vigan

Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of the Arts 2012

Posted on May 8, 2012

Binatbatan street dancing along Crisologo Street  On a regular day, the UNESCO-listed heritage city of Vigan possesses an effortless charm of its own which never fades every time I visit. This quality, however, is heightened every first week of May during the Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of the Arts, established in 1993 by the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association, Inc. (SVAHAI) to showcase the historic city’s artistic and cultural values. There are several activities lined up during the festival period,Read More→

DIY Walking Tour – Vigan City

Posted on January 10, 2012

  Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur Starting Point: Crisologo Museum End Point: Crisologo Street Distance: 3 km Duration: 8 hours   Along cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages clip-clop through beautifully weathered mansions finished with terracotta roofs, capiz shell windows and wrought-iron grillwork. No other town in the Philippines evokes old-world allure better than the provincial capital of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, 408 km north of Manila.   Chinese merchants frequented this trading post, strategically located on the mouth of the Abra River, long before the Spanish Crown,Read More→

The Historic Town of Vigan: A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Posted on August 25, 2010

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia. www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/vigan.html HOW TO GET HERE: Manila-Laoag buses pass by Vigan (7 hours). A Partas deluxe bus costs PHP 621 – Cubao Terminal: Tel. +632 7257303. Or flyRead More→