Vigan
Written by: Angelica Mariel Samaniego Alao
Trip down memory lane
Vigan City is located in the northwest part of Luzon. It is more widely known for its preserved Spanish colonial buildings and architectures. In May 2015 Vigan was oficially recognized as a part of the New7 Wonders Cities along with other major cities around the world such as Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and La Paz. Vigan is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site considering it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines with intact and preserved buildings and architectures. With the city being recognized internationally, you`d see that more tourists would be attracted to visit and see the beauty of Vigan for themselves.
As Vigan is found in the northern part of the Philippines you`d expect how long the travel time would be, from Manila to Vigan passing through the MacArthur highway it would take at most 6 hours and 45 minutes to 7 hours to get to Vigan proper. Although the trip to Vigan would be really exhausting it will all be worth it because the moment you step down your vehicle it will be like you were sent back in time. During our visit we stayed in a quaint little bed & breakfast that was just 10 minutes away from Calle Cisologo by foot. It was a convenient and affordable place to stay in and the amenities were really enjoyable.
When talked about Vigan one of the most well known and iconic place in the area would be Calle Crisologo. With it`s beautifully preserved Hispanic houses and Cobble Stones path it would surely be a hit with the tourists. Calle Crisologo boasts hundreds of years of history just along the street. Although very beautiful and eye catching there are some buildings in the area that hold a painful memories for the locals. Calle Crisologo has multiple souvenir shops along with restaurants lining the street in order to provide tourists a more wholesome experience. This street would be a wonderful option for purchasing goods for your loved ones, not only is it convenient considering it`s all in one street but it is also very entertaining and fulfilling to shop in this area. An added bonus would be that it is a great place for you to take all your instagram worthy pictures as well.
As Vigan is found in the northern part of the Philippines you`d expect how long the travel time would be, from Manila to Vigan passing through the MacArthur highway it would take at most 6 hours and 45 minutes to 7 hours to get to Vigan proper. Although the trip to Vigan would be really exhausting it will all be worth it because the moment you step down your vehicle it will be like you were sent back in time. During our visit we stayed in a quaint little bed & breakfast that was just 10 minutes away from Calle Cisologo by foot. It was a convenient and affordable place to stay in and the amenities were really enjoyable.
When talked about Vigan one of the most well known and iconic place in the area would be Calle Crisologo. With it`s beautifully preserved Hispanic houses and Cobble Stones path it would surely be a hit with the tourists. Calle Crisologo boasts hundreds of years of history just along the street. Although very beautiful and eye catching there are some buildings in the area that hold a painful memories for the locals. Calle Crisologo has multiple souvenir shops along with restaurants lining the street in order to provide tourists a more wholesome experience. This street would be a wonderful option for purchasing goods for your loved ones, not only is it convenient considering it`s all in one street but it is also very entertaining and fulfilling to shop in this area. An added bonus would be that it is a great place for you to take all your instagram worthy pictures as well.
The Baluarte Zoo is also a great spot where you can meet and
possibly even interact with some animals. This zoo is owned by Chavit Singson
who credits his hunting hobby as his motive to set up Baluarte in the first
place, he also aims to promote the conservation and protection of endangered
species. Although it as a quite big zoo one thing I noticed is that the animals
in the cages looked really sad and down, it`s as if they were not happy. The
management could probably a lot more time for the animals to at least move a
little in an open area. If you do plan on going here then I suggest you go in
the early morning because not only will you beat the other tourists in getting
there it is also much less hot compared to going in the afternoon.
If you do have time to spare I`d really suggest visiting the
Hidden Garden restaurant. It is a 30 minute tricycle ride from main Vigan and
is pretty hidden, hence the name, from tourists. All the food that was served
to us was really amazing and delicious, but I`d say that their empanada stole
the show. I`ve never tasted a more scrumptious and delicious empanada in my
entire life. This area is also another good spot for relaxation, with the
various plants and fountains surrounding the area it will surely ease and de-stress your mind.
During the duration of our trip one of the things I probably
enjoyed the most is taking kalesa ride around Calle Crisoogo and just exploring
the area itself. I personally do not regret taking the kalesa ride in the
evening, I feel like I was able to feel more of the Vigan Vibe rather than the
other activities we did. Just walking down the path of Crisologo gives you this
exhilarating feeling, the feeling wherein you feel like you`re part of
something in history. Stopping by and going in the historical buildings is
another experience in itself. Imagine after hundreds of years you get to stand
in the exact same building where your kababayans in the Spanish era. It is just
purely amazing how there is so much history in one town and at the same time
you get to experience it yourselves as well.
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