Food has always been a part of the culture of Cebuanos. This is evident in all the restaurants dotting the different parts of the metro. There are a good number of well-known restaurants that have satisfied the culinary cravings of both locals and expats. However, there are also some eating places that are not so well known but are popular for the dishes they serve. The popularity of these places is typically passed on by word-of-mouth. 

This list shows seven hole-in-the-wall eating places in Cebu that you can visit for each day of the week. 

If you want an authentic Spanish culinary experience, the best place to go to is Arano's. The restaurant is tucked away in the Fairlane Village in Guadalupe. The owner, Mr. Angel Ibarlucea y Arano, is a Spanish expat who first came to Cebu as a pelota player over five decades ago. The restaurant first opened its doors to hungry diners in 1992 and has been the destination of Cebuanos who want to have a taste of authentic Spanish cuisine. The restaurant itself was formerly a house that was converted into a restaurant. The dining area is located in the garden of the establishment.

While Señor Arano does not make any recommendations since he considers all the dishes delicious, the restaurant is home to one of the best paella in town. However, it is necessary to call at least two days before your visit if you want to taste the paella since they want to ensure fresh ingredients are used for the dish. In addition to the paella, the restaurant also has a host of other Spanish dishes including lengua, spicy caldereta, Gambas con Pasta and beef stew.

To get to Arano’s, drive through V. Rama Avenue until you reach Guadalupe Elementary School. Fairlane Village is located across the school. When you enter the village, take the first right until you reach a small green gate. Arano’s right beside this green gate. Arano’s is open from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM from Monday to Saturday. You can contact them through (032) 256-1934.

Right beside Arano’s is another hole-in-the-wall eating place, Doming’s. Doming’s, similar to Arano’s, is a house-turned-eating place. Cebuanos agree that the ngohiong it serves is among, if not, the best in the city. Its popularity has reached a level where it may run out of stock by 1:00 PM. A good number of its customers have been coming back to eat here almost every day. The taste of the ngohiong offered by Doming’s is enhanced by its sauce. It is best paired with puso or the famous hanging rice. 

Aside from ngohiong, Doming’s also offer has chicken as well as batikon and atay or chicken gizzard and liver. Doming’s is open for lunch from Monday to Friday. 

When making a list about food in Cebu, it is never complete without lechon. One hole-in-the-wall lechon place in Cebu is Tatang’s Extra Crispy Boneless lechon. The main branch of Tatang’s is located along Wilson Street in Lahug, right across the Pino Restaurant.  Since this branch focuses on take-outs, the eating area is rather cozy. They offer spicy lechon belly as well as other variations of their main offering, including lechon wraps, lechon flakes and lechon sisig, among others. The lechon belly of Tatang’s was recognized by the first Best of Cebu of Sun Star Weekend as the best for 2013. 

Tatang’s is just a stone’s throw away from JY Square and is open every day from 11:00 AM until 10:00 PM. You can get in touch with them through (032) 316-4719 or (032) 406-3873.

For If you are looking for a restaurant offering healthy yet delicious cuisine, you check out the King of Chicken. The King of Chicken is a sit-down restaurant offering delectable dishes at a reasonable price. The store had its humble beginnings as a small store along Urgello Street, Cebu City. The original store offered deep-fried chicken and became an instant hit in the neighborhood. It is still in operation and is now named Bok-Bok by the King of Chicken. 

From simply offering appetizing chicken, its menu has expanded to offer fish, beef and vegetables dishes along with fresh fruits for the health-conscious Cebuano. Among its best-sellers are the steamed boneless bangus and tossed green salad. The store has a number of loyal customers and has become popular among doctors and nurses working at a nearby hospital along with office workers from surrounding establishments. One interesting thing to take note of at the King of Chicken, the restaurant does not offer any pork dishes.

The King of Chicken is open from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM from Monday to Saturday. It is located along Osmeña Boulevard, just a few meters away from Cebu Doctor’s Hospital. 

The Chinese influence in Cebu is manifested in the love of Cebuanos for Chinese food. While there are numerous Chinese restaurants in Cebu, there are a few select eating places where you can have the feel and taste of a typical Hong Kong restaurant, one of which is Mingnan Chinese Cuisine. This hole-in-the wall restaurant is located in the downtown area of Cebu close to the Santo Niño Church. 

The food is not only mouth-watering it is also reasonably-priced. In fact, a set meal composed of two viands and rice costs only P50. Aside from the ready to order food items found on the counter, you can also order other Chinese dishes from the waitresses in the restaurant, including lomi, dumplings and beef guisado.

The restaurant may not be easy to find since it is located along a side street in the downtown area. But, with the Santo Niño Church as a reference point, you can go down two blocks towards Gaisano Metro Colon and turn right into a side street. Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is on the right side of the road. Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM. You can get in touch with them through (032) 511-8400.

Also called the High Blood Station, Pareng Vic’s Carenderia is a small diner located in the heart of the Mabolo area. It’s called the High Blood Station due to the food items on its menu. Among its offerings are chicharon bulaklak, tungol, ginabot and other deep-fried treats that may cause your blood pressure to go up.

It attracts people from all walks of life, including car-riding customers who just drive their way for lunch or dinner. While the prices of the food on the menu of Pareng Vic’s Carenderia are not the same as a neighborhood carenderia, they are still reasonable and comparable to a number of diners in the city.

Pareng Vic’s Carenderia is located along L. Tudtud Street, Mabolo and is open until the early hours in the morning.

The Burrow Lounge offers unlimited chicken wings for only P199. This restaurant is located between JY Square and Tatang’s Extra Crispy Boneless Lechon at the ground floor of the Tsai Hotel & Residences building.  Similar to Tatang’s the Burrow Lounge has a limited seating capacity. Due to this, the place is typically packed during dinner and if you are not there early, you will have to wait for several minutes before you are seated.

The P199 price for their unlimited chicken wings already includes unlimited rice. The place offers four flavors of their chicken wings: Classic, Chili, Asian Barbecue and Mild Terriyaki. While the Burrow Lounge has other items on its menu, their chicken wings are what makes people wait for some time before they are seated. 

The Burrow Lounge is open for lunch from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and dinner from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday.

Cebu City is well-known for its rich cultural heritage since it is the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines.  While there are numerous tourist spots around Cebu City, it is possible to visit some of the well-known ones within one day. 

You can use the following itinerary to visit popular tourist spots within the Metro Cebu. Most of the tourist spots on this list are actually within walking distance of each other, so you can visit most of these sites on foot.

The first place you can visit is Fort San Pedro or the Fuerte de San Pedro. This triangular fort is the first and smallest Spanish fort established in the Philippines. The fort was built under the orders of Miguel López de Legazpi following his arrival in Cebu in 1565 to provide protection to the Spanish settlement against pirates and raiders. The original wooden structure was replaced in the 17th century. This triangular structure features three bastions, Ignacio de Loyola, San Miguel and La Concepcion and is located in the vicinity of Plaza Indepedencia. The fort also houses a small museum showcasing well-preserved artifacts from the Spanish era. The entrance fee at Fort San Pedro is P30 for adults and P20 for students and children while senior citizens only have to pay P24. It is open every day from 8:00 AM up to 8:00 PM.

Just a short walk away from Fort San Pedro is the chapel housing Magellan’s Cross. A casing made of tindalo wood serves as the cover of the original cross, which was gradually chipped away by the natives in the belief that it possessed miraculous powers. The chapel housing the cross is currently a part of the seal of Cebu City. It is also used on the logos and seals of numerous organizations based in Cebu. The chapel housing Magellan’s Cross is open to the public.

After posing for pictures inside the chapel housing Magellan’s Cross, you can proceed to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, popularly known as the Santo Niño Church.  The church is located right beside Magellan’s Cross, and is the location where a Spanish soldier found an image of the Santo Niño. The image was a gift given by Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of Rajah Humabon. The Holy See refers to the church as the “Mother and Head of all Churches in the Philippines." 

Once you’ve had your fill of blessings at the Santo Niño Church, you can talk another short walk to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. The formal name of the cathedral is Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and St. Vitalis. Construction of the structure started in 1689 and completed in 1909. However, it was destroyed during the Second World War before being rebuilt in 1950. The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu.

Right across the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral along Mabini Street is the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.  The museum is formally known as the Ecclesiastical Museum of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu. The museum may look quite ordinary from the outside, but houses an impressive collection of religious artifacts and architecture from different parts of the region. The structure itself is also interesting since it is an excellent example of the Spanish era bahay-na-bato. It was constructed using different materials, including hardwood and Capiz shells. While the roof is now using galvanized steel, the original material used for it was baked clay tiles or “tejas.” The entrance fee for the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Museum is P55 for adults, P25 for children and P100 for foreign tourists. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Crossing Mabini Street will bring you to Plaza Hamabar. The plaza is the location of a statue of Rajah Humabon. Rajah Humabon is the Cebuano chieftain who welcomed Magellan with open arms and became the first Filipino chieftain to enter the Christian world. Plaza Hamabar is open to the public.

Next stop is Colon Street, the oldest street in the Philippines. All you need to do is following Mabini Street until you reach the obelisk detailing the historical significance of Colon Street. The street was named after Cristobal Colon or Christopher Columbus. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established the street in 1565 after he arrived in the Philippines. It is the center of commercial activity in the city and was declared a historical landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1999.

Just a stone’s throw away from the obelisk on the northern end of Colon Street is the Cebu Heritage Monument.  The monument is a montage depicting scenes and events significant to the history of the Queen City of the South. National artist Edgardo Castrillo was the person behind the construction of the monument with help from the late Senator Marcelo Fernan. Among the events depicted on the Cebu Heritage Monument are the baptism of Rajah Humabon, the battle of Mactan, the beatification of St. Pedro Calungsod and a procession of the Santo Niño. The Cebu Heritage Monument is open to the public.

It should already be lunch by this time, and when it comes to food the first thing that comes to mind when you visit the Queen City of the South is Cebu lechon. Cebu is home to "the best pig ever" according to celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. The lechon the famous "No Reservations" host was referring to can be found in Zubuchon. The lechon from this restaurant may cost more due to all the ingredients they put into it, according to general manager Mary Joan Danao. Zubuchon has a number of branches in the city and the closest branch is along General Maxilom Avenue. From the Cebu Heritage Monument to Zubuchon you can take a taxi to Zubuchon, which is less than thirty minutes away depending on the traffic.

Cebu is also known for its exquisite beaches that are popular among local and foreign tourists. Once you’ve had your fill of the world famous Cebu lechon, you can now hit the beaches of Mactan.  One beach resort you can visit is Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa, which was adjudged as the third of the Top 25 Resorts in Asia based on the 28th Readers’ Choice Awards of Condé Nast. The resort boasts of a number of amenities that can soothe your aching muscles after all the walking you did in the morning.

Since you are already in Mactan Island, you drop by at the Mactan Shrine in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City. The shrine was built in honor of the heroics of Lapu-Lapu during the battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521. A 20-meter bronze statue of the Mactan chieftain serves as the highlight of the shrine.

You can take your dinner at the SuTuKil area, which is situated a few steps away from the Mactan Shrine. The area has a number of restaurants offering different seafood items. The more renowned restaurants are Fredz SuTuKil and Manna SuTuKil. You can have the seafood cooked in three ways, Sugba or grilled over charcoal, Tuwa or stewed with spices and Kilaw or immersed in white vinegar and different spices.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Going on this Tour

Before going on this walking tour of some of the popular tourist spots in the city of Cebu, it is necessary to make sure you wear a light-colored shirt and a pair of comfortable shoes. Bringing an umbrella is also advised just in case the sun shines too bright or it rains. You can also bring a bottle of water. While Cebuanos are generally friendly and ready to lend a helping hand, it does not hurt to be always aware of your surroundings.

While there are a lot more to see in Cebu, it is quite possible to check out the more popular tourist spots in the city all in one day. You can always come back since the Queen City of the South is just a plane or boat ride away. 

Cebu is well-known for its exquisite white sand beaches located less than an hour away from the center of the city. These beaches are popular among both local and international tourists, and may get crowded during the tourist season.

But, did you know that there is a hidden gem of a beach just three hours away from the city. This secluded paradise is located in Barangay Maravilla in the town of Tabuelan. Tabuelan is a small quiet town situated in the northwestern part of the island of Cebu. It is around three hours away from the Cebu City. 

Maravilla beach is a small piece of Eden where you can have fun without having to worry about spending too much. Here, you can sit back and relax as the sun sets over the horizon or you can take a dip in its pristine waters. Its powdery white sand can rival the best beaches anywhere in the archipelago.  Lush vegetation and big trees also surround the area ensuring it remains cool even in the middle of this year’s record-breaking El Niño. 

Since it’s a public beach, there is no entrance fee. Cottages are available for rent or you can pitch a tent if you want to spend the night. The people living in Barangay Maravilla are quite friendly and barangay officials patrol the area at night to ensure the safety of visitors.  The beach itself is actually located just outside the barangay hall.

If it’s your first time to venture here, it is advisable to drop by the barangay hall so officials can help you get settled down.  The place also has a canteen where you can buy supplies you may forgotten to bring. For those who want to have a more comfortable sleep, they can check in a number of resorts available in the area, including La Familia and Durhan resorts. 

There are a number of ways for you to get to Maravilla. You can take a bus or van for hire at the North Bus Terminal in Subangdaku, Mandaue City. The mini-buses bring you directly to Barangay Maravilla, but you should take note that there are a limited number of buses going straight to the barangay. Since these are mini-buses, they do not have any air-conditioning.

You can also take either a bus or a van for hire to the town of Tuburan. From Tuburan, you can ride a tricycle or habal-habal to the town of Tabuelan where another habal-habal can bring you to the barangay.  You can also take a van for hire at the Ayala Terminal to Tabuelan before riding a tricycle or habal-habal to Tabuelan. Then you can take another habal-habal ride to Maravilla. 

The best way is to ride your own vehicle to Barangay Maravilla. While riding public transportation takes at least three hours, riding a private vehicle can bring you to the beach in around two hours.

Maravilla beach is definitely a perfect weekend getaway for anyone who wants to get away from the stress brought about by life in the city.

The Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe of Tangub City won defended their title as the Sinulog-based category champions. This is the second consecutive year the continent from Misamis Occidental won in this category.

On the other hand, Tribu Buyoganon failed to defend its title as The Land of Beauty and Bounty contingent from Lanao Del Norte took home the crown in the Free Interpretation category. But, the contingent from Abuyog, Leyte did not go home empty-handed as they snatched the street dancing category crown from Lumad Basakanon, the winner last year. Tribu Basakanon was placed fifth in this category.

Each of the winners in the three categories took home P1 million.

Lanao del Norte is no stranger to the Sinulog Grand Parade as it has been participating in the event since 2009. This is the first time the contingent won the top prize. In the past, it took the fourth place two times and once placed fifth in the category. It was also able to cop the best in costume award once.

The performance of Lanao Del Norte was described by Nestor Jardin as laudable.Jardin was the overall chairman of the judges for the free interpretation category. He added that the contingent was able to sustain their energy throughout the event while they had an exemplary production design. Jardin also said the choreography was well-synchronized with the props they used. 

On the other hand, the decision to give the top prize to Tangub City in the Sinulog-based category was unanimous, according to the chairman of the panel of judges Josefina Guillen. She said the contingent highlight the appropriate places.

Tribu Buyoganon was better compared to the champion of the street dancing competition last year, said Jardin.

Tribu Katbalaugan, Buyogan Festival-Tribu Buyoganon, Tribu Himag-ulaw and Lumad Basakanon rounded up the top five palces in the free interpretation category. While Carcar City Division, Tangub City Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe, Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City, and Municipality of Tuburan placed second to fifth respectively in the Sinulog-based category.

The other winners in the street dancing competition were the Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe, Kulturang Placereño, Carcar City Division and Lumad Basakanon.

The Miss Cebu 2016 Coronation Night was held on the evening of January 13, 2016 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. Gabriele Raine Baljak bested eleven other candidates for the crown. The radio DJ and TV host epitomized all the values of a true Cebuana.

Joining this year’s Miss Cebu are Tracy Maureen Perez, Shaila Mae Rebortera, Merl Gayo and Felina Joyce Lim, who were the 1st runner-up, 2nd runner-up, 3rd runner-up and 4th runner-up, respectively.

Aside from bagging the crown, Baljak was also awarded as the ABS-CBN Kapamilya Star of the Night and Best in Evening Gown. On the other hand, Miss Photogenic and Miss Friendship went to Felina Joyce Lim

The answer of Baljak to the question of how she can encourage Miss Universe Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez to take some time out to visit Cebu was cheered by the audience. She said she would tell Gutierrez that she should visit Cebu “where the heart sings.” She added that Cebuanos demonstrate genuine passion and they love to share and care for their people. While Miss Colombia is gorgeous, she had “too much confidence.” Baljak added that Miss Colombia will have the opportunity to enjoy the “simple things in life” since Cebuanos remain happy in any situation, which makes Cebu a place where the heart sings.

Jun Escario, designer of Bea Clarisse Raboy, received the Best Evening Gown designer award by Christian Espiritu, famed fashion designer and chairman of the board.

Miss Cebu 2016 will have the task of promoting Cebu as a unique tourist destination, which has a good mix of culture and history. Alpio Saban of Crystal & Supplies and Simply Cebuana designed the new crown for Miss Cebu 2016, “Kaugmaon,” which currently rests on the head of Baljak. 

The Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan is among the highlights of the annual Sinulog Festival. This year’s edition of the event was held last January 9. The street dancing started at the Cebu Provincial Capitol and ended at the Cebu City Sport Complex. A total of nine contingents from different towns across the province of Cebu participated in the event. Three of these contingents battled in the elementary division while six contingents participated in the secondary division.

At the end of the day, Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City won the Ritual Showdown in the Elementary division while Looc Norte National High School of Asturias won in the Secondary Division. Looc National High School has a rather interesting story since the day before the competition their props were damaged by unidentified individuals while these were stored at the Cebu City Sports Center. This was revealed through a report from philstar.com.

Despite this, Rutchel Japitan had faith in the Santo Niño that they will prevail over this setback. And prevail they did, on the day of the competition, the audience cheered for the performers of the group, who were dressed as priests and nuns. The upcoming 51st International Eucharistic Congress served as the inspiration of the performance of the group.

Looc Norte National High School received P350,000 as grand prize winner. In addition to winning the Ritual Showdown, the group also placed second in the Street Dancing and Best in Musicality competitions. Carcar City Division placed second in the secondary division Ritual Showdown while the Municipality of Tuburan took third place. In the Elementary Division, Naga Central School placed second in the Ritual Showdown followed by Tribu Ginatilan. 

The winners of both divisions will perform during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 17. The following is the complete list of winners for the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan:

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan Elementary Division.

Ritual Showdown
1st place - Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City 
2nd place - Naga Central School 
3rd place - Tribu Ginatilan 

Street Dancing
1st place - Naga Central School 
2nd place - Tribu Ginatilan 
3rd place - Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City 

Best in Musicality
1st place - Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City 
2nd place - Naga Central School 
3rd place - Tribu Ginatilan  

Best in Costume
Naga Central School 

Best Choreographer
1st place - Michael Dax Barlaan of Pundok sa Kabataang Mananayaw sa Danao City 
2nd place - Marvey Cano of Naga Central School 
3rd place - Walter S. Itao of Tribu Ginatilan 

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan Secondary Division.

Ritual Showdown
1st place - Looc Norte National High School – Asturias 
2nd place - Carcar City Division 
3rd place - Municipality of Tuburan 
4th place - Mandaue City Youth Cultural Dance Troupe 
5th place - Tribu Alegrianhon 

Best in Musicality
1st place - Carcar City Division 
2nd place - Looc Norte National High School – Asturias 
3rd place - Municipality of Tuburan 
4th place - Mandaue City Youth Cultural Dance Troupe 
5th place - Tribu Alegrianhon 

Best in Costume
Carcar City Division 

Street Dancing
1st place - Municipality of Tuburan 
2nd place - Looc Norte NHS Asturias 
3rd place - Mandaue City Cultural Dance Troupe 

Best Choreographer
1st place - Walter Betito of Looc Norte National High School Asturias 
2nd place - Kathryn Q. Estenzo of Carcar City Division 
3rd place - Fernando Carillo of Municipality of Tuburan 
4th place - Michael Dax Barlaan of Mandaue City Youth Cultural Dance Troupe 
5th place - Wendell C. Biadnes of Tribu Alegrianhon 

Every January, Cebu comes alive to the beat of the drums of the Sinulog. The event kicks off with a solemn dawn procession and ends with the Sinulog Grand Parade on the third Sunday of January. A number of other exciting activities are held during the Sinulog season.

The following is a list of some of the fun-filled events that you can look forward to during the Sinulog season. 

Walk With Jesus Dawn Procession

The Walk with Jesus dawn procession will be held on January 7, 2016. This solemn activity is typically attended by thousands of devotees. It starts at the Fuente Osmeña Circle and ends at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Sinulog Kick Off Parade

A mini-Sinulog parade will be held on January 8 and participated by contingents from schools and universities around Cebu. The participating contingents perform along Osmeña Boulevard during the event, which culminates at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan

On January 9, students from different Cebu provincial schools will participate in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan. The event will see the students showing off their dancing skills in a street-dancing competition held along Osmeña Boulevard. The winners of the event will join the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 17. 

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan

A day after students from Cebu provincial schools perform in a street dance competition, students from different schools from Cebu City will have the chance to show their talents in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. It will be a street-dancing competition where the winners will join the Sinulog Grand Parade on the third week of January.

Miss Cebu Coronation Night

Miss Cebu is the longest running beauty pageant in Cebu. It was originally organized to promote Cebu as a feasible alternative tourist destination in 1984. It produced numerous national and international beauty queens and world-class models. Since Cebuanos are known for their intelligence, the Miss Cebu pageant puts brains before beauty. The Miss Cebu Coronation Night will be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on January 13.

Sinulog Festival Queen Competition

On January 14, the lead dancers of the different Sinulog Grand Parade contingents will compete for the title of Sinulog Festival Queen. The event is a runway competition and photo-shoot that will be held at the SM City Cebu.

Sinulog Festival Queen Coronation Night

The coronation of the Sinulog Festival Queen will be held at the Cebu City Sports Center on January 14. The event is a ritual and dance competition of the lead dancers of the different Sinulog Grand Parade contingents.

Cebu Pop Music Festival

On January 15, the Cebu Pop Music Festival will be held at the Cebu Coliseum. The event is a songwriting competition among amateur and professional songwriters. The songs are performed by the best and up-and-coming singing talents from Cebu.

Fluvial Procession

A day before the solemn procession, the Fluvial Procession will see the image of the Santo Niño brought from Mandaue City to Cebu City on board a beautifully-decorated “galleon.” The image is escorted by a flotilla of boats of various sizes as it is brought back to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. This year, the Fluvial Procession will be held on the wee hours of the morning of January 16. 

Solemn Procession

On the afternoon of the same day as the Fluvial Parade, the image of the Santo Niño is taken around the major streets of Cebu for the annual Solemn Procession. This religious event is attended by millions of pilgrims and devotees of the Santo Niño who join together to honor the Holy Child.

Mañanita Mass

On the feast day of Senor Santo Niño de Cebu, an early morning mass will be held at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. After the Mañanita Mass, a Pontifical Mass will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Cebu, His Eminence Jose S. Palma.

Sinulog Grand Parade

The Sinulog Grand Parade is the most-awaited event during the Sinulog. The event is brings together different dancing contingents from all over the country. Aside from the competition, a number of the participants consider their participation as a form of thanksgiving for the blessings they received in the past. The grand parade will follow a carousel route around the major streets of the City of Cebu. It starts and ends at the Cebu City Sports Center.

In addition to these major activities, visitors can also look forward to nightly cultural presentations, fireworks competitions and other activities that have made the Sinulog into one of the best festivals in the world. 

One of the foremost hotel-booking sites, Agoda.com, awarded the Gold Circle Award to Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu, according to a recent report from SunStar.com. Accommodations symbolizing the best qualities within the online hospitality industry are given the award. Aggregate reviews from customers, pricing, utilization of the Yield Control System (YCS) of Agoda.com and a solid understanding of the intricate online booking industry served as the basis for the Gold Circle Awards. 

Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu is among the most popular accommodations located in Mactan Island in Cebu. This five star beachfront hotel is Mediterranean-inspired and is preferred by tourists, families, media personalities and celebrities. The resort offers numerous choices, including accommodation, leisure and entertainment activities, wellness and culinary delights. In addition to the ambiance and comfort it offers its guests, it is a favored destination among gourmands looking for distinctive dining experiences.

The signature dining and entertainment space of the hotel, Ibiza Beach Club, offers authentic Mediterranean cuisine, Harold Rainfroy, general manager of the hotel, said the team is thrilled with the Gold Circle Award and the hotel is committed in meeting the expectations of its guests as well as keep up with the trends within the hospitality industry. The hotel also aims to ensuring all its guests have a fun and memorable experience at a reasonable cost.

Rainfroy also said the hotel offers numerous special deals on all its accommodations. He added that the hotel packages its offers with discounts and benefits from some of its facilities along with dining experiences. Rainfroy also indicated that there is always something for every member of the family. This includes access to the Kids’ Club for the children and the Spa del Mar where parents can enjoy some downtime.