Cebu Old City Center Place guide

One thing that Cebu has an abundance of, whether it is in the city or in the towns outside of the city is heritage sites. Cebu is, after all, the place where Magellan landed, and where you can find the oldest street in the Philippines, which is Colon Street. This means that there are quite a few old Spanish buildings that remain standing to this day, and are considered tourist attractions here.

Some of the more popular heritage sites in the city include a fort, a church, and the cross that Magellan brought with him (which is rumored to be made out of the wood that was used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ himself). These three tourist attractions are located in one general area, and that is the downtown area. All of these can be visited in one day, and when you get to one, you can reach the others by foot.

The Basilica del Santo Nino de Cebu is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, and houses one of the most popular images of the child Jesus. The church was built in 1565, and is the home of the oldest religious image in the country, which was given by Magellan to the wife of Rajah Humabon, who was the island’s ruler at that time. Magellan’s Cross, on the other hand, is located just a few steps away from the Basilica, and is housed in a chapel on Magallanes Street. The cross that was planted by the Spaniards to help introduce Christianity to the islands is encased in a protective wooden cross case to prevent people from slowly chipping away at it for souvenirs.

The Fort San Pedro is a few blocks away from the church and the cross, and is a military defense structure built by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1783. You can visit this fort for a minimal entrance fee, and stroll along its ramparts to check out the centuries old canons, wells, statues, and model ships. This triangular shaped fort is a must see for visitors to Cebu, and can be easily reached via taxi, and jeepney.

These age-old edifices can be visited any time of the year, and are open most of the time, even on holidays. You will find lots of tourists and locals in these places, with some not so trustworthy individuals mixing in to try and steal a thing or two, which is why Trip Guru advises you to take extra care when visiting these areas. Cameras are a must here though since you will find lots of interesting things to capture and immortalize during your visit.