Vigan
Old world charm in the North
Overview
Vigan’s cobblestoned streets are preserved in a colonial era time warp. European architecture and traditional Filipino buildings fused with oriental designs take center stage. A historic city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, this northern town promises to evoke nostalgia and longing for a gentler, less frenetic world.
- Stay at Hotel Luna, the first and only museum hotel in the country.
- Tour the city of Vigan, known for its well-preserved stone houses made from bricks and filled with period pieces.
- Sample famous Ilocano delicacies such as longaniza (sausage), empanada (meat pie) and bagnet (deep fried crispy pork crackling).
- Visit the National Museum, a place that used to be the Ilocos Sur provincial jail and birthplace of a past Philippine president.
- Witness how the locals do inabel weaving, a Vigan traditional craft
- Other places of interest: Bantay Church and Bell Tower, Plaza Salcedo, Cathedral of St. Paul, Plaza Burgos and Crisologo Museum.
- A couple of hours from Vigan is the St. Augustine Church in Paoay, a baroque church and UNESCO World Heritage Site that was built to withstand earthquakes and is a sight to behold.
- Ride on horse-drawn carriages or stroll along Calle Crisologo, a street lined with pre-war Spanish homes.