Churches

Experience Cebu’s unique blend of Spanish colonial and Filipino culture through its charming Catholic churches. Cebu’s churches offer a glimpse into the island’s rich history and a chance to see exquisite examples of religious art and architecture.

The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu is the oldest church in the Philippines and home to the statue of the Holy Child Jesus, revered as the nation’s patron saint. The church’s Baroque-style facade and intricate altars make it a must-see for tourists visiting Cebu. The Carmelite Monastery, built in the 1500s, showcases beautiful stained glass windows and a magnificent ceiling mural. The oldest church still standing in Cebu, the Magellan’s Cross Shrine, marks the site where the missionary cross was first planted in the Philippines.

Other notable Cebu churches include the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church, the oldest stone church in Cebu, and the Sto. Niño de Boljoon Parish Church, known for its iconic stone retablo.

Take a walk down memory lane and witness the fusion of spirituality and esthetics at Cebu’s stunning array of Catholic churches, remnants of the island’s centuries-old history as a Spanish colony.