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Capital city of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Photo: Ray in Manila, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Vigan is a city in Ilocos Sur, Northern Luzon. Its Spanish colonial influence in local architecture and old-world charm make it a unique city in the Philippines.
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offers a wonderful glimpse into the Philippines' colonial past. The ancestral houses were mostly built by Chinese traders using a mixture of local, Asian and Spanish architectural styles. Movie fans recognize the streets from the movie Born on the Fourth of July. If someone looks closely, there are still evidence left from the shooting, e.g. signs in Spanish but hastily and thinly painted over with white paint.
Vigan Cathedral
The seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and built by the Augustinians around 1790, this cathedral features a unique design intended to minimize earthquake damage, called "earthquake baroque". Look out for the brass communion handrails forged in China, complete with Chinese characters scrawled by its ancient installers (if you look closely). The eight-sided bell tower is just south of the cathedral. Its position was actually the safety measure of the earthquake baroque style: it was built separately from the church so that it would not topple into the church in the event of an earthquake. Its eight-sided design reflects its Chinese feng-shui influences. If you look closely inside the cathedral, you can find the tombstone of the great Ilocano poet Leona Florentino (in the column near the entrance facing Plaza Burgos).
west of the cathedral features a 17th-century monument to Juan de Salcedo, and was also the site of resistance leader Gabriela Silang's public hanging in 1763. Also within the site at the lagoon is the Vigan Dancing Fountain. This Korean-engineered attraction is the first of its kind in the country, and rivals the Bellagio Water Fountains in Las Vegas, Nevada.
also known as the Ayala Museum, this showcases the memorabilia of martyred priest Jose Burgos. Behind the house is the national museum (formerly the Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail), housing other ethnic and Ilocano artifacts such as artifacts, weapons, kitchen utensils, basketry, costumes, jewellery and Burgos memorabilia. There are also some dioramas showing important events in the history of Ilocos Sur, and a mini library. It just so happens to be where the Philippines' first Ilocano president, Elpidio Quirino, was born, his father having been a jail warden.
is a favorite hang out for locals and is also used for staging major public events. It has also food stalls selling local snacks, especially the empanada. It is next to Vigan Cathedral and dedicated to the memory of Father Jose Burgos. Depending on the weather, the streets surrounding it (except for the street adjacent to the Empanadaan) are closed off to motorized traffic every Saturday and Sunday to allow people to walk the streets freely. It is a popular skateboarding venue among the locals.
used to be the home of assassinated Congressman Floro Crisologo and wife Carmeling, former governor of Ilocos Sur. It contains Crisologo memorabilia.
Vigan residence of President Elpidio Quirino, who married a member of the Syquia family. There are memorabilia inside the residence, including a campaign portrait of Quirino.
It is what Vigan City is known for — streets lined with Spanish Era ancestral houses (with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floors, balustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese architectural styles) and cobblestone streets, which led to Vigan's inscription in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tourists can buy souvenirs or even ride a calesa (horse-drawn buggy). This street is also known as Vigan Heritage Village.
Where the great conquistador Juan de Salcedo landed when he arrived in Vigan through the Mestizo River. Also the site of the city slaughterhouse, built during the Spanish Era (for which the barangay is named).
A wonderland of greenery, with a mini-snack bar nestled in the middle.
The residence of the Quema family, considered by sociologist Fernando Zialcita as most representative of 18th-century Philippine architectural style.
The only seaside tourist spot in the city, just adjacent to Vigan Airport.
This cemetery chapel found at the southern end of Quezon Avenue has a bell-gable design, the only one of its kind in the Ilocos Region. The chapel's name is an Ilocano term meaning "small church."
Ancestral house.
Just adjacent to the Cathedral is the Archbishop's Palace of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, which dates from the 16th century during the Spanish era - the oldest archbishop's residence still in use in the Philippines. It was completed in 1793 after seven years of construction. It features sliding capiz windows and cut-out decorations with floral motifs. It has a back entrance that leads to the nearby Govantes Dike. The palace has a collection of priceless ecclesiastical artifacts and relics from other Ilocos churches.
A zoo founded by local politician and businessman Chavit Singson, featuring the usual animals as well as hunting trophies from his safaris in Africa.
Bantay Church
Bantay's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish era in a Baroque style in 1590. Access to the site has been partially restricted since an earthquake in 2022 that severely damaged the structure.
The belfry of Bantay Church, built during the Spanish era on a hilltop and physically separated from its church as part of its double function as a lookout for pirates and foreign invaders from the South China Sea. The site was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 2015. Access to the site has been restricted since an earthquake in 2022 that severely damaged the structure.
Caoayan Church
Caoayan's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish era in the Baroque style in the 19th century.
San Vicente Church
San Vicente's main Roman Catholic Church, built in the Baroque style during the Spanish era in 1795. The site, along with the adjacent town plaza, municipal hall, and a building of the San Vicente Integrated School, which also dates back to the Spanish period, was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 2020.
Santa Catalina Church
Santa Catalina's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish era.
Banaoang Bridge
A two-lane bridge over the Abra River Gorge marking the boundary between Bantay and Santa to the south. At both ends of the bridge are viewing platforms with panoramic vistas of the area, including the old arch bridge east of the river, which has now lost much of its span following typhoons and flooding.
Longganisa Festival
The Bigueños celebrate the Longganisa Festival every January 22 in accordance to the cityhood of Vigan. With a colorful street dancing competition along the Calle Crisologo, this festival features one of the city's products, the very well-known Vigan longganisa. On the 25th, Vigan celebrates its town fiesta in honor to its patron saint, Saint Paul.
Every first week of May, Vigan plays host to visitors for this festival featuring painting and product exhibits, a calesa parade, and other cultural activities.
St. Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral is the venue of religious rites during Holy Week. The Good Friday procession features decorated carrozas bearing life-size statues of Spanish vintage. On Easter Sunday, the dawn celebration depicting the Resurrection of Christ, called "Sabet", is a scene to behold.
A Halloween celebration wherein there are colorful and lighted floats paraded around the city.
The main stretch of beach in Vigan.
Pagburnayan
Vigan is famous for its burnay jars that have been used as storage material for various wares since the precolonial era. This venue makes these jars, which are made of carabao-kneaded clay and fire-blasted in a huge kiln and allows visitors to try their hand in making their own jars.
A barangay of Vigan known for its concentration of shops and manufacturers, usually old women, weaving the traditional Ilocano Abel textiles.
Insiang's is a small street side empanadahan with a couple of tables set up by the sidewalk.
For take out only.
A variety of food is offered: from local dishes to Korean style, desserts and shakes.
Cool place in the centre of Vigan serving craft beer and food.
Filipino beef broth soup, must try!
Great Filipino home-cooked meal.
Casa Vicente serves fusion dishes of International and Ilocano cuisine.
serving empanada & okoy.
Basic hotel in an old colonial house with old-style wooden floors and furniture. The rooms are very basic but acceptable. At ₱500 for double, this is one of the few budget option. No food, breakfast or whatever.
Cor Quirino Blvd.
Fan dorm beds with cable TV, locker & common bathroom.
Fan rooms, a/c rooms with cable TV and Wi-Fi.
Fan rooms with bathrooms and cable TV.
Fan single/double rooms with or without bathrooms. Free Wifi, Free Breakfast, Free Parking.
Fan single/double room shared bathroom. free wifi.
Villa Angela Heritage House is actually more like a house than a typical hotel. The owners decided to keep the house like how it was during the time of their ancestors, except that modern comforts of air-conditioning, cable TV, and en suite toilet and bath have been installed. There are only six rooms or one room of each type. Room rates during regular season are: Cuarto del Señor (Master bedroom at ₱2500/night), Cuarto de las Hijas (Girls room at ₱2800/night - has 3 large beds sufficient for 5 people), Cuarto de los Hijos (Boys room at ₱2800/night), Cuarto Pequeño (literally "small room" -- used to be the boy's study room at ₱1500/night). The rooms on the ground floor that used to be storage areas for harvest from the farms were converted into dormitory rooms to accommodate bigger groups.
Accommodation is personalized such that special requests from each guest like tours and transfers assistance, snd home service massage, are always prioritized. Villa Angela is a Wi-Fi zone.
Their air-conditioned rooms are very spacious. They have an elegant restaurant serving superb local and international cuisine.
All rooms in Ciudad Fernandina Hotel are equipped with safe, cable television, air conditioning, electronic door lock, hot and cold shower. Some of its facilities are restaurant, bar and function room.
Near Plaza Burgos.
Showcasing Spanish-Colonial accommodations combined with modern luxury. A 5-minute walk from the local history Burgos National Museum, this casual hotel in a converted Spanish-colonial home is 4 minutes' walk from the lively Vigan Heritage Village.
The simple rooms come with TVs and en suite bathrooms. Upgraded rooms have ornate wood decor. Suites add sitting areas, and some have separate living rooms. A family room sleeps up to 7 people.
Breakfast is offered. Other amenities include a casual bar and a relaxed restaurant. Massage treatments are available.
Fan single/double rooms with own bathroom.
Set in a Colonial-style building surrounded by shops, eateries and heritage properties, this elegant hotel is 6 minutes' walk from the Plaza Salcedo's Dancing Fountain and 7 minutes' walk from the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral.
Set in a tourist area, this relaxed hotel is a 9-minute walk from cultural exhibits at the National Museum of the Philippines and a 7-minute walk from fountain shows at Plaza Salcedo. Route 2 is 1 km away.
This boutique hotel offers luxury accommodations in a quiet residential neighborhood close to the historic Crisologo Street, the main plaza.
Visitors can purchase delicacies like Vigan Longanisa (native pork sausages) and bagnet (deep-fried crispy pork); and Ilocano handwoven abel cloth.
By plane
Alternately, you could go to Laoag's International Airport (1.5 hours by car). Philippine Airlines flies dally from Laoag and Manila
By boat
The nearest cruise ship terminal is in Salomague Port in Cabugao, to the north.
A fun throwback to colonial days are the calesa horse-drawn carriages that still clip-clop through Vigan's streets.
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