Cebu City is one of the country’s oldest cities. Located in the Visayas region of the Philippines, the city offers a dynamic mix of historical and cultural activities, making it a great destination in your itinerary. If, like me, Cebu City is your first stop in the Philippines, you will have an awesome time there to discover a part of the country’s legacy. So, here are 6 of the best activities to do while you’re there:
- Fort San Pedro
- Temple of Leah
- Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
- Magellan’s Cross
- Cebu Taoist Temple
- Volunteer at Mayari Animal Rescue Organization
Fort San Pedro
Fort San Pedro is one of my favorite activities in Cebu City. It’s a historical landmark dating back to the Spanish colonial era. It’s also considered to be one of the oldest and smallest fortresses in the Philippines. Inside the fortress, you’ll learn everything there’s to know about Fort San Pedro’s history, architecture and purpose.
The entrance fee for this activity is PHP 30 (0.70$ CAD) for adults and PHP 10 (0.24$ CAD) for children and students.
Temple of Leah
The Temple of Leah is a majestic and grandiose structure built as a tribute to undying love and devotion. Honestly, when I got there, I had the impression of being in Europe because the temple is inspired by Greek and Roman architecture.
The best thing about the Temple of Leah is the breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the surrounding landscape. I highly recommend going to this activity at 5 pm to be able to watch the sunset because the view was magical.
The Temple of Leah is open from 7 am to 6 pm daily. The entrance fee is PHP 150 (3.60$ CAD) for adults and free admission for children aged 10 and below.
How to get there: the Temple of Leah isn’t located in the city center. To get there, I called a scooter (or a car if you’re more than 1 person) on the Grab app, and it was super easy.
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Did you know that 80% of the Philippine’s population identifies as catholic? This means that there are plenty of cathedrals to visit in the country. The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, also known as the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Holy Child, is one of the oldest churches in the country.
It’s worth a visit for its impressive facade, its high ceilings, its beautiful stained-glass windows, and its ornamental decorations. The outside of the cathedral is also very peaceful with its gardens and its candles in honor of the dead people.
There is no fee to enter the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Holy Child.
Magellan’s Cross
Magellan’s Cross is located right in front of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral inside a small chapel. It’s a popular tourist attraction because it is believed to have been planted by Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese explorer) upon arriving in Cebu in 1521.
There is no fee to see the Magellan’s Cross.
Cebu Taoist Temple
The Cebu Taoist Temple is a serene and ornate religious site built by Cebu’s Chinese community. The temple is a striking example of traditional Chinese architecture with vibrant colors, designs, and symbolic motifs. Once again, the temple offers panoramic views of the city. It’s a great activity if you wish to explore Cebu’s diverse heritage.
There’s no entrance fee for this activity!
Volunteer at Mayari Animal Rescue Organization
To this day, one of the best things I did during my gap year traveling was volunteering at the Mayari Animal Rescue Organization. I stayed there for a week (free) in exchange for helping with the animals at the rescue. If you’re interested in helping them out, and you don’t have a lot of time, you can also just walk with the dogs outside the rescue.
Click here to have access to their website and communicate with them. If you want to help for more than 1 day in exchange for a free stay, contact the rescue through the Worldpackers application.
