//
Photo: Constantine Agustin, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The 200-year-old ancestral house of Doña Mariquit Lopez, the matriarch of the Lopez clan of ABS CBN. It also serves as a museum of the late Vice President Fernando Lopez, the husband of Doña Mariquit and the patriarch of the Lopez clan. Considered the oldest surviving house in Iloilo City, it is preserved as a museum showcasing furniture, photographs, and artifacts from the Spanish colonial period.
Casa Mariquit, sometimes known as Javellana–Lopez Heritage House, is a historic house in Iloilo City, Philippines. The house is located on Santa Isabel Street in the district of Jaro. It is considered the oldest existing heritage house in Iloilo, built in 1803.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Jaro Plaza
One of the largest district plazas in the city, it is part of the Jaro Cultural Heritage Tourism Zone, alongside Jaro Cathedral, Jaro Belfry, and surrounding heritage ancestral houses. The plaza features several monuments and memorials, including a new shrine of Patrocinio Gamboa, the World War II Memorial Monument, and the Graciano Lopez Jaena Monument.
Campanario de Jaro
One of the few belfries in the country that stands apart from the church. It was constructed by the Spaniards to serve as a watchtower to monitor Muslim invasion from Mindanao. The colonial structure was ruined by an earthquake in 1948 and was restored decades later, in the mid-1990s.
National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles
One of the most significant religious sites in the Visayas. It houses the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of the Candles), the only Marian image in the Philippines crowned by a pope and Vatican decree, Pope John Paul II in 1981. Across the street stands the iconic Jaro Belfry, which was originally a watchtower before being converted into a bell tower.
Lizares–Gamboa Mansion
Built in 1937 by sugar baron Don Emiliano Lizares, this Beaux-Arts mansion features hardwood floors, elegant staircases, and classic architectural details. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese army. Today, it houses Angelicum School Iloilo and is occasionally open to visitors. The mansion is particularly popular during Christmas, when it is beautifully illuminated.
Lopez Mansion
Built in 1928 by the Lopez family, this Beaux-Arts mansion is one of Iloilo’s most elegant heritage houses. The property features sprawling gardens, neoclassical architecture, and preserved interiors showcasing the lifestyle of Iloilo’s early 20th-century elite. The mansion is not entirely open to the public and requires a tour or event reservation to enter, but visitors can still admire its grandeur from outside the gate.
The first and largest waterpark in Western Visayas, it offers a fun and refreshing getaway for families and friends. It features thrilling water slides, wave pools, and play areas for kids, making it an ideal destination for all ages.