10 Exciting and Worth-Experiencing Things to Do in Cebu City: A Bucket List to Unlock

Have Fun While Studying English in Cebu City

While planning your next study abroad trip to the Philippines, set up a bucket list of things to do in Cebu City and unlock it during your stay. You have a lot to experience while you are in the Queen City.

Aside from achieving your goal of learning English and improving your communication skills, you can also have fun while engaging yourself in interesting things to get you out of your chaotic language-learning journey.

The longer you stay for a language study, the more incredible experiences you’ll have in Cebu City. Don’t focus much on studying English; give yourself time to meditate, relax, and unwind while on your holiday.

ESL schools in Cebu like QQEnglish have offline classes on the weekdays. On the weekends, students get the chance to have a city tour or get involved in community outreach programs sponsored by the company. They can also opt for a more adventurous experience by going to the nearest white sand beaches or dining in exclusive but affordable restaurants.

There are many things to do in Cebu City. You have many options to choose from. Just get ready to unlock these things on your bucket list.

15 Exciting Things to Do in Cebu City

It’s now time to unlock our bucket list – some of the most exciting things to do in Cebu City. Are you excited to check out our list? Well, wait no more as we will now begin to open these activities to you. 

1. Book a day tour around the city

Cebu City has a lot to offer. You don’t need to go out of town and visit sightseeing spots. Just book a day tour around the city and tour agencies can take you to the most famous spots in the city including temples, historical and religious sites, flower gardens, museums, restaurants, and many more.

2. Visit historical and religious sites

• • Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño

Cebu City is the oldest city in the Philippines, so it comes  with many historical and religious sites. One of these is the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, which is a symbol of the Cebuanos’ sincere devotion to Santo Niño, the holy child. This is one of the oldest churches in the country. Include this on your list of things to do in Cebu City.

• • Plaza Independencia and Fort San Pedro

    
    This famous people’s park was known to be Cebu’s symbol of freedom and independence against conquerors. Inside, is the Fort San Pedro which was the headquarters and bunkers of the military during the Spanish settlement of the country.
    
    Today, the fort is open to tourists for picture taking, strolling, leisure time, sightseeing, and the like.

• • Magellan’s Cross

This famous site in the city of Cebu is one of the many sites that are part of Cebu’s history. The cross was known to have been planted by Spanish explorers led by Ferdinand Magellan during their expedition in 1521.

According to stories, the cross is protected by a pavilion because many people in the past took away some pieces of the wood as they believed that it was miraculous. 

• • Cebu Heritage Monument

Located in the heart of Cebu City, the Cebu Heritage Monument was built to highlight the most important events in Cebu’s history. The monument is a symbol of independence from the Spanish colonialists, and trade between the Cebuanos and Chinese people, and also includes religious events like the beatification of the Cebuano martyr, Pedro Calungsod.

• • Museo Sugbu

Sugbu is the Visayan term for Cebu. This is the provincial museum of the Province of Cebu which contains galleries with artifacts depicting various eras in Philippine history including the Japanese occupation in the Philippines.

3. Experience the night market and nightlife.

• • Carbon market

One of the things to do in Cebu City is strolling around the Carbon Market. The carbon market is famous for its cheap items most particularly vegetables, root crops, and “ukay-ukay” or second-hand clothes or shoes. You can see a lot of food stalls in an array where different kinds of cuisines from various countries are sold.

• • Colon night market

Colon Street is the oldest street in the Philippines and it is the heart of Cebu City. At night, the street is filled with a number of crowds who want to experience the night market. Vendors of a variety of items like clothes, shoes, accessories, and the like offer discounts if you know how to haggle.

If you want to eat street food, the famous “pungko-pungko” is also there. Food stalls also line up to provide affordable but tasty meals for those who are on a tight budget.

• • Party clubs and Karaoke establishments

If you are up for entertainment and refreshments, you can visit party clubs in Cebu City, specifically in Mango Square. Karaoke establishments are for those who love singing. Night clubs and such karaoke spots are usually full on weekends. You can choose any mode of entertainment according to your lifestyle. Partying can be on your top list of things to do in Cebu City.

4. Roam around the famous temples in Cebu City 

• • Taoist Temple

If you want to meditate and free your mind from hectic language study, then the Taoist Temple is the best place where you should be. This temple was built by the Chinese community. It has a wide and spacious space, perfect for viewing the city.

• • Temple of Leah

    

Located in the mountainous part of Cebu City, the Temple of Leah was built by Teodorico Soriano Adarna in honor of his beautiful wife Leah Albino-Adarna because of his love for her. The temple is often compared to the Taj Mahal in India as both were built because of love.

• • I-Kuan Tao Sian Tian

This temple came from Taiwan and the spiritual movement was brought to Cebu City. The temple holds teachings of the values of respect, family, honor, and moderation.

• • Phu Sian Temple

The Phu Sian Temple is a Buddhist temple now operated by Buddhist monks of Chinese descent. This is a perfect place for solitude as the atmosphere offers relaxation of mind and heart as visitors pray to Buddha.

5. Witness the city’s night view.

Cebu City’s night view is seen clearly and beautifully from the mountainous areas of the city. Tops Lookout is one of the famous sites in the city where you can see the whole view of Cebu City including the cities of Mandaue City and Lapulapu City. It recently re-opened after renovation to give way to tourists and locals to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

When you are traveling by plane at night, the magnificent night view of Cebu City is visible from the horizon.

6. Relax, unwind, go on overnight camping, or take a day trip to flower farms.

One of the things to do in Cebu City is to relax and unwind in a solemn environment. If you are adventurous and you want to feel the warmth and cool breeze of nature in the mountains, Cebu City can offer you these things. You can go on overnight camping at several spots in the city or interact with flowers in the beautiful flower gardens.

• • Lava Mountain River Farm

Are you into spending solitude or family trips in a peaceful environment? Lava Mountain River Farm offers exclusivity and tranquility. This is the perfect spot to fully relax and unwind after your English study. You can do a lot of activities on the farm, including camping.

• • Sirao Flower Garden

Also called Cebu’s Little Amsterdam, this flower garden is famous to tourists because it provides colorful variants of flowers. Replicas of some sites in Amsterdam are also seen in the flower garden where you can take “Instagrammable” pictures and post them on your social media accounts.

• • Strawberry de Cantipla Eco Farm

Strawberries are rare in the Philippines but you can find them in Cebu. Although the place is a little far away from the city center, Strawberry de Cantipla Eco Farm is also a good place to experience cold weather and taste strawberries.

7. Book an island-hopping tour or a diving experience

You can give yourself time to spend your holiday on an island-hopping tour. Many tour agencies offer this kind of activity to tourists. You can also indulge yourself in diving lessons and go deeper into the seabed of Cebu City. Tourists never miss an island-hopping activity and it is surely on their bucket list of things to do in Cebu City.

8. Dance to the beat at the Sinulog Festival.

Do you want to experience the grandest and richest festival in the Philippines? Experience the Sinulog Festival where you get the chance to dance with the Sinulog dancers and experience street dancing while wearing Sinulog headdresses and costumes.

9. Stroll around the biggest malls in the city.

Your Cebu City experience is not complete without going to the biggest malls in the city. There are the Ayala Malls located in Cebu IT Park Central Bloc, across the building where QQEnglish is located and one is at Cebu Business Park.

However, the biggest of all is the SM Seaside at the South Road Properties. Another SM mall is also located in Mabolo, Cebu City where you can dine, bowl, watch movies, etc.

10. Dine in local buffet restaurants and taste the famous and tasty Cebu lechon.

Cebu is known for its lechon (roasted pig) dish. Try it at local lechon restaurants. Enjoy the crispiness and “umami” feeling when you dip it in a spicy vinegar sauce. If you want, you can also dine in local buffet restaurants where they serve a variety of cuisines from other countries.

• • Vikings Cebu
  • Grand Majestic
  • Bai Hotel
  • Seda Hotels
  • Yakimix

Hooray! These are just a few of the many things to do in Cebu City when you spend your vacation or English study in the Queen City of the South. Chillax, Cebu City is just around here, ready to give you the best escape you ever wanted.

A Bonus for You!

As a bonus for continuously reading up on this part, we are excited to include it in the list and show you the longest bridge in the Philippines that can only be found in Cebu: The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway or CCLEX.