Cebu City sights and landmarks guide

Known to be the best English speakers in Asia, Cebuanos are fun-loving and accommodating not only to domestic visitors but also to foreign travelers who come to seize the beauty of nature, historical landmarks and white-sand beaches.

Being the Island Jewel of the Pacific, Cebu has an edge to mesmerize foreign visitors who just love to be under the sun. Americans, Europeans, Asians, Australians, New Zealanders and Africans love its natural beauty blessed with surrounding islands that all flaunt an array of beautiful white-sand beach resorts. On Mactan Island lies the sough-after magnificence of five-starred Shangri-la Beach Resort Plantation Bay and Hilton. Other resorts within the island are Cebu Beach Club, Maribago Blue Waters, Tambuli Beach Resort, Portofino Beach Resort, White Sands, Ocean Park and EGI Beach Resort. All these are just close to each other so you can actually hop from one to the other to see their interesting amenities.

To explore the rich heritage of Cebu you can drive yourself to famous religious landmarks like Sto. Nino Church where the miraculous image patron saint Santo Nino is widely visited by the locals daily as well as the Magellan’s Cross where the first cradle of Christianity was brought to life. You can also head to the record-breaking spots of Cebu: the oldest street Colon that flaunts the downtown lifestyle; Asia’s oldest school University of San Carlos built by Dominican fathers; ancestral residence of Cebu’s first bishop, Casa Gorordo that gives you a reminiscence of wealthy Cebuano lifestyle; and the oldest Spanish garrison Fort San Pedro that was used as army barracks by the Spanish, Americans and Japanese more than three centuries ago.

In addition, a must-see is The Heritage Monument of Cebu which encapsulates the significant historical episodes of Cebu beginning with the Spanish colonization that lasted for 333 years. Another famous landmark is the Lapu-lapu Shrine in Mactan where the monument of local hero Lapu-lapu stands. Taoist Temple in Beverly Hills isn’t missed out in any Cebu tour as reflects the strong Cebuano Chinese tradition.

 To catch sight of the favorite hangout place of the locals and the area where people don’t seem to sleep, you can head to the Fuente Osmeña Park named after Cebu’s Grand Old Man and late Commonwealth, President Sergio Osmeña. Sr. A skating rink inside the park is usually crowded with dating couples skaters and joggers day and night. To connect with the marvelous nature, you can go to Kawasan Falls and take a picturesque view of the three leveled chute of translucent mountain springs.

Cebu brings life to every historic spot, nature’s asset and manmade work of art. What’s more exciting is that when it’s third Sunday of January, you can’t stop from striking your camera to record the most celebrated festival the world knows about: the Sinulog Mardigras.