24 Hours in Cebu

Cebu, known as the Queen City of the South, offers not just a buzzing city life but also laid back outdoor experiences. Whether you want to hike, go to the beach or chase beautiful waterfalls, either option is less than an hour away.

For those who are visiting only for a day, there is still a lot you can see and do in Cebu in less than 24 hours.

Here's a quick guide to help you out planning the little time you have and showcase what Cebu City has in store for you.

09:00 AM

After having some breakfast, you can go straight to the downtown area of Cebu where you can check out many historic sites, and museums as all of them are scattered nearby.

At first, I would suggest visiting Casa Gorordo Museum, then Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, and along the way, you can stop at the Heritage of Cebu Monument. After that, you should head directly to Jesuit House. Next, is Colon Monument, and from there you can go and visit the first street in the Philippines⁠—Colon Street.

Then you have a route for a walk that starts at Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, from there head to Basilica del Santo Niño Church and Magellan's Cross, and lastly, walk to Fort San Pedro.

1:00 PM

After your long stroll in the downtown area, have lunch near Fort San Pedro. On M. J. Cuenco Avenue, there are a lot of restaurants and bars worth visiting. There you can find a great seafood selection and enjoy fresh catches-of-the-day, shellfish, and so much more.

3:00 PM

Once you're full, check out the public market in Carbon. There are tons of local produce, including vegetables, fruits and various items. You can also ride a Tartanilla, a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse, going to Taboan, where you can buy the famous Danggit dried fish.

04:30 PM

In the afternoon, you can check the upper part of the city, and visit one of the most common tourist spots⁠—Taoist Temple. The Chinese community in 1972 built the temple.

Your other option is to ride a habal-habal (public motorcycle transport) going to Sirao Flower Gardens, which is a famous spot among local tourists.

06:00 PM

For dinner, you can go to IT Park, which is a business district in the city. IT Park offers tons of restaurants where you can eat, drink or chill in the evening.

If your visit happens to be on the weekend, there's a food market called Sugbo Mercado located in Garden Bloc. They offer different types of food from all over the world.

9:00 PM

Are you a fan of sweeping views? Then you should go to Tops Lookout, based in Busay. This is a great spot to relax and admire the fantastic view of the city.

00:00

Still up?

Near Tops, there’s an authentic French restaurant and winery called La Vie in the Sky. So you can not only enjoy the spectacular view but also have a glass of wine (or two). Have fun!

This guest post was written by Roneth.