Ilocos Sur, northern Luzon · Philippines
The best-preserved Spanish colonial town in Asia, a cobbled street of ancestral houses, horse-drawn calesas and empanada stalls.
Photo: Simon Burchell · CC BY-SA 3.0
Vigan, on the north-west coast of Luzon, is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. It was established in the 16th century as a trading post, where Chinese, Filipino and Spanish cultures met, and its surviving grid of streets and mansions combines Philippine, Chinese and European building traditions. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2015 it was named one of the New 7 Wonders Cities.
The heart of the historic district is Calle Crisologo, a cobbled street lined with ancestral houses whose ground floors are stone or brick and whose upper floors are wooden with sliding capiz-shell windows. Horse-drawn calesas clatter along the street, and lamps light it in the evening. Traffic is closed at times. The nearby Plaza Salcedo, Vigan Cathedral and Plaza Burgos are the social heart.
Vigan is also a craft and food town. The Pagburnayan workshops produce large burnay clay jars, and the Ilocos region is famous for its empanadas, longganisa sausage and bagnet, crispy pork belly. A day trip can take in nearby Paoay Church and the sand dunes of Laoag. Two days is a good stay.
Why visit
Vigan is the best place in the Philippines to feel colonial history.
Calle Crisologo.
Horse-drawn carriages.
Empanada and longganisa.
Burnay pottery.
Listed in 1999.
Main attractions
The historic district is compact and walkable.
The famous cobbled street of ancestral houses and shops, magical in the evening.
Tip Go at dusk.
A baroque cathedral of the 16th century, with a striking facade.
Tip Visit in the morning.
A park with a monument and a dancing fountain at night.
Tip Go in the evening.
Pottery workshops where burnay jars are made.
Tip Try the potter's wheel.
A museum in the home of a president's family.
Tip Allow an hour.
A zoo with animals and a view.
Tip Good for families.
Things to do
Vigan is for slow walks and food.
Along the cobbles.
Tip Agree the price.
Crispy orange pastry.
Tip Try at Plaza Burgos.
At Pagburnayan.
Tip Buy a small jar.
The street glows.
Tip Go after 6 pm.
A baroque church.
Tip Hire a tricycle.
On the dunes.
Tip Go with a tour.
Local food
Ilocano food is meaty and bold.
Rice-flour pastry with papaya, egg and longganisa.
Where to try it Plaza Burgos stalls.
Garlicky sausage.
Where to try it Restaurants.
Crispy fried pork belly.
Where to try it Restaurants.
Shrimp fritters.
Where to try it Street food.
Sugar cane wine.
Where to try it Shops.
Accommodation
Stay in a heritage house.
Transport
Vigan is about 400 km north of Manila.
The district is walkable.
When to go
Vigan is best in the dry season.
Cool and dry.
Hot.
Rain.
Typhoons.
Worth planning around: Typhoon season.
Itinerary
The heritage district and crafts.
Streets.
Pottery.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan.
FAQ
Two.
Overnight bus from Manila.
Yes.
A horse-drawn carriage.
November to April.
Somewhat, but charming.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Vigan, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Ifugao, northern Luzon, Philippines
The Ifugao rice terraces, a UNESCO cultural landscape, with the Banaue viewpoint, the amphitheatre of Batad, Tappiya Falls, village trekking and Ifugao culture.
Don't miss The amphitheatre of Batad's terraces, seen from the viewpoint after a walk through the mountain.
Explore Destination — Banaue and BatadMetro Manila, Luzon, Philippines
The Philippine capital, with the walled city of Intramuros, San Agustin Church, Binondo Chinatown, Rizal Park, museums, malls and nightlife, and the gateway to the country.
Don't miss Walking the ramparts of Fort Santiago in Intramuros as the light softens over the old walled city.
Explore Destination — ManilaSurigao del Norte, north-eastern Mindanao, Philippines
A laid-back island with the Cloud 9 surf break, the Sugba and Magpupungko lagoons and rock pools, Naked Island, Sohoton Cove and a growing café and yoga scene.
Don't miss Watching surfers ride the tubing waves of Cloud 9 from the boardwalk at sunrise.
Explore Destination — SiargaoRead next
Heritage
A UNESCO listing tells you a place matters; it does not tell you whether it is worth two days and a detour. This is how to read the list usefully — and which sites reward building a trip around them.
Where to go
The most visited place in a country is rarely its best, and it is almost never its best value. This is a method for finding the destinations that do not make the postcards — and a set of examples from five of the 50 countries on this site.
Advertisement
