You can see the best of Iloilo City in two to three days. Spend one day on heritage in Jaro and Molo, one on downtown and the river, and an evening in Mandurriao for food and nightlife.
Walk the Iloilo River Esplanade
The Esplanade is a long riverside park that follows the Iloilo River through Mandurriao, Molo and City Proper, lined with trees, mangroves and benches. Locals come to jog, bike and watch the sunset. It's at its best in the early morning and late afternoon, when it's cooler.
Explore Calle Real and downtown
- Calle Real (J.M. Basa Street). The old main street, lined with restored Neoclassical and Art Deco buildings from the city's sugar-boom years. Many now hold shops, cafés and bakeries.
- Plaza Libertad. The square where the Philippine flag was first raised in Iloilo after Spain surrendered the city in 1898.
- Old Iloilo City Hall. Now part of the University of the Philippines Visayas, facing Plaza Libertad.
- Fort San Pedro. Site of the 1616 Spanish fort that guarded the harbor, now a seaside park facing Guimaras.
- Casa Real. The restored old provincial capitol building on General Luna Street.
Visit the heritage churches
- Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral. The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles, with its belfry standing across the plaza. Pope John Paul II visited in 1981.
- Molo Church (St. Anne Parish). A Gothic-Renaissance coral-stone church, known as "the feminist church" for its rows of female saints.
- Arevalo Church. Home of one of the oldest Santo Niño images in the country.
Tour the old mansions
| Mansion | District | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Nelly Garden (1928) | Jaro | The grandest of Iloilo's mansions, a Beaux-Arts house of the Lopez family set in wide gardens |
| Lizares Mansion (1937) | Jaro | Now part of Angelicum School; ask permission to view from the grounds |
| Casa Mariquit (c. 1803) | Jaro | The oldest heritage house in the city, home of Vice President Fernando Lopez |
| Molo Mansion (1920s) | Molo | Restored mansion across from Molo Church, with a souvenir shop and café |
| Camiña Balay nga Bato (c. 1865) | Arevalo | Stone house museum where you can try native tsokolate and pancit Molo |
Museums and galleries
- Museo Iloilo. Pre-colonial artifacts, burial jars, textiles and the story of Iloilo, near the Provincial Capitol.
- National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum. Housed in the restored old provincial jail; free admission.
- ILOMOCA (Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art). Modern Ilonggo art in Iloilo Business Park.
Shopping
- Pasalubong shops on Calle Real and in Jaro for biscocho, butterscotch and dried mangoes from Guimaras.
- Malls: SM City Iloilo and Festive Walk in Mandurriao, Robinsons Place in City Proper and Jaro.
- Hablon and piña cloth from Arevalo and Miagao weavers.
Nightlife
Smallville Complex in Mandurriao is the city's main dining and bar strip, with live music and late-night spots. Iloilo Business Park, Festive Walk and Atria Park District have quieter restaurants, cafés and wine bars. The Esplanade is lit up at night and makes a pleasant after-dinner walk.