General info
The country's oldest city, Cebu is necessarily the place where relics of the past are a-plenty. Colon Street, for instance, has the a distinction of being the oldest street in the Philippines. Paved late in the 16th century by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, Colon now houses malls, office buildings, theaters as well as museums and monuments. Other places of historical importance include Fort Santiago Pedro, the oldest fortress in the country, Liloan Lighthouse, and the Bantayan sa Hari.

A bustling trade port since pre-historic times, Cebu was named the country's capital by the Spaniards in 1565. Since then, Cebu has maintained its stature as the center of trade and commerce in Southern Philippines.

However, Cebu is more than just a city of increasing sophistication. With its colorful past, the city still retains much of its provincial warmth and charm. Indeed, apart from its numerous man-made landmarks and institutions, Cebu also features miles and miles of forest greens a haven to wildfire and the place for a perfect picnic. There's the 15,393-hectare Central Cebu National Park, the 696-hectare Sudlon National Park, the Cawasan Falls and the Balok-Balok Mineral Springs. Nearby Mactan Island boast of world-class beach resorts.