us tips on how to go around the area. He also mentioned that everything is within walking distance, and clarified that some of the places that we wanted to explore (i.e. Tops, among many others) is actually out of the way.
Plaza Independencia is a smaller version of Rizal Park in Manila, with huge spaces to stay and hang around, while basking under the sun and the history of the place. Apparently, it has been around since the early 1600s and was called as Plaza de Armas for a couple of years, before going through various name changes as the country goes under colonization of one nation to another.
Fun fact: during a road tunnel project in 2006, there were pre-hispanic human bones that were unearthed in the area, as well as gold death masks, and various jars. Talk about antiquity.
Fort San Pedro
Next stop was Fort San Pedro, which you'd easily spot once you get in the Plaza Independencia. Reminiscent of Fort Santiago in Manila, this place also served as a stronghold during the war. There were a couple of rooms here and there, and a small park inside. Some parts of the fort was converted into small museums, housing different artifacts and photographs of the old Cebu.
 |
| Fort San Pedro Facade |
There's an entrance fee of Php 30.00 per head, and an additional Php 20.00 for the parking fee. If in case you're interested for a tour and a quick historical storytelling, they also offer a guide. You may inquire on the front desk once you got here.
 |
| The Park inside |
There isn't really much to see inside, as the park is somehow bare, and the museums are pretty small so you can quickly go around in just a couple of minutes. However, there are nice spots around where you can chill and take pictures, perfect for your turista shot or OOTD.
 |
| Walkway reminiscent of Intramuros' |
Like most forts, they also have a walkway up the walls, with cannons still installed but (of course) no longer functional. During our visit, the place is under renovation, since most of its facade were affected during the earthquake in 2013, and the typhoon Haiyan in the same year. We're glad that the government are giving off efforts to revive this historical marker, but we also hope that they'd focus on creating better exhibits inside the museums.
![Cebu City Tour | Malacanang Sa Sugbo | www.jhanzey.net]( "Cebu City Tour | Malacanang Sa Sugbo | www.jhanzey.net")
![Cebu City Tour | Magellan's Cross | www.jhanzey.net]( "Cebu City Tour | Magellan's Cross | www.jhanzey.net")
 |
| Various photographs of the history of Cebu |
 |
| Replicas of Galleons |
There were a lot of photos that are very interesting, images that shows how simple it was to live in the past. History is just flowing through each cracks of the building. However, it was kind of a let down seeing these beautiful photographs placed on an illustration board and covered in plastic. I hope in the next few years, they'd be able to transfer these to a better and decent looking frames. The galleries has so much to offer for such a mediocre execution.
Malacañang sa Sugbo
The president's very own residence in Cebu, Malacanang sa Sugbo has been one of the spots that you'd usually read on tourist destination lists for the city. However, there isn't really much to see, aside from its pearly white facade. You really can't go in since it's closed down. We passed by Malacanang sa Sugbo as we made our way to Magellan's Cross, which is a couple of blocks away from the Plaza.
Magellan's Cross
Unlike what most people expect, Magellan's Cross is housed by a rather small building, and looks very simple, compared to the grandeur that you'd usually see when browsing photos. It was still majestic as you'd expect, with the beautiful ceiling painting. It's amazing to realize that this cross stood through the test of time (which is more or less 500 years and counting). It's located near Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, on the busy streets of Magallanes.
Aside from witnessing the cross, you are also free to say your prayers and leave a candle inside.
Basilica del Sto. Niño
 |
| Photo from Cza |
Our last stop for the tour was the Basilica del Sto. Nino, a couple of meters away from Magellan's Cross. We wanted to see the church as Cza is the type of person who likes to digest as much history and art and beauty that she can get. However, when we got here, it was the first Friday of the month, and the crowd is just overflowing. I honestly felt overwhelmed, as to how much these people value religion. The bleachers outside were full of people, and the church was also bursting with a huge crowd of Cebuanos. It reminded me of Quiapo and Baclaran, and how dedicated people were to going to the mass. We were supposed to snap some more photos but were informed by the guard that taking pictures are prohibited.
Why we decided to see it: it's the first and oldest church in the country. That's why!
All in all, the city tour was unbelievably tiring but worth it. If you're the type of person who really appreciates these kind of tours, then I suggest you go around and see what's up while you're at it. Here's a photo of our Cebu City tour itinerary, in case you'd like to (literally lol) follow our footsteps:
 |
| Easy-peasy map! |
Don't forget to bring a bottle of water, a hanky, shades, an umbrella, and a "go fight" attitude! If ever you're worried about transportation, there are plenty of taxis around, and you can also grab a ride through the local jeepneys. They have various codes for different routes, though. Make sure you know where you're headed to in case you'll take the jeep, as some of them might have difficulty in speaking Tagalog. If all else fails, Cebuanos are really good in speaking English, so don't fret.
There you have it! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. How about you? Have you ever been to Cebu City? :)
