Being in Cebu means you can have both worlds – the fast-paced urban living and the slow idyllic living up in the mountains or by the shore – and the time difference is just hours. Here are interesting bits about this island province.
It was in April 1521 that Ferdinand Magellan gave the Santo Niño de Cebu to Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana, who were both baptized and converted to Roman Catholics. The Santo Niño’s image is now at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City.
Aside from the places and activities tourists and locals could enjoy with the help of the best Cebu travel agency, the island province is also famous for its Sinulog festival, which is held every January, to commemorate the entry of the Roman Catholic belief in the country. It’s one of the most recommended time to travel to Cebu. The Sinulog is among the events not to be missed as locals and tourists alike flock to the city to celebrate their faith in the Santo Niño. The city is so much alive with procession that ends in a well-attended mass. Also not to be missed are the street dancing and the Sinulog competitions.
1. The Oldest Christian Relic In The Country
2. The Oldest Street In The Philippines
Named after Cristopher Columbus, Colon Street is the first and oldest street in the country. It is located in the downtown part of Cebu City, which itself keeps landmarks from the 16th-century Spanish colonial past such as the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
In April 1521, a battle took place on the shores of Mactan Island, where island chieftain Lapu-Lapu and his men successfully thwarted plans of Spanish invasion, killing Ferdinand Magellan in the process. Mactan is also known for its posh beach resorts, where some tourists opt to stay prior to or after their scheduled Oslob whale shark watching 2019.
3. The First Known Battle Against Foreign Invaders
4. The Country’s Smallest And Oldest Fort
Originally constructed in the Spanish period to stop attacks from the locals, Fort San Pedro later became the Cebuano revolutionaries’ stronghold of resistance, barracks for Americans, school, World War II camp for refugees and, after the war, an army camp.
The claim of the University of San Carlos to be the oldest school in Asia is disputed by the University of Santo Tomas, which was established in Manila in 1611. Still, USC’s history is said to have started with Colegio de San Ildefonso, a school founded by the Jesuits in 1595, which was closed in 1769 only to reopen in 1783 as Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos.
5. One Of The Oldest Schools In Asia
6. The Malacañang of the South
It was constructed in 1910 and was formerly known as the Aduana, as it initially served as the Bureau of Customs headquarters in Cebu. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo restored the building in 2004 and made it her official residence in the province, naming it after the Malacañang Palace.
There’s so much to see and experience when in Cebu, and you may want to drop by the abovementioned places and get a glimpse of Cebu’s past. Talk to your chosen travel agency to have them included in your tour.
