THINGS TO DO IN ILOILO

Days Hotel Iloilo welcomes you to the City of Love
Whether you’re in town for business or pleasure, Iloilo City offers a lot of attractions to discover, experience and enjoy

DOWNTOWN ILOILO

Immerse yourself in a treasure trove of heritage – culture, history and gastronomy, as you walk around Downtown Iloilo. Iloilo City’s “living museum” and historic center is Calle Real – declared as a Heritage Zone by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. It showcases beautifully-restored buildings dating almost a century ago when Iloilo was the economic and cultural center outside of Manila during the late Spanish colonial and early American periods

TIP: Best time to discover Calle Real is during Sunday afternoons when a portion is closed to vehicular traffic and filled with various activities and performances. Also visit Plaza Libertad, San Jose Church and the City Gallery & Penthouse of the Iloilo City Hall – all within walking distance

HERITAGE HOUSES

See and experience how prominent Ilonggos lived at the turn of the century as stately mansions and ancestral houses dot Iloilo City. With its so-called “Millionaires Row”, the district of Jaro boasts of many grand residences like Nelly’s Garden, The Antillan House, The Lizares Mansion Casa Mariquit and The Boat House, among others. In Molo and Villa districts one can find Casa Rizaliana, Sinamay House and the Camiña Balay nga Bato

TIP: Make most of your visit by booking a tour in some of these houses. Nelly’s Garden offers a picturesque tour of the mansion, Casa Rizaliana lets guests enjoy a heritage cosplay, the Sinamay House offers interesting fiber-crafts and the Camiña Balay nga Bato offers antiques and The Tsokolate Experience

CHURCH HOPPING

Iloilo is home to well-preserved churches and religious traditions. Drop by the Jaro Cathedral – the National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles with its bell tower is uniquely situated across the church. The majestic Gothic-inspired St. Anne’s Church in Molo is nicknamed as “the Feminist Church” with 16 statues of female saints lining the interiors

An hour’s trip would bring you to the fortress-like Miag-ao Church – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also visit the San Joaquin Church with its unique battle-themed bas relief on its facade, the Tigbauan Church with its mosaic-laden interior walls, the all-brick church in Pavia and the Santa Barbara Church with its beautifully preserved 19th century convent

TIP: Check out other attractions in these towns – Campo Santo and Kuliatan Marine Sanctuary in San Joaquin, hablon-weaving cottage industry in Miag-ao, Orchard Valley Farm in Pavia, and the Philippines’ oldest golf course, biggest flag, and hand-made Belgian Lace in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

GUIMARAS

Schedule a day trip to the island of Guimaras to enjoy the sand, sea and surf. A mere 20-minute ferry ride away from Iloilo City will bring you to a world away from the hustle and bustle of city-life

Frolic in the beaches of Alubihod and nearby islets; visit a century-old lighthouse in Guisi; get the adrenalin rush at the Guimaras Adventure Park and Camp Alfredo; go nature tripping in mango orchards and commune with nature through eco-tour amidst the mangroves along Suba Malawig And don’t forget to go on an island-hopping escapade and enjoy unspoiled beaches, picturesque coves, rock formations and marine sanctuaries

TIP: Ask the locals where to eat mango pizza and mango pasta; where to buy mango bars, cookies and biscocho; where to drink mango-calamansi juice and where to try mango catsup and mango pickles. And while you’re there, indulge on fresh mangoes

ILOILO RIVER ESPLANADE

Designed by the architect Paolo Alcazaren, the Esplanade is a 1.2 kilometer stretch of park development along the riverbanks of Iloilo River. From the Iloilo Diversion Road on one end to the Carpenter Bridge on the other, it serves as a recreational area and an attraction for both the locals and tourists alike

Viewing decks are provided at strategic spots from which to view the panorama of the city. It’s also designed to protect the prolific mangroves growing along the Iloilo River, having 22 of the 35 Philippine species

TIP:  Start your tour at the Carpenter Bridge area, even better if you could catch the sunset. The area tends to be the more touristy section as it contains recreational facilities, food kiosks, and landmarks. Walk your way towards the other end and cross over to enjoy Iloilo City’s nightlife

NIGHTLIFE

Step into the night for as the evening sets in, all roads lead toward Smallville! With its numerous restaurants, bars, cafes, discos and hotels, it is Iloilo’s nightlife central where night owls abound  A cluster of different and mixed complexes, it has evolved to be one big showcase of Iloilo’s modern gastronomic culture and lifestyle

Check out The Avenue Complex with its mix of restaurants – Bauhinia for Filipino and Ilonggo cuisine, Amalfi for Italian specialties, Mojave Grill and Steakhouse for Tex-Mex dishes, and Bourbon Street for American food culture. There’s Nothing But Desserts for all your sweet cravings and Iloilo’s homegrown coffee chain, Coffeebreak, for your caffeine fix. And dance the night away at Club Aura to experience Iloilo’s liveliest party scene

FESTIVAL and FIESTAS

And if partying is on your menu, no street party is bigger than the Dinagyang Festival. Every January, Iloilo City dance to drum beats and gets into frenzy as it celebrates the Feast of Sto. Niño Tribes in colorful costumes dance to the rhythmic beat of drums creating a spectacle of splendid choreography.  A top tourism event, Dinagyang is a weekend of non-stop fun – the best time to enjoy the city

Days and weeks after, the city also celebrates Chinese New Year – the biggest in this part of the country, the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Jaro – the biggest fiesta in the region and Paraw Regatta Festival – among the oldest traditional boat sailing competition in Asia

TIP: Book your accommodation months in advance for Dinagyang to get the best deal. Days Hotel Iloilo, with its central location, offers the best 3-day, 2-night package during this season of merry-making

EAT LOCAL

No visit to Iloilo would be complete without having to try Ilonggo cuisine and native delicacies. Find your way to Lapaz and have your fill of authentic batchoy – Iloilo’s signature dish. Look for Kapitan Ising’s Pancit Molo for Iloilo’s famous dumpling soup. Troop to Villa beach for the freshest seafood – crabs, oysters, prawns, scallops, sibingan and the locally-grown managat

Don’t miss out on native Ilonggo dishes like KBL (kadyos, baboy, langka), cansi, laswa, lina-ga and apan-apan. Ask locals for native litsong manok, pancit efuven, Ilonggo lechon baboy and the famous Queen sio pao. Also try local fast-food joints like Green Mango and Floyd’s Famous BBQ

And check out on native delicacies like baye-baye, suman latik, pinasugbo, bingka, puto lanson bitso-bitso, fresh lumpia and panara, among others

PASALUBONG

And finally, don’t go home without bringing a piece of Iloilo. For delicious goodies, check out Tinapayan Bakeshop for pasalubong items like butterscotch, barquillos and top-quality breads and pastries to-go. Century-old bakeshops in Jaro and Molo also offer local biscuits and other pasalubong items. The Iloilo Central Market not only offers dried squid, fish tocino, fish tapa boneless “balingon” and other dried seafood but also native handicrafts and trinkets as well

When in Iloilo – marvel in its history, culture and heritage; feel the warmth of the Ilonggos and indulge in its gastronomic delights
Right in the heart of the City of Love – only at Days Hotel Iloilo

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