Location: Cebu City
Top Things to do in Cebu City
10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Cebu City That You Shouldn't Miss
Cebu City (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sugbu; Filipino: Lungsod ng Cebu) is a first class highly urbanized city in the island province of Cebu in Central Visayas, Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital for the province, it is governed independent and separate from it. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 922,611, making it the fifth most populated city in the nation and the most populous in the Visayas. In the 2016 electoral roll, it had 630,003 registered voters. Cebu City is a significant center of commerce, trade and education in the Visayas.
Restaurants in Cebu City
1. Basilica del Santo Nino
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,158 reviews
This famous church dates back to the early Spanish colonial era. The Church was founded by the Augustinian friars since their arrival in 1565. You could also find in the church the miraculous image of Sto. Nino (Child-Jesus).
Reviewed By urmajestyc - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
my ritual in visiting this holy place is to light some candles outside and spend time inside the church for my prayers. i love the feeling everytime i’m here.
2. Casa Gorordo Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 481 reviews
This museum looks at local life in the 1800s.
Reviewed By sophiaalyssal
I really loved the place! I like how everthing was well preserved and taken care of. The museum showcased a lot of historical events and facts, and kept the antiques in place. Also, the tour guides were really accomodating and were very knowwledgeable.
3. Ayala Center Cebu
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,806 reviews
Reviewed By 25yearstravell
Must visit while in Cebu - even better than Ayala centre in Manila!! Ayala's point of difference is high quality without jamming as much commercial shops into the property as possible. Instead, they leave space and existing trees and landscape it so there is a large tranquil space, the Terraces, to relax and get away from all the hustle of a big city Great mall shopping and the highlight is the Terraces with space in the shade to relax and enjoy looking at the big trees, shrubs and waterfalls. It has the usual variety of food outlets, national & local.
4. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 169 reviews
Reviewed By Francis_Elvis_Verdin - Palawan Province, Philippines
Along the way going to Yap Sandiego Ancestral House we approach by this church its a quiet place and also nearby church by Sto. Nino Church. A good place for Pilgrimage.
5. 1730 Jesuit House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 165 reviews
Reviewed By Muguncjb2015 - Chennai (Madras), India
It is a historical site. However, the entry road on a narrow side street looked dirty and after entry to the 1730 Jesuit House wondered it was a old hardware crap store. But that is ground level. They collect a entrance fee of 50 pesos. I am not sure, it includes a guide, but a girl guide came to explain about the Jesuit House. It is wooden made two storey house. The house was once the residence of the Jesuit superior who was assigned in Cebu. The two-storey house has cut coral stone walls, tugas hardwood floors and posts, and terracotta roof connected on its second floor by a walkway to a smaller house. The house has a small library, a chapel, and some rooms. The house has a lot of old items like piano, sewing machine, projector, type writer, for music, radio, phone, lighting, etc, etc. It is difficult to find such old items at one place, therefore it is a must visit in Cebu. Can spent more than 30 minutes here. The attractions "1730 Jesuit House", "Yap Sandiego Ancestral House" and "Cebu Heritage Monument" are located at less than a minutes walk.
6. Carmelite Monastery Cebu City
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 73 reviews
Reviewed By 815jensa
this place is good. i just drop here of my curiosity mind. will i always done it. i pass here during mass. the audio so good and good readers and accent. . .
7. Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 136 reviews
Reviewed By Denim7303
A modern church whose patron is a Filipino saint, located near SM Seaside Mall in Cebu City. Very close as well is the newly opened Ocean Park.
8. Sugbo Mercado
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
“The Biggest Weekend Food Market In Cebu” Sugbo Mercado opened on September 25, 2015, with the goal of being the first and biggest year-round weekly food market in Cebu and as a venue for the best of the best of Cebu as well as budding new players in the local food industry to showcase their products in a tour de force of local pride.
Reviewed By Faithalicious_x - London, United Kingdom
Sugbo Mercado is filled with 10s of food stalls, selling all different kinds of meals, drinks, and desserts. Plates are around 100–150 pesos so it’s a great way of trying a number of different dishes in one go. It’s kind of like a Philippino Borough Market (if you’re from London and know what that is). The atmosphere is great too and the area feels totally safe. Furthermore there are lots of locals here so it must be good! That also means that you may have to wait a bit for a seat in peak times but no longer than 5-10 minutes. You can enjoy the live singing in the meantime. My sister is vegan and was able to find a mushroom pasta that she could eat, though there wasn’t much else. Vegetarians would be fine though. I believe the Mercado is only open on Thurs-Sundays so check before going. You might want to bring some tissues with you as we struggles to find napkins - though they do give you plastic gloves/utensils to eat the food with.
9. University of San Carlos Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 224 reviews
Reviewed By SavvyCamille
The USC Museum is neat and very presentable to look at, plus the air conditioning is amazing and you’ll learn a lot by reading and looking into the pictures, paintings, figurines and the artifacts without a tour guide.
10. Magellan's Cross
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,820 reviews
This is the spot where Ferdinand Magellan planted a cross in the soil in 1521 and claimed the Philippines for Spain.
Reviewed By aamart1969 - Cebu City, Philippines
Magellan's Cross is an impressive , historical Christian Cross , planted by Portuguese & Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu ???????? March 1521 Later that year , Ferdinand Magellan was killed at Lapu-Lapu ( Mactan Island , of Cebu City ???????? ) during the Battle of Mactan Magellan’s Cross holds a very big part of the history & Religious history of Cebu ???????? The original cross was believed by the people of old to have miraculous healing powers , so they started chipping it away ... Supposedly as a result , the government were prompted to encased the Magellan’s Cross in another wooden cross ... even thou , some Filipino’s say - the original cross was destroyed or disappeared after the death of Magellan. Today in downtown Cebu City ... the Cross ( real or replica ) is housed in an octagonal pavilion called the “ kiosk ” ... this is located in the open park , behind the outstanding Santo Niño Church ( which is another main attractions for tourists )
