One day in Manila: itinerary and highlights

Manila contains within the walls of Intramuros the only surviving Spanish fortified city in Southeast Asia, a historic nucleus that coexists with the skyscrapers of the Philippine metropolis grown up around it.

Capital of the Philippines overlooking its namesake bay, it blends Spanish, American and Chinese heritage in a compact historic centre, with the sunset over the bay considered among the most beautiful in Asia.

Intramuros opens the day: the walled city built by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, rebuilt after the destruction of World War II, still preserves cobbled streets and colonial houses behind its stone walls.

Inside it is Fort Santiago, the defensive citadel where national hero José Rizal was imprisoned before his execution, today a sanctuary dedicated to him.

Not far away stands the San Agustín Church, the oldest Baroque church in the Philippines and UNESCO heritage, survived earthquakes, fires, and wars since its construction in the sixteenth century.

For lunch, one of the restaurants of Intramuros offers adobo and the other dishes of Philippine cuisine in a colonial atmosphere.

In the afternoon, Rizal Park, the large city park dedicated to the national hero, hosts the monument erected on the site of his execution.

Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, is instead considered the oldest in the world still active, founded by the Spanish in 1594 for the city's Chinese community.

As evening falls, the waterfront of Manila Bay remains the most direct way to close the day, among one of Southeast Asia's most celebrated sunsets observed from the Baywalk.

Intramuros, Fort Santiago, and San Agustin Church are enough to show Manila's colonial heritage, while an afternoon choice between Rizal Park and Binondo brings the commemorative or multicultural side.

The Makati neighborhood and a trip to Taal Lake, with its active volcano, remain chapters for a second journey. Watching the sun set over Manila Bay from Baywalk remains the most direct image of the city.