Cebu City Spots You Can Visit on Foot

Are you heading to Cebu for Sinulog Festival? It's better to get cheap flights to Cebu several months in advance and during seat sales.

Cebu City Walking Tour

Cebu City Walking Tour Itinerary

Mom and I chose Cebu as a getaway celebration for her birthday. It was both our first time in the city so I chose a hotel that's conveniently located near the city town proper - Hotel Stella Cebu and Waterfront Cebu in Lahug.

Knowing that she prefers walking or taking the jeepney instead of the cab, she's a frugal woman so we planned on having a walking tour of Cebu City instead.

When we arrived at Hotel Stella after an early morning flight. The hotel room was not yet available so we decided to start our DIY city tour right after breakfast. From Hotel Stella, we walked towards the main street and took a jeepney heading to Basilica del Sto Nino de Cebu. - our starting point of the walking tour itinerary.


Basilica Del Sto Nino de Cebu (Pres. Osmena Blvd., Cebu City)

Among the many historical sites we visited, the busiest is the Basilica Del Sto Nino de Cebu where people would go to pray, light a candle, and hear mass. Basilica Del Sto. Nino de Cebu is the island's first church which was built on site where the image of the Sto.Nino was found in 1565.

Right beside the church is the Magellan’s Cross, our second destination.

Magellan's-Cross

Magellan's Cross (Magallanes street)

Less than a hundred meters from the basilica is the famous Magellan's Cross. Located at Magallanes street, the said cross was planted in commemoration of the arrival of the world-known Spanish coloniser Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippines back in 1521. It’s the most famous tourist landmark of Cebu City.


Fort San Pedro, Cebu City

About ten-minutes walk from Magellan's Cross is another heritage site known as Fort San Pedro of Cebu City.

It's the oldest fort in the country which was built in 1565. It's a military defense “fort” structure where a Sto Nino is located atop. On its second level are three tunnel-shaped windows overlooking the plaza.

Moreover, it has a museum housing relevant documents, sculptures, artifacts, paintings and other historical items.

Cebu Heritage Park

Cebu Heritage Park (Mabini Street, Parian, Cebu City)

A good long and healthy walk from Fort San Pedro is the Cebu Heritage Park. The plaza’s mural and sculptures show significant events, from the time of Rajah Humabon to the more recent canonization of San Pedro Calungsod.

Some of the activities held at Cebu Heritage Park includes heritage shows, Pasundayag: Cultural Talent Show, Now and Then Photo Contests, as well as food festivals featuring the province’s best.


Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House (155 Mabini Street, Parian, Cebu City)

Sharing the same street with Cebu Heritage Park is the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House. It is one of the oldest houses in Cebu built centuries ago. Today, it houses a museum of culturally-relevant antiques and finds and is open to the public. Additionally, the house is a good manifestation of Philippine architecture during the Spanish era.

Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

Museo Parian - 1730 Jesuit House (Zulueta Street, Tinago, Cebu City)

A stone’s throw away from the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House and located at Zulueta st. is the Museo Parian, 1730 Jesuit House. It's an 18th century architectural design house made of coral stone and is considered as the oldest “dated” house in the Philippines standing since 1730.

Today, it houses 18th century relics of the past with a mix of Spanish, Filipino, and Chinese origins. It's one of the best places to visit when in Cebu City as it continues to educate people by revisiting the Spanish colonial times. Furthermore, it showcases the intermingling of the different cultures of Cebu.

Museo Parian is a perfect end-point for your Walking Itinerary Day Tour of Cebu City since some parts are also air-conditioned - a suitable reward for long day of walking. :)

On a side note, visitors who would like to shop for danggit in Cebu and other dried fish, there's a jeepney that passes Zulueta street going to Taboan Market.

Museo Parian - 1730 Jesuit House

Lastly, here are some travel tips doing a DYI Walking Tour:

1. Bring a bottle of water for refreshment.
2. Wear sunnies, sunscreen, and hat when possible.
3. Travel light! I suggest leaving the luggage at the hotel's concierge so you can move freely and comfortably.
4. Bring your camera for capturing awesome memories; but don’t forget to bring an extra battery.
5. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
6. Bring valuables like smartphone, money, identification card.

There are lots of new attractions to visit in Cebu this 2018. The colorful hanging bridge in Cebu, cable car and the Tarzan Jump.

We hope this DIY Cebu City Walking Tour Itinerary was of great help. It’s always good to walk around on foot-pace giving you enough time to appreciate the surroundings and the day-to-day life.