Popular Places in Manila

Cultural Centre of the Philippines / CCP Complex
This is the country's centre for Arts and Culture and is a popular venue for all major performances and exhibits. It houses a theatre, an art gallery, two museums and six resident companies for music, dance and drama. Within its complex is the Philippine International Convention Centre (PICC), Film Centre, Folk Art Theatre of the Philippines, World Trade Centre, Star City (an amusement park) and the Centre for International Trade, Exhibitions and Meetings (CITEM).

Intramuros
The world-renowned walled city was constructed during the Spanish Colonial period. Old Spanish structures and street names offer a glimpse of the past in a district reflective of its own charm, culture and history.

Within the fortification, churches, monasteries and stores contribute to a European-looking skyline. Complementing them are residences, schools, commercial establishments, hospitals and government buildings.

Rizal Park
Also called Luneta, its main landmark is the monument of Dr Jose Rizal, the country's national hero, who died by firing squad at the said park. Life-size sculptures depicting the last few significant days of his life are also on display. Tourists may likewise enjoy an impressivelight and sound show depicting the hero's execution by the Spaniards.

The park is also a venue for concerts and social events, political meetings and religious gatherings. A children's playground, Japanese garden, Chinese garden, Orchidarium, Artist's Haven, Planetarium, roller-skating rink and a relief map of the Philippines are among the main attractions of the park.

Malacañang Palace
The official residence of the President of the Philippines and several past presidents of the country. It houses a museum.

Chinatown
Located in the heart of Manila, this is where one may find most of the horse-driven carriages called kalesa. It is known as the centre for masterfully crafted gold jewelers encrusted with precious stones and sold at very reasonable prices. From simple to fine dining, Chinese restaurants also line the streets together with many wholesaler stalls selling mostly dried goods and merchandise. 'Hole-in-the-wall' shops sell ceramics, old Chinese coins, garments, aphrodisiacs and other oriental items believed to bring good luck.

Nayong Pilipino - Pasay City
A 32-acre area showcasing replicas of the country's major tourist attractions in miniature.

Paco Park
San Marcelino & Gen. Luna Street
Paco Metro Manila

Unique among Manila's landmarks, Paco Park is quite possibly the only one of its kind in the world. A former cemetery, the construction of which was completed in 1820, it consists of two circular structures containing tiers of niches (now empty) that were once used for interment. On top of both stone structures are galleries along which the visitor can take a leisurely stroll to better admire the tranquil beauty of the park. A National Historical Shrine, Paco Park serves as the venue of Paco Park Presents a yearlong series of free concerts/cultural events held every Friday evening. Admission fee is Php5.00

Plaza San Luis
Named after one of the barrios of old Intramuros, this is a cultural-cum-commercial complex currently composed of five houses: Casa Manila, Casa Blanca, Casa Urdaneta, Los Hidalgos, and El Hogar Filipino. Plaza San Luis will eventually consist of 9 houses representing different eras in Filipino-Hispanic architecture. Aside from gift and specialty shops, the complex has a museum at Casa Manila, containing late 19th century and early 20th century furniture found in a typical Filipino illustrado, or the privileged class, home.

Fort Santiago
Marking its entrance at the northwestern tip to Intramuros, Fort Santiago was one of the oldest fortifications of Intramuros started in 1571 and completed nearly 150 years later by Filipino forced labor. The pre-Spanish settlement of Rajah Sulayman, the last Filipino ruler before the coming of the Spaniards, was a wooden fort, on the ashes of which was built the Spanish fortress which was Spain’s major defense position in the islands. It looked out on the sea, towards which its canons were trained to ward off pirates and invaders. It is also known as the “Shrine of Freedom,” in memory of the heroic Filipinos imprisoned and killed here during the Spanish and Japanese eras. Partly rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, it is now a park and promenade housing a resident theater company, PETA, which used ramparts, an old garrison, and a small chapel as theaters for both traditional and modern plays.

Palacio del Gobernador
Formerly the home of Manuel Estacio de Venegas, a governor’s aide, the two-storey structure was expropriated and subsequently made the official residence and office of the Spanish governor generals in 1645 until an earthquake brought it down in 1863. It lay in ruins for almost a century until the Land Bank of the Philippines built an 8-storey building on the site in 1978. The office of the Intramuros Administration is presently housed here.

Bonifacio Shrine
It showcases selected periods of Bonifacio’s biography, which represent the events and personalities involved in molding our history.

Malacañang Palace / Museum
Malacañang Palace is considered to be one of the most historic structures in the Philippines. It has been the official residence of the highest chief executive of the country since 1863. Located next to the Pasig River, it served as a summer residence for the Spanish governor-general during the early 1800s. Governor-General Rafael de Echague moved the seat of government to Malacañang Palace after an earthquake devastated the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros. Since then, it has been witness to the numerous challenges that have faced the nation and the events that have defined our history. President Glorial Macapagal Arroyo holds office in the Palace and receives her official callers and state visitors at the Presidential Function area. A wing of the Palace is open to the public as a Philippine Presidential Museum. Under the management of the Malacañang Heritage Foundation, the palace tour focuses on all former Presidents of the Philipines. On exhibit are presidential memorabilia which highlight the terms of office of the country’s former chief executives. It is one of the most visited historical landmarks in the country today.

Chinese Cemetery
It was founded in the mid-1850s by Lim Ong and Tan Quien Sien to accommodate the many Chinese who were not allowed to be buried in Spanish cemeteries. The cemetery covering 54 hectares has streets lined with mausoleums which are richly adomed with marble and wrought iron, some with stained glass windows. Imposing mausoleums serve the dual purpose of honoring the dead and exhibiting the socioeconomic status of the family. The crematorium is opposite the temple. A nearby building houses ashes on 2 floors and the 3rd floor, the bones of those who will be returned to mainland China. The poor are buried in terraces to the left of the Buddhist Temple.

Museo Pambata
It is the first hands-on, interactive children’s museum in the Philippines. It is an exciting learning center with six theme areas, namely: Kalikasan (Environment), Maynila Noon (Old Manila), Tuklas (Science), Paglaki Ko (Career Option), Katawan Ko (Body Works), and Bata Sa Mundo (Children in the Global Village), a reading resource center and children’s playground. The museum is also a venue for programs and activities for the public, especially for underserved children, such as storytelling, puppet shows, workshops on visual arts, health, etc.

Bahay Tsinoy
It is a museum showcasing the Chinese in Philippine life, some fine artifacts and coins, a gallery of rare prints and photographs, and a collection of porcelain unearthed from all over the Philippines.

Archdiocesan Museum of Manila
In 1987, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin set up an eclesiastical museum with the theme, “History of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.” The collection includes ecclesiastical, liturgical, and various antique items.

Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden Project was initiated by the National Parks Development Committee together with the Japanese Community. The 9,000 square meter garden is an authentic Japanese Garden in miniature where one can likewise view rare local foliage, vines, trees, grasses, hedges, and other ornamental plants such as camias, camachile, and bituing marikit endemic to Philippine soil. The garden not only gives us a glimpse of Japanese culture but also promotes friendship and mutual understanding between the Japanese and the Filipino people.

Central Bank Money Museum
The Central Bank Money Museum was established in January 3, 1974 from the donations of illustrious collectors and dealers and collection of the bank’s possession. It aims to collect Filipino coins and notes to trace the monetary history of the Philippines and assemble a fine collection of rare and unusual coins from all over the world.

Malate & Ermita
The popular cosmopolitan lifestyle districts of Malate and Ermita in Manila showcase a wild variety of restaurants, clubs, bars, cafes, art and antique shops, and shopping complexes. The nightlife offers everything from partyhopping, clubbing, lounging to theme festivals and parades, or quietly chilling at art and fashion cafes - discover your own hole-in-the-wall. Organizing exciting shopping expeditions could not be simpler - as countless bargain opportunities are offered, including the handicrafts of the different regions, in the numerous shopping complexes, from sleek, air-conditioned department stores to open-air bazaars.