Article 5
The Walled City:
INTRAMUROS
Vigan vibes in Manila?
I know a lot of you want to go to a historical village like Vigan city but its too far from your home. I like to introduce to you a Historical village that look like Vigan city.
INTRAMUROS:
Old-world Intramuros is home to Spanish-era landmarks like Fort Santiago, with a large stone gate and a shrine to national hero José Rizal. The ornate Manila Cathedral houses bronze carvings and stained glass windows, while the San Agustin Church museum has religious artwork and statues. Spanish colonial furniture and art fill Casa Manila museum, and horse-drawn carriages (kalesa) ply the area’s cobblestone streets.
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6 DESTINATION
•Fort Santiago and the Rizal Shrine
✔ The fort’s dungeons, barracks and secret gates tell a story of their own.
Entrance Fee:
₱75.00 (Adult)
₱50.00 (Student with ID)
Open Hours:
Mon: 1pm – 5pm
Tues to Sun: 8am – noon, 1pm – 5pm
•San Agustin Church and Museum
✔The church is known for its intricate 3D-style painted ceiling, baroque architecture and ornamental décor.
✔The San Augustin Museum houses religious relics and treasures from all over the islands.
Entrance fee:
₱200.00
Open Hours
Open every day from 9am – noon, and 1pm – 5pm,
•Casa Manila Museum and Plaza San Luis
✔a fully reconstructed turn-of-the-century house with furniture and paraphernalia to match.
✔ Fascinating picture of domestic life in a wealthy mestizo family during the colonial period.
Entrance Fee:
₱75.00
Open Hours:
Tues to Sun: 9am – noon, 1pm – 6pm,
•Bahay Tsinoy
✔Early contacts
✔The Parian
✔Colonial culture
✔Emergence of the Chinese community
✔Gallery of rare prints and photographs
✔Martyr’s hall
✔Ceramics collection
✔Tsinoys in nation-building (inaugurated in 2004)
Entrance Fee:
₱100.00
Tues to Sun, 1pm – 5pm
•Shop for Filipino crafts
✔Well-stocked souvenir stores (like Silahis, pictured above.)
✔Brings the flavours of the islands – coffee, palm sugar, dried mangoes, fruit wines – together under one roof. The store also stocks indigenous Filipino souvenirs, such as ling-ling-o amulets, artwork, fabrics and handmade tribal crafts.
Entrance Fee: Free
Open Hours:
10 am to 6 pm every day
•Kalesa Tour
Ride Fee:
₱300.00 - ₱500.00
How to get there:
We recommend taking the train from Monumento LRT to Central Terminal LRT, which takes around 19 min. Alternatively, taking the bus from Ever Gotesco Grand Central, Rizal Avenue, Caloocan City to Andres Soriano Jr Ave / Muralla Intersection, Manila is the cheapest option and takes around 39 min. While taking the taxi from Monumento LRT to Intramuros is the fastest option and takes around 8 min.
TIPS:
•On a good day, the sun would not be too harsh or the traffic too unbearable for you to willingly volunteer as the day’s tour guide, unless you decide to go on an organized tour of the walled city. The cobbled streets can give your feet a beating, so you have the option to take pedicabs or the district’s e-trikes. The e-trikes take passengers to certain stops around Intramuros for free!
•Just enjoy yourself to the whole trip and be careful to your belongings
RECOMMENDATION:
✔Explore the walls
About 22 feet tall and eight feet wide, many restored portions of the city’s walls are walk-able.
✔A short stroll atop the ramparts reveals tranquil gardens, fountains and plazas.
✔Golf course.
✔The portions that used to face the sea now sit atop reclaimed sections of land on Manila Bay.
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If you want to visit some places that not expensive you can check our social media accounts @escapesph on Instagram and Facebook for more travel lowkey photos and location.
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